Utah Mammoth’s 2024-25 Report Cards: Nick Bjugstad

Eventually, during the month, Bjugstad was placed on the fourth line along with Kevin Stenlund and a rotation of O’Brien and Alex Kerfoot. It helped somewhat as his production picked up a little bit, but goals were still hard to find for the forward.

March was a tough month as Bjugstad found himself on injured reserve. He was out for five games before drawing back into the lineup against the Vancouver Canucks. Bjugstad played the next two games before being healthy scratched in favor of Matias Maccelli.

Bjugstad eventually drew back into the lineup a couple of games later, replacing Maccelli. He played out the rest of the season, scoring three goals in his final six games before the season ended.

In 66 games, Bjugstad produced 19 points and scored eight goals. Similar to guys like Kerfoot and Crouse, he regressed heavily from the prior season. His ice time plummeted to an average of 12:19, and the season went down as Bjugstad’s worst since 2021-22.

Bjugstad has been in the league since 2014. He is a very honest player and knows what a disappointing season is. During media day, he was very open about his regression from the prior season and how his injury from the end of the 2023-24 season hindered his production.

“Individually, it wasn’t my best as far as my production and what I wanted to bring to the table,” Bjugstad said. “I had kind of a rough summer last year, and had a good surgery. Coming off of that was a little tough. I thought I progressed a bit during the season, but I definitely feel like I have more to give.”

While production isn’t everything, and players can bring a lot more to the table than points, it’s a very important part of the game. The entire bottom six for Utah struggled to produce, and Bjugstad’s decline from 45 points to 19 was a big part of the failure of the team’s depth.

“Point production is important in this league,” Bjugstad said. “I didn’t produce. I didn’t score as much as I wanted to, and I think that could have helped the team down the stretch. When I look at a lot of my years through my career, there are ups, there are downs, there are good points in the seasons, and there are bad points. It’s a lot from the mental perspective, but I think you have to kind of look at it from a wholesome pedigree.”

Despite his lack of production and the fact that his contract most likely wasn’t going to be as rich as the one he was on, Bjugstad wanted to stay with Utah. With the upward trajectory of the team and the fact that he had been a part of the core since the 2022-23 season, it’s something he wanted to see out.

“I liked it here, and we’ll see where Bill (Armstrong) is,” Bjugstad said. “He’s got some decisions to make, and he’s got a lot of guys in the pipeline. I have to get back to my full strength. I think I can do that and have a good summer, so we’ll see what transpires. But I loved the city. I loved the people in the organization.”

Unfortunately for Bjugstad, it wouldn’t be so. The team didn’t offer him an extension, and he hit free agency. He managed to find a home on the very first day of free agency, signing a two-year deal with the St. Louis Blues.

The Future

There’s no denying the fact that 2024-25 was a disappointing one from Bjugstad, especially after an amazing 2023-24 season. While his off-ice contributions, his leadership, and his solid defensive play were all great, as he mentioned himself, his production wasn’t.

His decrease in ice time does have a role to play in the drop, but that happened due to his lack of production. Now, you can’t expect 45 points from Bjugstad every season. That’s just not possible at his age and with his injury history. However, 30-35 points is reasonable. Nineteen is not.

With the addition of Brandon Tanev, the return of Michael Carcone and Kailer Yamamoto, and Daniil But being signed, it pressed Bjugstad out of the bottom six. It was time to move on. Bjugstad more than likely wanted an every-night NHL role, and it wasn’t going to come with the Mammoth as they continue trending towards the playoffs.

One thing that the Mammoth might really miss is Bjugstad just being around the team. He was an extremely likable player with a lot of knowledge and a good leadership pedigree. It’s a fantastic thing for the Blues as Bjugstad gets added to the team’s existing veteran presence with Cam Fowler, Justin Faulk, and Brayden Schenn.

As of right now, Bjugstad is projected to play on the Blues’ fourth line alongside Alexey Toropchenko and Nathan Walker. It could be a solid line for the Blues. Bjugstad is great at winning faceoffs, and he can help a younger player like Toropchenko or even Alexandre Texier if he makes the lineup.

For a team like the Blues that needed some more depth in its bottom six, Bjugstad is a slam-dunk pickup for them. He’ll provide some decent production down on the fourth line while being a massive presence in the locker room. Young guys like Jimmy Snuggerud and Dylan Holloway can learn some things from him as well, which is invaluable for the Blues.

Meanwhile, for Bjugstad, it’s fantastic for him to get a multi-year contract. The forward has been moving somewhere every year, from Arizona to Alberta, back to Arizona, to Utah, and now to Missouri. He’ll get some stability, which is something he likely wouldn’t have gotten if he had tried to stay with the Mammoth.

He will need to bounce back from his first and only season in Utah. With a fresh new start and a healthy summer, that could certainly happen.

Final Grade

The Mammoth might miss Bjugstad more than people think. While the addition of someone like Tanev, who will take his spot in the lineup, will be an improvement, having a guy like Bjugstad in your locker room and in your bottom six is a great move for a competitive and young team. 

Yes, 2024-25 was an extremely disappointing season for Bjugstad. He’ll be the first one to tell you that. He, at times, played his way out of the lineup. However, it could possibly be a fluke season for him. Only time will tell. A bounce-back season is needed. If anyone can do it, though, it’s Bjugstad.

Overall, Bjugstad is getting a C-minus for his season. Yes, a 26-point decline is a massive one, and it showed with the lack of production from the forward and his teammates around him. However, his 45 points in 2023-24 were a bit of an overproduction. Bjugstad has only had 20 or more goals and 45 or more points in a season once before. It’s not a typical thing for him. Judging him based on that isn’t fair.

However, he’s better than 19 points. It wasn’t a great season, but multiple other players on Utah had far worse seasons than he did.

The divorce between the Mammoth and Bjugstad had to happen with the moves the team made over the summer. The forward also needed a fresh start and somewhere that offered stability. However, Bjugstad will always be a part of the team’s history. His presence and leadership were a significant part of the Mammoth, and his extremely open gratitude and appreciation for the city, the organization, and the fans helped make the inaugural season a success.