Michael McCarron didn’t need a full season to leave a mark on the Wild. From the moment he arrived at the trade deadline, the 6-foot-6, 232-pound forward looked like he belonged, and not just because of his size.
He skated well, handled the puck with strength, and brought the kind of edge that makes life harder for opponents. Minnesota got a player who could hit, block shots and chip in enough offense to matter.
In 20 regular-season games, McCarron scored three goals and added two assists for five points. He opened his Wild run with a goal in his first game and kept producing at a steady clip for a bottom-six forward.
The numbers weren’t flashy, but they fit the role he was brought in to play. He also finished with 40 hits and 17 blocked shots, showing the physical and defensive side of his game that Minnesota clearly valued.
That fit was part of the reason he came away with an A- for the regular season. He didn’t overwhelm offensively, but he did what was asked of him and blended into the group quickly. General manager Bill Guerin made that clear when he spoke about McCarron after the season.
“…We thought he was a really good fit. He delivered on everything that we knew about and was told about him.
John (Hynes) could answer lineup stuff. I mean, I think everybody was really happy.
I know everybody was really happy,” said general manager Bill Guerin to the media during his end-of-season interview when asked about keeping McCarron.
McCarron’s playoff run gave Minnesota even more of the same. He appeared in all 11 postseason games, scored two goals against the Dallas Stars and added two assists against the Colorado Avalanche for four points. His point-per-game rate improved to .36 in the playoffs, up from .25 in the regular season, and he stayed out of the penalty box while doing it.
The physical work kept coming, too. McCarron delivered 27 hits in the postseason and blocked 14 shots, helping the Wild in the kind of games where every little detail matters. Playing in the bottom six alongside players like Nick Foligno, he gave Minnesota useful minutes and some needed toughness.
Still, there was one moment that lingered. McCarron missed a prime overtime chance in Game 5 against the Avalanche, a shot that could have pushed the series to Game 6. That miss kept his postseason grade at an A-, even with the goals, assists and physical play he provided.
He was asked after the season what he likes most about the team, and his answer pointed to the culture around him.
“Well, it starts with management, and then it goes to the coaches and the guys. I think Billy (Guerin) really emphasizes winning in this organization.
I think the winning culture here, or the try-to-win culture, is it’s a breath of fresh air, really. Not to say where I wasn’t in the past wasn’t trying to win, but I feel like he’s putting pieces in place to try and win the ultimate prize, and the determination around the group, the guys seems like a lot of them have been together forever…,” said McCarron to the media in his end-of-season interview when asked about what he likes most about the team.
Put together, the regular season and postseason both landed at A-, which makes his overall grade an A-. He made an impact, but there’s still more in his game to unlock.
Minnesota clearly believes that too, which is why McCarron recently signed a six-year extension worth $3.3 million annually. Now he’ll have the chance to show he can keep building on this start over a full season.
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