The Utah Mammoth have locked up one of the anchors of their blue line, announcing Tuesday that they signed defenseman John Marino to an eight-year contract extension worth $54 million. The deal carries a $6.75 million average annual value and keeps Marino in Utah through the 2034-35 season.
The extension does not begin immediately. Marino, 29, is entering the final season of the six-year, $4.4 million-per-year contract he originally signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins, so the new money kicks in for 2027-28. Utah moved early rather than let him approach unrestricted free agency next summer.
Per the team’s release, the contract is built with heavy protection for Marino: a no-movement clause in the first year, a full no-trade clause in years two through four, a 16-team no-trade list in years five and six, and an eight-team list in the final two seasons. That structure reflects how central Utah views him to its plans as the franchise builds out its identity in its second season under the Mammoth name.
The raise follows what ESPN described as a career-best year for the right-shot defenseman, who chipped in his first career playoff goal during Utah’s postseason run. Known primarily for his shutdown work and mobility rather than offense, Marino has become a steady top-four presence since arriving in the desert, and the $6.75 million AAV slots him in as a long-term fixture on the right side.
ESPN, NHL.com and TSN all reported the terms Tuesday. For a team still stocking its core, committing max term to a defenseman on the wrong side of 30 by the deal’s back end is a bet on stability — but the front-loaded no-trade protection suggests Utah and Marino were equally motivated to make the marriage a lasting one.
