ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild have signed Michael McCarron to a six-year, $20 million contract ($3.33 million average annual value), league sources told The Athletic on Tuesday, securing the top target among internal unrestricted free agents.
McCarron has a full no-move clause in the first three years of the contract, then a 15-team no-trade list with a no-move that blocks him from being placed on waivers in the last three. There is language in the contract that states, in the event of an expansion draft, he doesn’t need to be protected. The Columbus Blue Jackets’ Charlie Coyle has similar language in his contract.
Minnesota paid a hefty price at the deadline — a second-round pick — to acquire the depth center from the Nashville Predators. And the Wild knew they’d have to pony up to keep him with the dearth of centers on the unrestricted free-agent market and the 2013 first-round pick looking for the first significant payday of his career. McCarron has never made more than $900,000 in a season.
Still, it’s a reasonable cap hit for a player who would have been one of the top available centers.
McCarron made a big impact on Minnesota in his short stint, helping in the faceoff circle and on the penalty kill and chipping in key goals in the playoffs.
The 6-foot-6 right-shot center was on the ice for four goals in 20 regular-season games and five in 11 playoff games. He won 51.4 percent of faceoffs after coming to the Wild in the regular season and 54.5 percent in the playoffs.
The fact that McCarron, 31, chose to sign with the Wild before seeing what was out there in free agency is telling. He did say after the end of the season that he wanted to return.
“I think, obviously, you have a GM and coach who wanted me to come in here and help the team, and when someone gives up what they gave up to get me, I think it shows that — how much they wanted me. So try to return the favor,” McCarron said. “At the same token, I think I’m at a point in my career where I haven’t really taken that next step financially or had quite the security, I’d say. I guess that’s what I’m looking for.
“I’m a Detroit kid, so being back in the Midwest has been eye-opening. It’s fun to be back. The weather is not all that great, but you can put those things aside when you have a really good hockey team and a great group of guys. And my family and I have loved it.”
It took McCarron several years to find his identity in the NHL, finally turning the corner with the Predators a few years ago, with now-Wild coach John Hynes behind the bench. He wondered if he’d ever get back to the league after entering the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program in December 2022, but he became a key role player and “glue guy” for Nashville, which led to more than 10 teams inquiring about him at this season’s trade deadline, per league sources.
“I prioritize winning,” McCarron said. “I haven’t won anything. I mean, I’ve won a World Championship and a Memorial Cup, but that was 15 years ago, and a men’s World Championship, just a short little stint in your long career, where the success of my NHL career hasn’t really been what I’ve wanted. So winning a Stanley Cup has always been my goal. Coming here, it was a great opportunity, too. You know, it feels like if you got past Colorado, you’d have a really great chance to do that.”
