Michael Carcone re-signs with Mammoth — after saying he wouldn’t

The 5-foot-9 forward scored seven goals and 19 points for Utah last season.

Utah Hockey Club left wing Michael Carcone (53) skates toward the puck during an NHL game against the St. Louis Blues held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025.
Utah Hockey Club left wing Michael Carcone (53) skates toward the puck during an NHL game against the St. Louis Blues held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News

The Utah Mammoth have re-signed forward Michael Carcone to a one-year contract extension worth $775,000. It’s a surprising move to those who follow the team, given Carcone’s comments during exit interviews.

When asked if he planned on coming back, he responded that he loves his teammates, but that he didn’t get the playing time he felt he deserved.

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

It’s likely that Carcone didn’t find what he was looking for on the open market and opted to return.

“We are very pleased to sign Michael to a new contract,” said Mammoth general manager Bill Armstrong. “He’s a playmaking forward who plays with an edge, is a strong skater and improves the depth of our club. We look forward to having him back on our roster next season.”

What is Michael Carcone’s role with the Utah Mammoth?

Carcone, 29, potted seven goals and 19 points in 53 games for Utah last season. The team’s forward group was largely healthy all season long, meaning Carcone and a few others took turns watching from the press box on a regular basis.

That’s after his first full season in the NHL, 2023-24, where he scored 21 goals and 29 points in 74 games with the Arizona Coyotes. That’s likely where the disconnect between him and the coaching staff came in.

The 5-foot-9 winger averaged 11:26 of ice time per game (10 seconds better than the previous season). He also spent a fair amount of time on Utah’s second power play unit, which struggled all season. The addition of JJ Peterka may provide a boost to that group.

Despite his smaller stature, Carcone is not afraid to play a physical game. He dropped the gloves twice last season, one of those times being his infamous bout with Jack Drury, which began a successful 11-minute UHC penalty kill against the Carolina Hurricanes.

1113uhc.spt
Utah Hockey Club left wing Michael Carcone (53) and Carolina Hurricanes center Jack Drury (18) fight as the Utah Hockey Club and Carolina Hurricanes play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday Nov. 13, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

The Carcone family is among several on the Mammoth with young children. Many of them have publicly noted how good it is to raise a family in the state of Utah.

In 157 career NHL games with the Coyotes and the Mammoth, Carcone has 34 goals and 57 points. He scored three goals and six points in 10 games to capture a gold medal for Team Canada at the 2023 World Championship, shortly after winning the AHL scoring title and being named a first-team AHL all-star.

Category: General Sports