What Happened
The Utah Mammoth will be without defenseman Nate Schmidt for Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators. Schmidt is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury sustained during Thursday’s loss to the Montreal Canadiens. He took a hard hit from Nick Suzuki and played only four minutes in that contest. The club recalled Gregor Biber on Friday, but Duda is expected to start in his place.
Key Details
- Schmidt is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
- The injury occurred during a hit from Nick Suzuki.
- Artyom Duda is set to cover Schmidt’s minutes.
- Gregor Biber was recalled but will sit out.
- John Marino remains out with an upper-body injury.
- Schmidt averages 19 minutes of ice time per game.
What It Means
The Mammoth face a significant defensive gap with both Schmidt and John Marino unavailable. Schmidt provides substantial two-way production, including 14 shot blocks and 20 hits this season. Relying on rookie Duda, who has no points and a minus-three rating in his first two NHL games, places a heavy burden on the young defender to manage high-minute workload.
What's Next
Utah will reassess Schmidt’s availability on a day-to-day basis. Duda is currently slated to play Saturday, while Biber remains in the lineup as a potential option for future matchups.