Utah Mammoth’s 2025-26 Report Cards: Nick DeSimone

With Durzi returning to full health and the Mammoth going through a rough stretch, DeSimone was taken out of the lineup to make way for Maveric Lamoureux. DeSimone eventually returned to the lineup towards the end of December in a game against the Detroit Red Wings.

DeSimone stayed in the lineup for the final four games of December. In fact, the defenseman played every game in January, primarily on a pairing with Ian Cole. He registered two assists during the entire month and finished as a plus-three.

In a four-game shortened February due to the Olympics, DeSimone played in three of those games. He returned to the lineup in early March with Mikhail Sergachev out of the lineup, paired alongside Simashev. The defenseman played four games and recorded two assists before Sergachev returned to the lineup. Due to the acquisition of MacKenzie Weegar, DeSimone was once again back in the press box.

DeSimone played his final three games of 2025-26 in April, producing one assist. In total, the defenseman appeared in 40 games, the most he had played in his career. In those 40 games, DeSimone had career highs in all offensive categories. 

Defensively, DeSimone had 31 blocked shots, the second-most of his career. His 19 hits were also the second-most of his career. He did have 32 giveaways, which was the lowest among Mammoth defensemen who played 40 or more games.

While DeSimone played the seventh defenseman role often and didn’t play much through the latter half of the season, he fit in well whenever he was deployed. He always had a good attitude about his role and overall enjoyed his experience in his first full season with the Mammoth, something that made him popular among the entire defense core.

“I take pride in being a piece of it and really fitting in on a personal level with everybody,” DeSimone said. “We have such a great group as a whole, and then our D-core is really special. Everybody gets along. It’s really a riot back there. We have a blast. But we also work, which is special. I value being a part of it and doing what I can every day, whether I’m playing or not, to provide morale.”

The Mammoth did make the playoffs, but DeSimone did not appear in any of the six games in the first round. Going into the summer, it was no secret that the defenseman enjoyed his time in Salt Lake City and wanted to stay. It was also no secret that he played well in a seventh defenseman role and was well liked in the organization. Just a couple of days ahead of free agency, DeSimone and the Mammoth agreed on a two-year contract.

The Future

With a two-year contract in place, DeSimone will remain in Utah for the foreseeable future. It’s a good move for the Mammoth. They lock down a popular player who clearly wants to be in Salt Lake City for a cheap cap hit, adding reinforcements to a blueline that has run into injury issues throughout the past two seasons. 

For DeSimone, it’s a great contract to sign as well. Across the five NHL organizations he’s played in, the Mammoth seems like the perfect fit for him. They believe in him and have given him opportunities to succeed. It’s culminated in him playing around half of an NHL season for the first time in his career. It’s also the first time in his career that DeSimone didn’t spend any time in the AHL.

DeSimone has become an NHL player after going undrafted and spending years in the AHL. Even when he played his first couple of NHL games with the Calgary Flames, he was still sent back down to the AHL afterward, and that was a continuous pattern until he was claimed off waivers by the Mammoth. Looking back at his journey to become a permanent spot on an NHL roster, he can’t help but laugh and be proud of how much he’s grown.

“It’s funny looking back and laughing at myself a little bit,” DeSimone said. “I think you grow every day. Every year, there are new challenges thrown at you. Those are fun challenges; everybody has different challenges. Then you have challenges within the team, and it’s fun to overcome them, and it makes you grow. Even if you fail, you learn from it; you grow.”

Will DeSimone be an everyday defenseman next season? There could be a spot for him. With Cole and Durzi departing, it creates a three-way battle for the final two spots on the blueline. Andrew Peeke, Simashev, and DeSimone will be those players battling for that spot.

DeSimone does have an advantage on those three, playing the most games with the Mammoth out of the group. However, it’s hard to imagine a world where Simashev is made a healthy scratch, and he’s likely outgrown the AHL at this point. It is likely that Peeke and DeSimone rotate in and out of the lineup in that sixth and final spot. There’s a reason why he got a multi-year contract. The Mammoth aren’t going to let him just sit in the press box for the whole season.

However, what you can expect from DeSimone is that every time he’s in the lineup, he’ll play his heart out. He is a great seventh defenseman who can play in a bottom pairing role. Bringing him back is great for the Mammoth locker room and for their blueline, which, with the additions they’ve made over the past couple of months, makes up a pretty deep D-core.

Overall Grade

Every team needs depth on the blueline. Having good, reliable depth with players who work hard and can step in and play well in a pinch is what can win hockey games, especially in the postseason. If the Mammoth needed DeSimone to play a playoff game, there’s probably no one stressing out.

The defenseman is an enjoyable player to have around. During the 2025-26 season, he proved he can play a big chunk of games and put up decent numbers. DeSimone showed that he can come in and play games with players injured after sitting out for a couple of weeks. It’s hard to do that, but he did and earned a two-year contract out of it.

Overall, DeSimone is getting a B-plus for this season. While that might seem a little high for a player who only played 40 games, for the role the defenseman plays and how well he played it, it’s a deserved one. It’s simple. DeSimone is a great depth defenseman and a very reliable one at that.

Where does DeSimone go from here? Perhaps if he rotates in a spot with Peeke last season, he gets more games and points. If he doesn’t get a consistent spot, his totals might go down. However, if he can continue playing a strong game when needed, it’s hard to imagine anyone complaining about DeSimone’s role or play anytime soon.