Utah locks up Marino, but the depth questions don't go away

The Mammoth signed John Marino to an 8-year, $54 million extension Tuesday, which is a real commitment to a defenseman who quietly had a strong season. His +23 was the best mark on the roster, and he logged nearly 20 minutes a night across 49 games. Utah clearly decided he earned a long look.

The tricky part is what the deal doesn't solve. Behind Mikhail Sergachev, the blue line drops off sharply — Marino himself was that second option, and there isn't a clear third who played meaningful minutes last season. Locking up the backup doesn't fill the gap; it just keeps the gap from getting worse.

The goaltending situation is worth watching too. Karel Vejmelka handled the crease essentially alone last season, with no second netminder logging real time behind him. That's a thin margin for an 82-game schedule, and it hasn't been addressed yet. The Hayton matching earlier this month helped at center, but the roster still carries real thin spots at both positions.

Utah finished 43-39 and went 6-4 down the stretch, so there's something to build on. The Marino extension fits that framing — this is a front office that thinks it's close enough to pay for continuity. My read is the offseason isn't done, and it probably needs not to be.