Wild 2025-26 Report Cards: Michael McCarron

Summer is in full swing, and that means the NHL is in full offseason mode. Of course, there will be moves and signings, but again, everything has calmed down for the most part. Now that the draft is over and the hustle and bustle of the first days of free agency have passed, some are looking forward to the new season, while some are still looking back at the past. 

Minnesota Wild players are still receiving their player grades, and we just finished with the defensemen, which means it’s time for the forwards. We’ll start with the fourth liners and move our way up the lineup. The first forward to receive their grade will be “Big Mac”, Michael McCarron, who joined the Wild at this past season’s trade deadline. We’ll look at how he did in the regular season and the postseason before coming up with an overall grade. 

McCarron Showed His Abilities

Typically, bigger players are a bit slower on their skates than smaller-statured players, but that wasn’t the case with 6-foot-6, 232-pound Michael McCarron. He was fast on his feet and strong with his hands, but he could also throw a hit when he needed to. He did have a reputation when he first joined the team, but his teammates showed very quickly that he was part of their group and everything else was behind them. 

Since he joined the Wild at the trade deadline, he didn’t get to put together a full season for them, but he did play in 20 games, and he impressed from the start. He scored a goal in his first game and showed he’s more than just a big body. He went on to score two more goals for three total, plus two assists for five points. Not extremely impressive for 20 games played but decent for someone who’s expected to be throwing more hits than points. 

He definitely kept up with the physical expectations of his game as he had 40 hits, and he contributed on the defensive side of things too with 17 blocked shots. After looking at how he fit in with the team almost seamlessly and what he brought to the team, he earned an A-. While some may think that’s high because he didn’t produce as much offensively, he did what was expected of him when he came in. Although his grade isn’t higher, they could’ve used a little more from him as they could’ve with everyone, and he had room to improve. 

“…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 Postseason Efforts

McCarron played in all 11 of the Wild’s postseason games, and although it didn’t end the way anyone wanted, they had some bright spots to focus on. He scored two goals, both in the series against the Dallas Stars, and two assists in their series against the Colorado Avalanche for four points. His point-per-game percentage (P/G) was a bit better in the postseason at .36 (P/G) than in his regular season play, which was .25 (P/G). He also helped his team out by staying out of the penalty box. 

For McCarron, the physicality ramped up in the postseason as he threw 27 hits throughout the playoffs. While he was throwing hits, he didn’t forget to block shots either, as he blocked 14 of them. In the postseason, defense is just as important as offense, and McCarron was able to provide some of both; while they would’ve loved more, he did what he could in the bottom six alongside players like Nick Foligno.