Utah Hockey Club re-signs Hayton to two-year, $5.3 million contract

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Utah Hockey Club re-signed forward Barrett Hayton on Monday to a two-year contract worth $5.3 million.

The contract carries an annual salary cap hit of $2.65 million through the 2025-26 season. Hayton was a restricted free agent.

“Barrett is a reliable two-way center who is strong in the faceoff circle and is a great complement down the middle to our high-skilled forwards,” Utah general manager Bill Armstrong said in a statement. "We look forward to having him back with our organization.”

Hayton, 24, was the fifth pick in the 2018 draft by the team formerly known as the Arizona Coyotes. He has 84 points in 2019 games since making his NHL debut in 2019.

Injuries limited him to just 33 games last season, and he had three goals and seven assists.

The first regular-season NHL game in the state of Utah is scheduled for Oct. 8, when the club hosts Chicago. Ryan Smith's Smith Entertainment Group bought the team this spring from former owner Alex Mereulo and relocated it to Salt Lake City.

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