The Tucson Roadrunners have added a familiar name back into the fold, signing forward Kevin Rooney to a one-year AHL contract.
John Ferguson, the team’s general manager, pointed to Rooney’s resume and presence when announcing the move.
“Kevin’s extensive NHL experience and high character make him a valuable contributor to our organization,” said John Ferguson, general manager of the Tucson Roadrunners.
Rooney, 33, spent the 2025-26 season split between Tucson and Utah, producing 24 points on 12 goals and 12 assists with eight penalty minutes in 44 AHL games for the Roadrunners. He also scored once in a single NHL appearance with the Mammoth.
That season gave Tucson one of its more notable offensive notes from a depth forward: Rooney was one of two Roadrunners, along with Daniil But, to score an NHL goal last season. He also posted AHL career bests in power-play goals with four and shooting percentage at 15.6%.
His NHL track record stretches across 10 seasons and four organizations, including Utah in 2025-26, the Calgary Flames from 2022-25, the New York Rangers from 2020-22 and the New Jersey Devils from 2016-20. In 331 career NHL games, Rooney has 61 points with 33 goals and 28 assists, plus 134 penalty minutes. He also has two assists and 10 penalty minutes in 15 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, all with the Rangers during their run to the Eastern Conference Final in 2022.
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound forward hit his NHL highs with New York in 2020-21, when he put up eight goals and 14 points in 54 games. He later played a career-high 70 NHL games for Calgary in 2024-25, finishing with 10 points on five goals and five assists and 14 penalty minutes.
Rooney’s AHL résumé is just as deep. Across seven seasons, he has 117 points with 46 goals and 71 assists, along with 164 penalty minutes, in 286 career games with Tucson, the Calgary Wranglers, Binghamton Devils and Albany Devils. He has also appeared in 13 career Calder Cup Playoff games, posting four points and eight penalty minutes for Calgary and Albany.
The Canton, Massachusetts, native set his top AHL scoring numbers in 2017-18 with Binghamton, when he scored 14 goals and added 20 assists for 34 points in 71 games.
Rooney’s path to the NHL began after his time at Providence, where he played four collegiate seasons from 2012-16. He served as team captain as a senior and helped the Friars win the program’s first NCAA national championship as a junior in 2014-15.
On the international stage, Rooney won bronze with Team USA at the 2021 IIHF World Championship with current Mammoth defenseman Zac Jones. He had one assist in 10 games at that tournament and led all skaters in faceoff percentage at 65.2%.
In Other News...
One Shocking NHL Move Just Made The Mammoth Look Smart
A bold move out of Philadelphia has put the NHLs offer-sheet market back in the spotlight, and it has a lot of teams around the league rethinking how they want to build. Leo Carlsson, the 21-year-old center taken second overall in the 2023 draft, has become the latest high-end young player to draw serious attention, with the Ducks now on the clock as they weigh whether to keep him in Anaheim or let the situation play out.
For clubs like the Mammoth, the message is hard to miss. Utah spent the offseason leaning into a different kind of roster construction, adding veterans Vincent Trocheck and Anders Lee while holding onto youth and future assets instead of swinging for a massive splash. In a league where one aggressive offer can force a franchise into a corner, that kind of patience suddenly looks a lot smarter. [Read more 🡒]
Sebastian Cossa Finally Has The NHL Opening Fans Waited For
Sebastian Cossas move to Utah gives the young goaltender a fresh runway after spending most of his pro career with the Grand Rapids Griffins. He arrives with a strong AHL resume and the kind of size and pedigree that still make him an intriguing bet, which is part of why the Mammoth were willing to make the deal and then move quickly to lock him in for the next two seasons.
Cossa has already met with the media and talked about what he wants from the upcoming year, while Bill Armstrong has made it clear the organization sees real upside in him. The challenge now is turning that promise into a larger NHL role, and Utah has created the opening for him to start making that case in earnest. [Read more 🡒]
Roadrunners Keep Robbie Russo As Blue Line Stability Matters Most
The Tucson Roadrunners have kept a familiar piece of their blue line in place, signing Robbie Russo to a one-year AHL contract extension. It is the kind of move that does not draw much noise outside the room, but for a team that values continuity on defense, it matters, especially with Russos track record in Tucson and across the league.
Russos value has been built over time, from his NHL background with the Detroit Red Wings to the steady presence he has provided in the AHL. He already sits as the Roadrunners all-time leader in assists by a defenseman and ranks near the top of the franchises blue-line categories, which helps explain why Tucson wanted to keep the relationship going as it looks ahead to the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]