Almost a year ago, Michael Carcone was coming off a disappointing season. After scoring 21 goals during the 2023-24 season, the forward only scored seven in 2024-25. Carcone didn’t even play the full season, with his workload cut down from 74 games to 53.
Both the team and the player knew that Carcone could do way better. However, it seemed like the path forward for him wasn’t in Utah. In exit interviews, Carcone mentioned how he wanted more ice time, mentioning the fact that he had been a 20-goal scorer in the NHL, which should earn that. Then, he announced that he would be leaving the team in free agency.
“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.”
15 days after free agency hit, Carcone did a 180 and resigned with the Utah Mammoth, signing a one-year deal. A surprising move for sure, especially with him coming out publicly saying he wouldn’t return. With so many prospects about to come through the Mammoth’s system, it seemed like Carcone would be in a collection of depth forwards that wouldn’t play every night.
A year later, Carcone has established himself as an important player for the Mammoth, even becoming more of a three-dimensional player than he was in 2023-24. Off the ice as well, he’s played an important role in the community, supporting an important cause close to him. It has earned him an extension with the team, keeping him in Salt Lake City for two more seasons.
It seemed like just a couple of months ago, this wouldn’t be possible, considering Carcone didn’t believe his future was with the Mammoth last summer. A great season has helped change that narrative, but ultimately, it was a breakfast with general manager Bill Armstrong that made an extension possible.
Breakfast with Bill
Last summer, during free agency, Armstrong flew to Toronto to meet up with Sean Durzi and newly signed Brandon Tanev for breakfast. He was surprised when he saw the unsigned Carcone tag along with the two, especially considering everything that had gone down at the end of April.
Armstrong spoke to Carcone and was impressed by how much the forward’s maturity had improved. A quick chat with head coach André Tourigny changed the whole trajectory of Carcone’s future with the Mammoth.
“We had breakfast, and I felt like he had grown up, and that he had taken some steps, and I felt like there was something good about that breakfast that we had,” Armstrong said. “I felt like there was some goodness that was going to come out of it. I called coach on the way home and had a chat with him about it. There was something that changed in that moment for us. I’m so glad we ran into each other, and we’re able to get that done. He’s a big component of our team.”
It’s no surprise that Tourigny backed Carcone in his call with Armstrong. Despite everything that happened last summer, the two have had a great relationship. When Carcone returned to Utah, it was Tourigny whom he mentioned first in his press conference. It makes sense. After all, it was the coach who gave him his first shot in the NHL after five seasons split between four American Hockey League (AHL) teams.
Just because of their good relationship, it doesn’t mean Carcone gets special treatment. In fact, the forward was a healthy scratch in both of the season openers in the past two seasons. However, that’s what Tourigny likes about Carcone. They can have honest and tough conversations. He can take criticism and wants the truth.
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“We had a hard conversation, tough conversation, as much as we had hard conversations in his first couple years to last year, at the end of the season and even this year,” Tourigny said. “It’s the beauty with Carcs (Carcone). It’s always an honest conversation. There’s no BS, there’s no gray, it’s black and white. He can take it, and he can give it, and he has a lot of character.”
You can call Carcone a blue-collar player in the NHL. It was no easy path for him to the NHL. The forward was never drafted and found his way to the pros via an impressive career in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) that included an 89-point season. From there, as mentioned, Carcone spent the next five seasons across four different AHL teams.
It was during the 2020-21 season that Carcone came across Armstrong’s radar, and it was due to a weird situation created by COVID-19. Because of the Milwaukee Admirals’ choice not to operate during the shortened pandemic season, Carcone was loaned to the Tucson Roadrunners and produced 25 points in 35 games, leading to Armstrong signing him to a two-year, two-way contract during free agency, and the rest is history.
“I always like guys that have a little extra fight, somebody that’s had to work his way up,” Armstrong said. “He’s fought for everything that he’s got. He came into this organization when another organization loaned him to us, and we fell in love with him. Coach fell in love with him. He found a role…He’s kept the grittiness, kept the speed component, and he’s learned to play inside of structure. He’s a special player. He might not make $10 million, but what he brings every day is huge inside our locker room and for our team.”
After everything that went down over the summer, Carcone was excited to show everyone in Utah why Tourigny and Armstrong believed in him so much this season. He’s been doing just that, now with 26 points in 68 games. Carcone’s play has been phenomenal. His speed and hard-nosed play have really driven his line’s play. The forward’s play has just looked reenergized compared to last season.
Carcone threads the needle! 🪡
1-0, Utah! pic.twitter.com/zbWuCDe4qX
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) January 14, 2026
With an extension in place, Carcone finally has some sort of stability, something he and his family are grateful for. The extension also has the forward making almost a million more dollars than he is this season. It’s a sign of how much more mature Carcone has become over time to earn that money and stability.
Proving that he can be an NHL player was exactly what Carcone set out to do this season. He knew that there would be some challenges, but at the end of the day, he just wanted to prove everyone wrong. That’s exactly what he did and how he earned his new contract.
“(I wanted) to show the same thing I’ve been trying to do my entire career, just prove people wrong,” Carcone said. “That’s the mindset coming in. I knew it was going to be a little bit of a journey, and maybe I wasn’t going to be playing. I had those hard conversations with some important people who really care about me, and that’s kind of that mindset that I just carried into this season.”
It hasn’t just been on the ice where Carcone has been an important figure for the Mammoth. He’s been a big part of the Mammoth’s off-ice actions in the community, helping out with a cause that’s close to his heart.
Lunch with Welles
When the Carcones moved to Utah, the forward’s wife, Mia, reached out to people to build connections in the area. One of those people included Oakley Peterson, a social media influencer in the area who posts about her daily life with her son, Welles, who has Down Syndrome. The families decided to meet up for pizza last year to get to know each other.
As it would turn out, Carcone and Welles would form a lifelong friendship during that lunch. Last season, Welles accompanied Carcone to a game. This season, the pair took the gameday experience to another level.
Once again, Welles went to a game with Carcone, walking in together. This time, they were accompanied by four of Welles’ friends to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day.
The biggest part of the walk-up was the custom socks that were made for the occasion in collaboration with the NHL and the NHLPA. On the socks is Welles’ name, which he wrote himself, Carcone’s signature, and number, and colored lines to represent the friendship between the two. The words “Better Together” are written right above the toes. Mia ended up being a big part of helping design the socks, thanks to her relationship with Welles as well. It’s a simple yet effective way the two can help spread the message of representing Down Syndrome.
“My wife Mia had big input in the socks and working with Welles,” Carcone said. “I know she went over, and he just learned how to draw his name. His name’s on there, and my signature, and then we have a couple of colors just representing Down Syndrome Awareness. We try to keep it simple, but just get the message out there.”
This is what it’s all about 🩵
Michael Carcone and teammates arrived to the game wearing socks designed by Carcs in collaboration with the NHLPA and For Bare Feet in honor of #WorldDownSyndromeDay. pic.twitter.com/ygyOrkdGEr
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) March 21, 2026
Mismatched colorful socks are often used to recognize World Down Syndrome Day. Charlie McAvoy, Dylan Larkin, and Frédérick Gaudreau were the three other players, alongside Carcone, to have custom socks made in celebration of the day.
The Smith Entertainment Group (SEG) has made it a priority of theirs ever since acquiring the Mammoth to show up in the community. They’ve done events like Pay It Forward that have helped the Mammoth players be ingrained in their city. It shows that these players are actually genuine human beings, and it’s stuff that Armstrong likes to see from his players.
“99% of hockey players are just unreal human beings, and the impact that they can have in this community is incredible, not only from having his boys on the ice, but stuff that our players believe in with their passion,” Armstrong said. “They go out there, and they help out in the community, and they bring things to light in the community. There are so many things that they can do, and this, in particular, I know means a lot to Michael.”
Tourigny has the same mindset as Armstrong, calling being a part of the community a responsibility for the players.
“When you’re a professional athlete, one of your job descriptions is being a role model,” Tourigny said. “For me, I firmly believe that it’s part of what your responsibility is. I think our guys take that to heart, and they do a great job, really proud of them…When you have an opportunity to have a platform and have an impact, I think it’s important you take the opportunity to change lives, help give hope, or raise awareness, whatever might be. I’m really proud of our guys taking that role to heart.”
Durzi, Alex Kerfoot, Liam O’Brien, and Lawson Crouse all joined Carcone in walking into the Delta Center with Welles’ friends. Carcone said when he asked his teammates to participate in celebrating the event, only the biggest smiles were on their faces when they said yes.
There have been good days and tough days for Carcone at the rink. It hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows in hockey, especially during last season when he struggled and didn’t get the ice time he wanted. However, getting to see Welles has always turned those days into good ones. Carcone describes him as the most positive person and one of the most impactful people he’s ever met.
“When you leave the rink, let’s say you had a hard day,” Carcone said. “You go see Welles, and he’s always smiling, and he’s always having a good day. It’s somebody who brightens your day, honestly, and I’m just happy that I get to share even a little bit of time with him at the rink.”
Getting Carcone to resign is a slam dunk for the Mammoth. The forward has been a massive part in helping the bottom six be a strength this season after it struggled last season. His energetic, fast, and physical play has been a key asset for the Mammoth, who are hoping to make it into the playoffs and perhaps go on a run. Of course, his work in the community has been well appreciated, too.
Carcs shows some real speed 🏎️ pic.twitter.com/xWSCdO8l5z
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) March 17, 2026
For Armstrong, it’s a contract he’s proud to sign. He’s seen Carcone grow from an AHL player to an NHL player. He signed Carcone to his first NHL contract, and now, he’s signed him to the biggest contract he’s had in his career, truly a special moment for the general manager.
“We’re proud we got this contract done,” Armstrong said. “His family has had a great impact with his two boys and his wife Mia, on this community, and they’re involved in it every single day, going to the rinks with their kids. It’s great to have that family-type atmosphere around our locker room, too, with the boys.”
For Carcone, it’s been a crazy year. Almost 365 days ago, he was a free agent after seemingly cutting off his relationship with the Mammoth. Yet, a simple breakfast in July changed everything and eventually led to the multi-year contract he just signed.
A lot can happen in a short amount of time. Carcone showed that with his play, and he’s gone from a player sitting on the outside to a consistent, effective player for the Mammoth. When it came down to it, it was an easy decision to return to Utah for the Carcone family. To return to a place where the coach and general manager have believed in you ever since being loaned to their AHL team, a locker room that supports you, and a great friend who washes all the negativity away, it’s an easy choice.
“Since we’ve gotten here, the community has been amazing to my family, so it was kind of a no-brainer,” Carcone said. “When you get to the hockey side of things, we have a great group in here and great people. That was a pretty easy one for me.”
Utah is now officially home for Carcone. Everything that he could want and need is in the Beehive State. From frustration to stability, Carcone has reached a high point in his pro hockey career, and it’s one he worked so hard for. After so many seasons in the AHL and battling for ice time in the NHL, the reward is finally here, and for the forward, the journey was worth it.
