Minnesota Wild centre Michael McCarron skates during the third period of a game against the St. Louis Blues earlier this season in St. Louis.Connor Hamilton/The Associated Press
The Minnesota Wild signed centre Michael McCarron to a six-year, US$20-million contract on Tuesday, taking one of their impending free agents off the market after his productive arrival following a midseason trade.
The 31-year-old McCarron played in 20 regular-season games for the Wild after he was acquired from the Nashville Predators for a 2028 second-round draft pick on March 3. The 6-foot-6 McCarron had his best NHL season between Nashville and Minnesota in 2025-26, setting career highs with 109 shots on goal, 205 hits and 77 blocked shots. He had two goals, two assists, 27 hits and a team-leading 14 blocked shots over 11 games for the Wild in the playoffs. He also won 54.5 per cent of his faceoffs.
Drafted in the first round by the Montreal Canadiens in 2013, the late-blooming McCarron made US$900,000 this season on his expiring contract. The new deal through the 2031-32 season will carry an annual average value against the salary cap of US$3.33-million.