Ben McCartney Bio
Ben McCartney, born on July 13, 2001, is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who plays for the Tucson Roadrunners of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Utah Mammoth of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 204th overall by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2020 NHL entry draft and made his National Hockey League debut in 2021. A left-shot forward listed at 6 feet 0 inches and 200 pounds, McCartney has built his early professional reputation as a reliable scoring winger at the AHL level.
Early Life and Background
Ben McCartney was born in Macdonald, Manitoba, Canada, a small community located west of Winnipeg in the province’s central region. Growing up in Manitoba placed him in the heart of Canadian hockey culture, where youth rinks and community leagues have long served as launching pads for aspiring professional players. His early exposure to the sport came through the standard minor hockey pathway, where he developed the skating and scoring habits that would later define his game.
McCartney progressed through junior hockey eligibility and eventually joined the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League (WHL), one of the major junior circuits that supply the majority of Canada’s NHL talent. His development in Brandon represented the most formative stretch of his amateur career, where he spent five full seasons refining his two-way game and offensive instincts against high-level competition.
Path to Professional Hockey
McCartney’s path to the professional ranks ran through the Western Hockey League, where he spent five seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings. Across 205 games with the franchise, he produced 60 goals and 151 points, establishing himself as a consistent middle-six contributor and a respected presence in the Wheat Kings’ dressing room. His steady production over five seasons helped position him as a legitimate NHL draft prospect heading into his final year of major junior eligibility.
Selected by the Arizona Coyotes in the seventh round, 204th overall, at the 2020 NHL entry draft, McCartney signed a three-year entry-level contract with the club on May 27, 2021. Following the conclusion of his junior season, he was assigned to Arizona’s AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners, for the final four games of the campaign, becoming the youngest player ever to appear for the Roadrunners at that point in team history.
Ben McCartney Career
Early Career (2021)
McCartney’s professional career began in earnest during the spring of 2021, when he joined the Tucson Roadrunners for the closing stretch of the AHL regular season. The late-season audition gave the rookie forward a first look at the pace and physicality of professional hockey, and his willingness to compete at a young age earned positive reviews from the Roadrunners’ coaching staff.
That offseason, McCartney signed his three-year entry-level deal with the Arizona Coyotes, formally launching his NHL contract. He returned to Tucson with a full professional season ahead of him and clear opportunities to claim a larger role on the Roadrunners’ roster.
AHL Breakthrough with the Tucson Roadrunners (2021–2023)
During the 2021–22 season, McCartney announced his arrival as a scoring threat in the American Hockey League. On October 23, 2021, he scored the first of two career hat tricks in a 4–0 win over the Texas Stars in Tucson’s home opener, immediately establishing himself as a fan favorite. He was recalled by Arizona in November 2021 and made his NHL debut on November 5 in a 3–1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks, before being returned to Tucson to continue his development.
McCartney notched his second AHL hat trick on April 16, 2022, in a 6–5 loss to the Colorado Eagles. He closed the 2021–22 campaign with 18 goals and 35 points across 55 games, finishing second on the Roadrunners in goals and fifth in overall scoring. The following season, he was named an alternate captain for Tucson, a recognition of both his production and his standing in the locker room.
Roadrunners and NHL Recall Era (2023–Present)
McCartney began the 2023–24 season with the Tucson Roadrunners before being recalled by the Arizona Coyotes on October 28, 2023. Although he did not see game action during the brief call-up and was returned to Tucson on October 30, the recall reinforced his standing within the organization’s forward depth chart. He continued to anchor the Roadrunners’ top-six forward group while remaining under contract to the NHL parent club.
Following the relocation of the franchise, McCartney now sits under contract to the Utah Mammoth, the relocated successor to the Arizona Coyotes, while continuing to suit up for the Tucson Roadrunners. His role within the organization has remained consistent: produce offense at the AHL level while staying prepared for any future NHL opportunity that arises.
Driving Style and Strengths
McCartney plays a north-south style built on straight-line speed, a hard shot, and a willingness to drive the net. His five-year WHL tenure with the Brandon Wheat Kings gave him a mature two-way foundation, and his two AHL hat tricks illustrate the finishing instincts he brings to the Roadrunners’ top-six forward group. He has also earned a reputation as a vocal leader, evidenced by his alternate captain designation in Tucson.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among McCartney’s signature early-career moments are his first AHL hat trick against the Texas Stars on October 23, 2021, and his NHL debut with the Arizona Coyotes on November 5, 2021, against the Anaheim Ducks. He also became the youngest player in Tucson Roadrunners history during his four-game debut at the end of the 2020–21 AHL season.
Ben McCartney Career Wins
While individual win totals vary by season and series, McCartney’s verified statistical milestones include 60 goals and 151 points across 205 WHL games with the Brandon Wheat Kings, 18 goals and 35 points in 55 AHL games during the 2021–22 season, and two professional hat tricks with the Tucson Roadrunners.
AHL Highlights
McCartney’s most productive AHL season to date is 2021–22, when he finished second on the Tucson Roadrunners in goals and fifth in total points. His hat tricks against the Texas Stars and the Colorado Eagles bookended a debut professional campaign that established him as a legitimate scoring threat at the second-tier level.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside of his professional statistics, McCartney’s most prominent achievements came during his major junior career with the Brandon Wheat Kings, where his 151 points in 205 WHL games helped position him for the 2020 NHL draft.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 season, Ben McCartney remains under contract to the Utah Mammoth while continuing his assignment with the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL. With several seasons of professional experience now on his resume, McCartney enters 2025 as one of the more experienced forwards on the Roadrunners’ roster and a likely candidate for top-six minutes and special teams responsibilities.
His path back to the NHL remains tied to performance at the AHL level, and any sustained scoring stretch could prompt another NHL recall under the Utah Mammoth umbrella. McCartney’s two-way reliability and prior alternate captaincy suggest the organization views him as a potential call-up option rather than a long-term AHL fixture.
For McCartney, the 2025 campaign represents an opportunity to push his game to the next tier, build on his established production, and position himself for a more permanent role with the Utah Mammoth as the relocated franchise continues to take shape.