Nick Schmaltz

Schmaltz was ranked 19th by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau on their final list of the top draft-eligible North American skaters leading into the 2014 NHL Entry Draft[2] and he was projected to be a first-round selection.[3] He played junior hockey with the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) from 2012 to 2014,[4] where in his first season he was named to the 2012–13 USHL All- Rookie Team.[5]

Schmaltz played with the North Dakota Fighting Hawks, and won the 2016 NCAA National Hockey Championship as a sophomore. He ended his collegiate career and turned professional after signing a three-year entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on June 19, 2016.[6]

On October 12, 2016, Schmaltz made his NHL debut in the season opener against the St. Louis Blues.[7] He scored his first NHL goal on October 15 against Marek Mazanec of the Nashville Predators.[8] The Blackhawks reassigned Schmaltz to AHL on December 4 after he only recorded one goal and three assist in 26 NHL games.[9] While with the Rockford IceHogs, he tallied six goals and three assists.[9] The Blackhawks recalled Schmaltz on January 14, 2017.[9] His scoring improved, scoring five goals and 19 assists in 35 more games that season.

In the 2018–19 season, on November 25, 2018, Schmaltz was traded by the Blackhawks to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for Brendan Perlini and Dylan Strome.[10] In January 2019, Schmaltz was sidelined for the remainder of the season with what the Coyotes described as a major lower-body injury. It was later confirmed that Schmaltz had suffered a major knee injury.[11]

On March 30, 2019, the Coyotes announced they had reached an agreement with Schmaltz on a seven-year, $40.95 million contract extension.