Barrett Hayton just became the first domino to fall in this year’s NHL salary arbitration cycle. The Utah Mammoth forward filed for arbitration over the weekend, and that move officially closes the door on any potential offer sheet from another team.
Hayton is a restricted free agent who just finished his second full season as an everyday NHL player. He’s also the first guy from this year’s RFA class to take his case to arbitration. PuckPedia was the first to confirm the filing on June 30.
The Numbers Behind the Forward
The 26-year-old Ontario native put up 20 goals and 26 assists in 2024-25. That was Utah’s first season after the franchise moved from Arizona to Salt Lake City, and Hayton quietly set career highs in points. He’s got 65 goals and 90 assists across 358 career NHL games.
His last contract paid him $2.65 million against the cap, and he played that two-year deal out. Now the arbitrator will decide his next number unless the two sides settle before the hearing.
From Coyotes Pick to Mammoth Regular
Hayton was taken fifth overall in the 2018 draft by the then-Arizona Coyotes. Before that, he tore up the OHL with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. He put up 60 points in 63 games during his draft year and won the Bobby Smith Trophy as the OHL’s top scholastic player.
He bounced between the Coyotes and their AHL affiliate in Tucson for a couple seasons before cracking the NHL lineup full-time in 2022-23. That year he played all 82 games and scored 19 goals with 24 assists.
Now he’s part of Utah’s core forward group. The Mammoth made the playoffs last spring and got bounced in the first round, but the franchise has building momentum in its new home. Getting Hayton locked in at a reasonable number matters for their cap situation going forward.
Arbitration hearings typically get scheduled for late July or early August. Teams and players can still negotiate up until the hearing date, so don’t be surprised if they reach a deal before a neutral party hands down a ruling.
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