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FILE - Utah Mammoth defenseman John Marino (6) hits the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, March 28, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

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Utah Jazz CEO Danny Ainge, left, jokes with Boston assistant coach Sam Cassell before an NBA game March 21, 2025, in Salt Lake City.

Rick Egan, Associated Press

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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Mammoth have signed defenseman John Marino to an eight-year, $54 million extension with an annual average value of $6.75 million.

Marino’s deal, announced on Tuesday, comes on the heels of a career-best season that included his first career playoff goal.

“We view John as a foundational piece of our future,” Mammoth general manager Bill Armstrong said in a statement. “His ability to control the game from the back end, his play in transition and our trust in him to make the right decisions in critical situations allows him to be a difference-maker on most nights. Beyond his skill, John brings a level of calmness under pressure that our group feeds off of and that’s exactly what you need from your veteran players.”

Marino had career highs of 36 points and 32 assists with four goals in his second season with the Mammoth after being traded from New Jersey in 2024. The 29-year-old ranked second among all NHL defenseman at plus-42 and played all six games in Utah’s first playoff appearance since moving from Arizona.

Marino has 23 goals and 134 assists in seven NHL seasons with Utah, New Jersey and Pittsburgh.

— Associated Press

Mammoth open season at home, host Winter Classic

The Utah Mammoth announced their 2026-27 (NHL) regular season schedule, presented by SeatGeek. Each NHL team will play 84 games for the first time since 1993-94.

The Mammoth will begin the season on home ice against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, Oct. 1, before playing 13 of their next 18 games on the road.

Utah will return to the Delta Center to play five straight home games from Nov. 12-21, marking the team’s second-longest homestand of the season.

The Mammoth will play six consecutive contests on home ice from Jan. 23-Feb. 2.

As a result of the NHL’s expanded schedule, Utah will play four games against each of the other seven Central Division teams in 2026-27.

The Mammoth will also play three games against all eight members of the Pacific Division, and they will face each of the 16 Eastern Conference clubs twice.

In addition to playing 41 home games at the Delta Center, Utah will host the Colorado Avalanche in the 2027 Winter Classic, which will be held at the University of Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium on Thursday, Dec. 31.

The 2027 NHL All-Star Weekend will be played Feb. 5-6 at UBS Arena on Long Island, N.Y., as the New York Islanders host the event for the first time since 1983.

This year’s All-Star Game will consist of a five-team, international tournament played three-on-three.

Utah Mammoth games, except exclusive nationally televised games (to be announced later), will be available to watch live over the air on Utah 16, as well as on the team’s Mammoth+, a dedicated streaming service from SEG Media that offers fans in Utah, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Wyoming, and parts of Nevada flexible access to 75 or more live games and unique Mammoth programming that is not available elsewhere.

— Utah Mammoth

Utah adding 5 people, 1 team to Hall of Fame

The University of Utah Athletics Department will honor four of its all-time greatest student-athletes, one highly-decorated head coach and one legendary team when the 2026 Hall of Fame class is inducted in September.

The class includes Zane Beadles (football, 2006-09), Daria Bijak (gymnastics, 2007-10), Katrin Smigun (women’s skiing, 2003), Delon Wright (men’s basketball, 2013-15), Jerry Pimm (men’s basketball coach, 1974-83) and the 1991 softball team.

Utah Athletics’ Hall of Fame Weekend will center around the home football game against Utah State on Sept. 19. The Hall of Fame induction dinner will take place on Friday, Sept. 18, at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The class will be introduced and honored at halftime of the football game on Saturday the 19th.

— Paul Kirk, Utah Athletics

Ainge to be enshrined in College Basketball HOF

Former BYU men’s basketball great Danny Ainge will be inducted into the Naismith Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame on Thursday, Oct. 22, at the College Basketball Experience in Kansas City.

Ainge is joined in the Class of 2026 by Jay Wright, Tubby Smith, Ted Owens, Glen Rice and the late Walt Hazzard.

Ainge is one of six BYU players in program history to score over 2,000 points, with his 2,467 points putting him third on the all-time list behind Tyler Haws and Jimmer Fredette. He still holds program records for career field goals made (987) and consecutive double-figure scoring games (112) while ranking second in points per game (20.91), field goal attempts (1,875) and double-figure scoring games (117).

The Eugene, Oregon, native led the Cougars to their only Elite 8 appearance in program history as a senior. His 37 points in a 78-55 win over UCLA in the second round are still tied for the most points scored by a BYU player in an NCAA Tournament game.

Ainge is currently the CEO of Basketball Operations for the Utah Jazz.

— Tyson Jex, BYU Athletics