Michael Carcone #53 of the Utah Mammoth celebrates his goal during the third period of the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center on January 29, 2026 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jaylynn Nash/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jaylynn Nash/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – After suffering a 4-2 series loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Utah Mammoth finished with an overall record of 45-35-8 (92 regular season points, 4th in the Central Division).
Reflecting on the Club’s second full season in Utah, the following is an analysis and letter grade for forward Michael Carcone.
Stats: 85 GP, 18 goals, 15 assists, +3 plus/minus
It’s pretty crazy the difference a year can make, eh?
Roughly 14 months after announcing his plans to enter free agency and find a new home, Michael Carcone hosted the first ever “Carcone Cup” at the Utah Mammoth Ice Center this past weekend.
Michael Carcone said he doesn’t expect to return next season.
He expects to go a different direction following conversations he had with the front office.
Biggest issue was consistency. He doesn’t feel like he was given enough opportunity to prove himself.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 17, 2025
So, what changed over the last 425 days that led to an eventual contract extension and his own hockey tournament?
Humility, growth and an incredible second season for the Mammoth.
Upon entering free agency last summer, Carcone was quickly met with a tough realization.
There really wasn’t much of a market for him which meant his best chance to remain in the NHL was to return to Salt Lake City.
Lucky for him, he happened to “bump” into General Manager Bill Armstrong in Toronto and the two hashed things out over breakfast.
“I was in Toronto going to see the boys for a little breakfast,” Armstrong explained. “I was going to see Tanev and Durzi. I don’t know if it was a planned thing, but Michael happened to be there that day.”
“We had breakfast and I felt like he had grown up. He had taken some steps … there was something that changed in that moment for us.”
Just as Armstrong noted, Carcone matured over the summer and did whatever was asked of him upon returning to the roster.
As injuries inevitably took place, No. 53 was quickly inserted into the lineup and never looked back as he registered 18 goals and 15 assists in 85 appearances.
“Just growing as a human being, going through those tough times, learning from it, how to respond to it, and just going the right way about it,” Carcone said in regard to what he learned from his experience last summer. “As you get older, you start to understand a little more the way to go about it.”
🗣️ Michael Carcone for the lead!
🚨 2-1, Mammoth! pic.twitter.com/xSEMe6IvOB
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) October 26, 2025
Michael Carcone for the lead! But picks up his first @NHL point with the assist!
🚨 4-3, Utah! pic.twitter.com/Ja2EFpEzgY
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) December 14, 2025
Michael. Carcone. pic.twitter.com/yp7jFfQRZ9
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) April 30, 2026
As head coach Andre Tourigny often says, “It’s the not size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog.”
That’s Carcone’s mindset each and every night.
Doesn’t matter how much better or bigger the opponent is, No. 53 will fearlessly drag his team into the fight while producing on a consistent basis.
That’s how he became a staple of the third line and what ultimately led to his contract extension.
“I think just having that confidence level, knowing I can do it,” Carcone said in regard to his production this past year. “Just knowing that I could do it again and putting myself in good situations to do that.”
Moving forward, Utah just needs more of the same from Carcone.
While he understandably hopes to reach new heights in terms of production, he doesn’t need to alter his game or contributions.
As long as he continues to provide steady numbers and the same relentless energy, he’ll deliver on his new contract with ease as the Mammoth strive to return to the postseason in year three.
The next notable event for the Utah Mammoth will be the NHL Draft on Friday, June 26, 2026, at 5 p.m. MT.
