Nick Schmaltz
American ice hockey player (born 1996) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Nick Schmaltz (born February 23, 1996) is an American professional ice hockey forward for the Utah NHL team of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Chicago Blackhawks and the Arizona Coyotes in the NHL.
Nick Schmaltz | |||
---|---|---|---|
Born |
(1996-02-23) February 23, 1996 (age 28) Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. | ||
Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
Weight | 176 lb (80 kg; 12 st 8 lb) | ||
Position | Forward | ||
Shoots | Right | ||
NHL team Former teams |
Utah NHL team Chicago Blackhawks Arizona Coyotes | ||
National team | United States | ||
NHL draft |
20th overall, 2014 Chicago Blackhawks | ||
Playing career | 2016–present |
Born in Madison, Wisconsin, and raised in Verona, Schmaltz grew up playing hockey in his basement with his brother Jordan and sister Kylie. He followed his brother into playing junior ice hockey for the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League. After two full seasons in Green Bay, Schmaltz was selected in the first round, 20th overall, by the Blackhawks in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He went on to play two seasons of college ice hockey with the North Dakota Fighting Hawks. During his second season, North Dakota won the 2016 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament. Schmaltz had scored the game-winning goal in the tournament semifinals with only 60 seconds left to play and added an assist in their championship victory.
Schmaltz left North Dakota after winning a championship title to begin his professional hockey career. He spent most of his rookie season with the Rockford IceHogs, the Blackhawks' American Hockey League affiliate, before having a breakout 2017–18 season playing with Ryan Hartman and Patrick Kane. Schmaltz could not continue his offensive output the following season, and he was traded to the Coyotes in November 2018. He missed most of the 2018–19 season with a knee injury but returned the following year to lead the team with 45 points. During the Coyotes' 2021–22 roster overhaul, Schmaltz was part of the core group of players they chose to build around, and that March he set a franchise record with seven points in one game.