PuckSleuthMinnesota 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
−$655K
vs. $2.678M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
1
Goals
0
0.0% shooting
Assists
1
1 primary
Points
1
1.00 per game
TOI/GP
13:24
PP 0:00 · PK 2:54
xGF%
68.0
5v5, +21 vs. last yr
Game Score
+0.37
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
8 W · 7 L
Plus/minus
+1
Blocks 0 · Hits 6
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 @ NSH · W 3-1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 13:24 | 0:00 | 2:54 | 8-7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | +0.37 |
| May 13 @ COL · OTL 4-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 17:31 | 0:16 | 1:25 | 15-9 | 43 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -0.24 |
| May 11 vs COL · L 5-2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 14:15 | 0:00 | 1:04 | 9-7 | 75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.06 |
| May 9 vs COL · W 5-1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 13:30 | 0:00 | 2:54 | 6-9 | 57 | 2 | 1 | +1 | -0.24 |
| May 5 @ COL · L 5-2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 15:48 | 0:26 | 4:07 | 8-12 | 75 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -0.41 |
GS = our Game Score, goals above average. 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
32nd percentile
19th percentile
22nd percentile
41st percentile
15th percentile
51st percentile
6th percentile
27th percentile
66th percentile
31st percentile
17th percentile
68th percentile
6th percentile
3rd percentile
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.
- 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.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 79 GP · goals above average
Season total -10.1 goals, or -0.13 per game.
- Even strength offense
- -1.1
- Even strength defense
- +0.3
- Power play
- -0.1
- Penalty kill
- -0.8
- Finishing
- -3.3
- Playmaking
- -4.5
- Penalties
- -1.1
- Faceoffs
- +0.5
Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
By season
Regular season
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | SOG | TOI/GP | FO% | GS/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | MIN | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 4 | 13:24 | — | +0.37 |
| 2025-26 | MIN, NSH | 79 | 8 | 9 | 17 | -16 | 109 | 14:02 | 52.5% | -0.13 |
| 2024-25 | NSH | 74 | 5 | 9 | 14 | -21 | 80 | 13:45 | 54.4% | -0.11 |
| 2023-24 | NSH | 70 | 12 | 10 | 22 | +4 | 94 | 12:46 | 53.2% | -0.01 |
| 2022-23 | NSH | 32 | 2 | 2 | 4 | -3 | 39 | 10:33 | 59.4% | -0.13 |
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.
Age curve
NHL forwards · production index
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.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 22.2 mph
- 48th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 85
- Hardest shot
- 89.3 mph
- 79th pct
- Distance
- 181.1 mi
- OZ time
- 40.7%
- 31st pct
- DZ time
- 41.8%