The NHL free agent market has gone silent as we approach the middle of July. Normally, the slowest time of the year for the NHL, general managers begin signing players to professional tryouts in preparation for training camp in September. The Utah Mammoth have been busy this summer, but Bill Armstrong's job is never done. A familiar face in Michael Carcone, remains without a contract and could be a good depth piece for this team.
While the offseason has brought a lot of new faces to the squad, some important players have exited, especially with the third and fourth line players. Brandon Tanev will go a long way in improving the depth at forward, but injuries do happen, and Liam O'Brien is not considered a full-time player.
Because the team and the player have such familiarlity with each other, Carcone would make a ton of sense to come back. After offering Jack McBain a hefty salary this week, the team will need to acquire depth through team-friendly contracts.
After a strong season in the 2023-24 season with Arizona, Carcone did not repeat the 21-goal performance, but that was not surprising to many in the organization. Carcone plays with an edge and has solid speed, which would be extremely welcome with the current group of forwards.
The 29-year-old forward is looking for his richest contract, but if that does not come to fruition, he may be on the phone with Armstrong looking for a chance to play with a playoff-contending team. Growing up with most of this core group, the friendly face would be welcome with all the new faces coming to camp.
The depth for the Mammoth and the scoring punch for the Roadrunners would be a solid move for the player and the organization, but time will tell if Carcone gets a better offer.