Utah Mammoth’s 2024-25 Report Cards: Michael Carcone

March was similar to February for Carcone. He played well during a four-game stretch where he was a point-per-game player. However, by the end of the month, he was once again a scratch. Carcone played only one game in April, where he scored his final goal of the season.

In 53 games, Carcone had just seven goals and 19 points. It was a significant decrease from his prior season. Carcone, of course, knew it was a disappointing season for him.

“At the end of the day, I scored 20 goals in this league,” Carcone said. “There’s no reason I can’t do it again. I think I can do better, to be honest.”

It seemed like Carcone’s future wasn’t going to be in Utah. However, unlike every other player during media day, Carcone confirmed his exit from Utah’s organization.

“I love the guys, they’re a great group,” Carcone said. “I don’t think that’s going to be the answer, though. I don’t think we’re going to agree on anything. I spoke to the coaching staff and management, and I think we’re going to go in a different direction.”

Carcone mentioned playing time as the main disagreement between himself and the Utah organization. He was 29 games short of playing a full season and played 21 games fewer than his breakout season in Arizona. Carcone told the media he believes he could be a nightly player in the NHL, which is what he was looking for.

The forward hit the market on July 1. July 2 came, and there was still no word on who Carcone was going to sign with. In a shocker move, 15 days after leaving Utah’s organization, Carcone signed a one-year deal to return to the team. When asked about what had changed since telling the world he wasn’t returning to Utah, he readdressed his exit day comments.

“I obviously saw some stuff on Twitter, but I just want to make it clear that I obviously wanted to come back to Utah,” Carcone said. “That’s not what I meant by what I said. I think that day, I was just speaking out of frustration. Obviously, the season didn’t go the way I felt it should have individually. At the end of the day, (head coach) André Tourigny gave me my chance in the NHL. I love the group of guys we have. I’m just super excited to be back, and I’m looking forward to moving forward with the group.”

Carcone said moving forward, the goal is to get back to his 20-goal self from 2023-24, along with trying to excel in any role he’s given. He also said being a good teammate is the other focus of next season.

The Future

The whole Carcone-Mammoth saga this offseason was perhaps one of the weirdest things to happen to the team. In April, Carcone was ready to leave for a better chance elsewhere. Then, in July, he comes back to Utah ready for whatever role he’s given by the Mammoth.

In signing a one-year contract, the obvious goal for Carcone is to have a great rebound season to try to get a better contract and better ice time. However, a big question is should the Mammoth have even brought back Carcone, especially with their new additions? It’s a one-way contract, so the expectation is that he’ll be with the Mammoth for most of this season.

As mentioned, Carcone’s main complaint was that he wasn’t given enough ice time. Going into a deeper Mammoth team next season, a question was what his role would be going into 2025-26. It seems like he and the coaches have already had discussions on his new role, but he refused to comment on those conversations when he re-signed.

“I’ll just kind of keep it between us and in-house for now, but I do appreciate the question,” Carcone said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to talk to guys and work out with Sean Durzi and Brandon Tanev, so we’re already starting to build those relationships, those connections, and meet the new guys and try to become a better team. Obviously, during free agency, I was paying attention to all the moves and everything that was going on, and I’m just super excited.”

This season, the Mammoth will be bringing back their entire forward group except for Bjugstad and Doan. They also added Tanev and J.J. Peterka. On top of that, they signed Daniil But to an entry-level deal, and prospects like Cole Beaudoin and Tij Iginla will be pressing for a roster spot in camp. There are a lot of people who will be battling Carcone for a spot.

As of right now, Carcone isn’t projected to be a regular in the lineup. However, he is a better forward than Liam O’Brien, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he nabs that final bottom-six spot on the left wing. The question then arises, what if Iginla and/or Beaudoin make the roster? What if But steals that spot? What if someone in the AHL, like Cameron Hebig or Kailer Yamamoto, has a massive camp or season and pushes his way into the NHL?

As of right now, Carcone should get some NHL games next season. An every-night player, though, is a huge ask. If you look back at his 2023-24 season, which he’s said repeatedly is the level of play he wants to get back to, it was the first half of the season that really propped up his stats. His second half wasn’t all that great. His shooting percentage was also at a high number, which doesn’t help his case of being an everyday player.

Can Carcone be an everyday player? Maybe, but on the Mammoth? At this stage in their journey to a Stanley Cup, probably not. Unless he can prove he can stay offensively consistent throughout the entire season, he’s a decent option for the bottom six that most likely won’t play every night, especially if rookies have a good training camp.

Of course, anything can happen at camp, but there was a reason why Carcone was scratched so much throughout the season. Another decision the Mammoth might have to make during the season is whether they should send Carcone down to the AHL. If it gets to that point, it might be a great option as it’ll give the forward a chance to be claimed by any other NHL team. If he doesn’t, he can try to force his way back to the NHL with the Roadrunners.

We’ll see what Tourigny and the coaching staff have planned for Carcone this season. We’ll also see if the Mammoth and/or Carcone made a mistake reuniting. Time will tell, but going forward, if the forward is given a smaller role, neither side can or should complain about the situation.

Final Grade

Going from a 21-goal season to a seven-goal season is a significant drop. It’s one that shouldn’t be taken lightly, and it’s probably one that cost Carcone from getting any serious NHL interest this summer, at least for the role he wants. 2024-25 was a season he has admitted was disappointing, and it’ll be one he’ll want to forget quickly.

Despite this, it’s hard to tell if Carcone can even be a consistent 20-goal scorer in the NHL. He’s being paid like a bottom-six forward that can chip in some points and sometimes end up in the press box. We might not even see Carcone hit 10 goals again. The possible fluke season could be creating a lot more attention and pressure on this situation, that maybe can be good to help fuel him for this upcoming season, but could also be setting some unrealistic expectations.

Overall, Carcone is getting a D-plus for his season. The obvious problem was that he didn’t even come close to his 20-goal season. However, there are issues deeper than that. His entire offensive game was extremely lacking, and at times, being scratched hurt his play. He is still a reliable penalty killer and forechecker, but as of right now, it seems like he isn’t the consistent goal scorer that we’ve seen before.

Next season is one Carcone must succeed in. If he wants the things he said he wanted in April, he needs to play better. He needs to have an overall better game and, at the very least, if given a somewhat consistent role, hit double digits in goals this season. His acceptance of the situation he’s in also has to be there. This might be one of Carcone’s last chances to be a part of an NHL team. His future with the Mammoth and in the league depends on this season.