Michael McCarron Bio
Michael McCarron is an American professional ice hockey player who currently plays for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL). Standing 6 feet 6 inches tall, the forward is known around the league by the colorful nickname “Big Sexy.” McCarron entered the NHL after a decorated junior career in the Ontario Hockey League and was selected in the first round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens. Internationally, he represented the United States at the 2025 IIHF World Championship and helped Team USA capture gold.
Born and raised in the Detroit area, McCarron developed through USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program before taking the OHL route to professional hockey. His combination of size, skating ability, and two-way responsibility has made him a dependable depth forward and penalty-killing specialist at the NHL level.
Early Life and Background
Michael McCarron was born on March 7, 1995, in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, a community along the shores of Lake Michigan just outside Detroit. The region has long produced talented hockey players, and McCarron was introduced to the sport at a young age. As a youth player, he represented the Detroit Belle Tire minor hockey program at the 2008 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament, an early marker of his potential.
McCarron’s size was evident from an early age, and he used his frame to anchor the middle of the ice while continuing to develop his skill set. His hometown ties to the Detroit area remained strong even after he left for the U.S. National Team Development Program based in Plymouth, Michigan, where he trained alongside many of the top American-born prospects of his generation.
Path to Hockey
McCarron joined the USA Hockey National Team Development Program from 2011 to 2013, playing two seasons against elite competition and on the international stage. During his time with the program, he won a silver medal with the United States at the 2013 IIHF World U18 Championships, signaling his readiness for the next step. Entering his draft year, he was widely regarded as a first-round talent because of his combination of reach, strength, and hockey sense.
Although he had initially committed to play NCAA hockey at Western Michigan University, McCarron chose instead to pursue the Canadian Hockey League route, joining the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League. Originally drafted and deployed as a right winger, he transitioned to the center position during his first OHL season. On July 11, 2013, shortly after being selected 25th overall by the Montreal Canadiens, he signed a three-year entry-level contract with the organization.
Michael McCarron Career
Early Career (2013–2015)
McCarron’s junior career peaked during the 2014–15 season, when he was traded by the London Knights to the Oshawa Generals on January 1, 2015. With the Generals, he won the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions before helping the club capture the Memorial Cup as Canadian Hockey League champions. Those playoff runs showcased his ability to contribute in high-pressure environments.
Following his junior success, McCarron began his professional career in 2015–16 split between the Canadiens’ American Hockey League affiliate and the NHL roster. His strong play in the AHL earned him a selection to the 2016 AHL All-Star Classic, confirming his status as one of the league’s top rookies that season.
NHL Debut and Montreal Canadiens Era (2015–2020)
McCarron made his NHL debut with the Montreal Canadiens during the 2015–16 season, appearing in two games without registering a point before returning to the AHL. He was recalled again on February 26, 2016, after the Canadiens traded forwards Dale Weise and Tomáš Fleischmann to the Chicago Blackhawks. The next night, against the Toronto Maple Leafs, he recorded his first NHL point, an assist on a Devante Smith-Pelly goal in a 4–1 victory. Less than a month later, on March 20, 2016, McCarron scored his first NHL goal in a 4–1 loss to the Calgary Flames.
Over the following seasons, McCarron split time between Montreal and their AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket. During the 2018–19 campaign he underwent season-ending surgery on his left shoulder in February 2019. After becoming a restricted free agent, he signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Canadiens on July 27, 2019. He opened 2019–20 with five goals and 14 points in 29 games for Laval before being traded to the Nashville Predators in exchange for Laurent Dauphin on January 7, 2020.
Nashville Predators Era (2020–Present)
McCarron joined the Predators organization midway through the 2019–20 season and settled into a checking-line role with the NHL club and its AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals. While playing for Milwaukee, a teammate reportedly began calling him “Big Show,” which was later shortened to the “Big Sexy” nickname that has followed him through his career. On December 11, 2022, he entered the NHL Player Assistance Program to address substance abuse issues, returning to the active roster on January 18, 2023.
On April 16, 2023, McCarron signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with the Predators, and on February 16, 2024, he inked a two-year, $1.8 million extension that runs through the 2025–26 season. He has continued to provide leadership, physicality, and faceoff reliability for Nashville.
Driving Style and Strengths
At 6 feet 6 inches and roughly 231 pounds, McCarron is one of the larger forwards in the NHL, and he uses his size to win board battles, protect pucks along the walls, and kill penalties effectively. His transition from wing to center during his junior years improved his two-way play and faceoff acumen. Teammates and coaches have praised his willingness to block shots and deliver a physical presence on a nightly basis.
Notable Events and Milestones
Highlights of McCarron’s career include his Memorial Cup triumph with the Oshawa Generals in 2015, his first NHL goal and assist during the 2015–16 season with Montreal, and his selection to the 2016 AHL All-Star Classic. Internationally, he represented the United States at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, recording one goal and one assist in ten games en route to Team USA’s first gold medal at the tournament since 1933.
Michael McCarron Career Wins
Michael McCarron has collected championship hardware at multiple levels of hockey, beginning with the 2015 Memorial Cup earned with the Oshawa Generals. He has also added international success to his résumé, helping the United States win gold at the 2025 IIHF World Championship. In the NHL, his value has been measured as much by physical play, penalty killing, and faceoff wins as by offensive production.
Major Titles and Highlights
McCarron won the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champion in 2015 and followed it with a Memorial Cup title as Canadian Hockey League champion. On the international stage, he helped the United States capture gold at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, ending a long medal drought for the American program.
Other Performances
At the junior international level, McCarron won a silver medal with the United States at the 2013 IIHF World U18 Championships. In the AHL, he was recognized as one of the league’s top rookies with a 2016 AHL All-Star Classic selection while playing for St. John’s IceCaps and later the Laval Rocket.
Michael McCarron Family
Personal Life
McCarron grew up in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, and remains closely connected to the Detroit-area hockey community that shaped his early development. His “Big Sexy” nickname originated while playing for the Predators’ AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, when teammate Matt Benning reportedly shortened an earlier moniker to the now-famous tag. Details about his broader personal and family life are not publicly confirmed.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year has been significant for Michael McCarron, highlighted by his selection to the United States roster for the 2025 IIHF World Championship. Playing in all ten tournament games, he posted one goal and one assist while serving in a checking and penalty-killing role. His steady two-way play helped Team USA capture gold and cement an important chapter in his career.
Back in North America, McCarron is signed with the Nashville Predators through the 2025–26 season on a contract that pays $1.8 million annually. He is expected to continue in a bottom-six forward capacity, providing physicality, faceoff reliability, and penalty-killing depth. With his contract status settled and his international résumé strengthened, McCarron enters the 2025–26 NHL season focused on maintaining a regular role in Nashville’s lineup.