Minnesota Wild · Center · Shoots R

Michael McCarron

Age 31 · 6'6" · 232 lb · Born in Grosse Pointe, USA

Cap hit

$3.333M

3.2% of $104M cap

Term

6 yrs

Through 2031-32, then UFA

Clause

NMC

Surplus value

−$375K

vs. $2.958M market estimate

Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source

2026-27 regular season

Goals

0.0% shooting

Assists

2 primary

Points

1.00 per game

TOI/GP

15:11

PP 0:00 · PK 2:56

Plus/minus

Hits

Blocks 0

PIM

Game Score

+1.26

per game

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

Game	A	SOG	HIT	BLK	TOI	PP	PK	FO	OZS%	GV	TK	+/-	GS
Oct 3 vs BOS · W 4-1	1	4	2	0	16:58	0:00	2:57	7-2	25	2	0	+1	+1.16
Oct 1 @ NSH · W 3-1	1	4	6	0	13:24	0:00	2:54	8-7	0	0	0	+1	+1.36
May 13 @ COL · OTL 4-3	0	0	1	1	17:31	0:16	1:25	15-9	43	1	1	0	+0.07
May 11 vs COL · L 5-2	0	2	4	3	14:15	0:00	1:04	9-7	75	0	0	0	+0.59
May 9 vs COL · W 5-1	1	0	3	0	13:30	0:00	2:54	6-9	57	2	1	+1	+0.39

GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.

Advanced metrics

5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 887 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards

xGF%47.1%

32nd percentile

Relative xGF%-4.6

19th percentile

HDCF%44.3%

22nd percentile

CF%48.4%

41st percentile

Relative CF%-4.5

15th percentile

FF%49.5%

51st percentile

GF%33.3%

6th percentile

CF/6052.2

27th percentile

CA/6055.7

66th percentile

ixG/600.77

31st percentile

Goals above expected-3.4

17th percentile

IPP70.0%

68th percentile

PDO95.0

6th percentile

OZS%23.6%

3rd percentile

Faceoff %52.5%

522 won · 472 lost (all strengths)

xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.

Play stylePhysical net-front presence

Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26

McCarron is a bruising forechecking center who wins puck battles and controls play through physicality and puck retention. His playmaking is limited and he doesn't create many chances, making him most valuable in a grinding, defensive-minded role.

Forechecking enforcerPuck retainerPhysical play

Shooting volume: 57
Playmaking: 11
Zone entries(est.): 39
Forechecking: 89
Physicality: 90
Defensive impact: 57
Puck management: 91
Speed: 43

Where he shoots from

Slot 50% · Mid-range 29% · Perimeter 21%(171 unblocked shots)

Strengths

Dominant forechecking at 89th percentile creates turnovers and pace
Exceptional puck management at 91st percentile limits giveaways
Physicality in 90th percentile establishes presence in battles

Watch-outs

Playmaking at 11th percentile limits offensive creation
Below-average speed at 43rd percentile reduces transition opportunities
Modest rush chances at 39th percentile suggests limited entry effectiveness

Similar style: Sam Carrick (BUF), Martin Pospisil (CGY)

Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.

Career stats

From the NHL's player records

NHL regular season NHL playoffs All leagues

Season	League	Team	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009-10	T1EHL	Det. Honeybaked	29	12	20	32	—	44
2010-11	T1EHL	Det. Honeybaked	38	6	12	18	—	88
2011-12	USHL	USNTDP	35	3	14	17	-9	112
2011-12	U-17	USNTDP	17	3	6	9	—	14
2011-12 (playoffs)	USHL	USNTDP	1	0	1	1	0	2
2012-13	USHL	USNTDP	19	5	5	10	+1	84
2012-13	U-18	USNTDP	40	11	16	27	—	98
2012-13	WJ18-A	USA	7	3	2	5	0	14
2013-14	OHL	London	66	14	20	34	+11	120
2013-14 (playoffs)	OHL	London	9	3	2	5	+6	22
2013-14 (playoffs)	M-Cup	London	3	0	0	0	-2	6
2014-15	OHL	London	25	22	19	41	+8	58
2014-15	OHL	Oshawa	31	6	21	27	+17	70
2014-15 (playoffs)	OHL	Oshawa	21	9	9	18	+3	33
2014-15 (playoffs)	M-Cup	Oshawa	4	1	2	3	-1	7
2015-16	NHL	Montréal Canadiens	20	1	1	2	-10	37
2015-16	AHL	St. John's	58	17	21	38	-8	91
2016-17	NHL	Montréal Canadiens	31	1	4	5	-4	41
2016-17	AHL	St. John's IceCaps	32	7	12	19	-7	66
2016-17 (playoffs)	NHL	Montréal Canadiens	1	0	0	0	-1	0
2016-17 (playoffs)	AHL	St. John's IceCaps	2	0	0	0	-2	6
2017-18	NHL	Montréal Canadiens	18	0	1	1	-1	32
2017-18	AHL	Laval Rocket	54	7	17	24	-14	121
2018-19	AHL	Laval Rocket	32	7	14	21	0	46
2019-20	AHL	Laval Rocket	29	5	9	14	-1	50
2019-20	AHL	Milwaukee Admirals	27	10	3	13	+3	50
2020-21	NHL	Nashville Predators	6	0	0	0	+1	16
2021-22	NHL	Nashville Predators	51	7	7	14	+10	70
2021-22	AHL	Milwaukee Admirals	14	3	3	6	-3	15
2021-22 (playoffs)	NHL	Nashville Predators	2	0	0	0	-3	2
2022-23	NHL	Nashville Predators	32	2	2	4	-3	24
2022-23	AHL	Milwaukee Admirals	16	2	4	6	+4	28
2022-23 (playoffs)	AHL	Milwaukee Admirals	15	4	3	7	+7	24
2023-24	NHL	Nashville Predators	70	12	10	22	+4	100
2023-24 (playoffs)	NHL	Nashville Predators	6	0	0	0	-3	2
2024-25	NHL	Nashville Predators	74	5	9	14	-21	102
2024-25	WC	USA	10	1	1	2	0	2
2024-25	International	Team USA	1	1	0	1	—	—
2025-26	NHL	Nashville Predators	59	5	7	12	-15	73
2025-26	NHL	Minnesota Wild	20	3	2	5	-1	20
2025-26 (playoffs)	NHL	Minnesota Wild	11	2	2	4	+2	0
2026-27	NHL	Minnesota Wild	2	0	2	2	+2	0

Every league he has played in, from the NHL's records, regular season and playoffs.

Latest news

Headlines from news outlets and team blogs

Michael McCarron Pregame 10/1
NHL.com · Oct 1

Sentiment & chatter

Fans

—

Beat writers

—

Media

—

Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.

Recent Game Scores

Last 10 games · goals above average

+0.4

+0.4DAL4/25

+1.4

+1.4DAL4/28

+0.6

+0.6DAL4/30

+0.7

+0.7COL5/3

+0.2

+0.2COL5/5

+0.4

+0.4COL5/9

+0.6

+0.6COL5/11

+0.1

+0.1COL5/13

+1.4

+1.4NSH10/1

+1.2

+1.2BOS10/3

Average +0.70 per game over these 10.

Where his Game Score comes from

+0.31 per game

2025-26 · 79 GP

Season total +24.8, or +0.31 per game.

Scoring: +13.3
Shooting: +8.2
5-on-5 goals: -3.0
Defense: +0.3
Penalty kill: -0.6
Physical play: +8.0
Puck battles: -0.7
Penalties: -1.1
Faceoffs: +0.5

Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2026-27, as of Oct 5

Top speed: 20.4 mph; 23rd pct
20+ mph bursts: 1
Hardest shot: 74.8 mph; 47th pct
Distance: 4.9 mi
OZ time: 40.8%; 46th pct
DZ time: 40.4%

Usage

Last 2 games this season

Line 1 with Nick Foligno and Marcus Foligno (8:34 together per game at 5-on-5)

From the NHL's shift charts, averaged over this season's last 10 games.

Age curve

At 31: 80% of peak

NHL forwards · production index

202937

At 31, forwards typically produce 80% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 36, when the typical level is 49%.

From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.

Contract by season

6 seasons left

Season	Team	Cap hit	% of cap
2026-27	MIN	$3.333M	3.2%
2027-28	MIN	$3.333M	2.9%
2028-29	MIN	$3.333M	—
2029-30	MIN	$3.333M	—
2030-31	MIN	$3.333M	—
2031-32	MIN	$3.333M	—

UFA after 2031-32. NMC. $20M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).