Carcone Ready for Regular Season, ‘Going to Take it Head On’

Michael Carcone had a season to remember in 2022-23.

The upcoming NHL campaign has the potential to become even more unforgettable.

Carcone, who signed a two-year, one-way contract with the Arizona Coyotes on June 21, won the John B. Sollenberger Trophy as the AHL’s top scorer after finishing with 85 points last season. The 27-year-old earned first-team All-Star honors after setting Tucson Roadrunners records for points, goals (31), and assists (54), and was named the league’s Player of the Month in December 2022.

He capped that off by winning a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2023 IIHF World Championship alongside teammates Lawson Crouse and Jack McBain and coach André Tourigny, finishing the tournament with three goals and three assists in 10 games.

He’s now on the verge of establishing himself as an everyday NHL player, beginning the 2023-24 season on the Coyotes’ 22-man roster.

“There’s some nerves, but some excitement as well, so I’m going to take it head on, learn from my mistakes, and go from there,” Carcone said. “You have to have confidence. I’m here for a reason, and I had that success for a reason.

“I try to remember that it’s a different game up here. It’s much harder, so I’m just trying to stay confident and remember what I can do.”

The Ajax, Ontario native has some NHL experience, having appeared with the Coyotes for a combined 30 games over the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. He’s amassed six goals and three assists over that span, bringing a degree of speed and strength to an Arizona lineup that prides itself on gritty, tough-nosed play.

The ability to start this upcoming season with the Coyotes is a well-earned opportunity, and Carcone said training camp and preseason took on a different feeling this year considering the one-way deal he signed over the summer.

He recorded two assists in Arizona’s 7-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks at TCC Arena this past Saturday, and though he remains a fan favorite in Tucson following his three seasons with the Roadrunners, he’s excited about the next chapter of his professional hockey career in the NHL.

“I was sad to see all of those guys go back to Tucson because previously I’ve been in that pack and getting into a season with them, so it’s a little bit different this time around,” Carcone said. “You’re used to seeing somebody come to the back of the plane, or getting at text telling you, ‘You have a meeting,’ or ’You’re going down,’ and once you survive that, it’s like a big piano on your back gets lifted off. 

“I’m excited.”

Carcone is the first to admit he’s working on making his game more consistent to match NHL-caliber play, but Tourigny said he has the tools to do it. He’ll spend some time on the Coyotes’ penalty kill this season – somewhat of a different role than what he played in the AHL – but will also be poised to fight for a spot as an everyday NHL player.

Carcone’s physical presence is far more imposing than what his official player profile lists at 5-foot-9, 170 pounds, and his intensity generated healthy competition throughout Arizona’s training camp the past few weeks.

“The way he plays, he plays like a big boy, he’s heavy on the puck, and he’s relentless on his battles,” Tourigny said. “He’s a guy who can play every night, so he will push other guys, and he will try to make his way as a regular in the lineup. If he does, it’s a win, and I believe he has all the tools to be a regular in the NHL.”

Previous time spent with the Coyotes over the past two seasons has given Carcone a level of familiarity with both his teammates and the various systems. That familiarity, though, is not to be confused with a level of comfort, because he continues to work on being more of a complete player.

On a team with a roster as young as Arizona’s, he knows he can lead by example, and that mentality will continue to help him build upon the success he’s experienced to this point.

“Even if I’m not having a good game, I try to play gritty and try to get guys to follow the lead there,” Carcone said. “At the lower levels you can get away with different things, and if you do that on a shift-to-shift basis in the NHL, you’re going to get exposed.

“I’m trying to embrace the nerves and the excitement to get rolling because It’s pretty easy to leave if you’re not doing your job. I’m just trying to embrace it each and every day.”