Six Players Who Should Be on Nashville Predators Roster Bubble in 2023-24
By Chad Minton
McCarron has Potential to Keep 4th Line Role
Look, Michael McCarron has actually grown on me over the past three years with the Predators. He has a savvy style to his game, brings a strong locker room presence and just plays hard-nosed hockey. You need guys like that for your bottom-six.
McCarron, more so than Smith, has potential to earn a spot out of training camp because of his size and ability to occasionally get in the dirty areas for what they like to call “greasy goals”. I don’t think opposing goalies like a big framed McCarron screening them on a power play.
When I look at the current Nashville Predators roster here in June without knowing if any trades or free agents are going happen, I think McCarron can earn himself a fourth line role.
McCarron just signed a one-year deal ($775,000) back in April showing that the front office still has faith in the 28-year-old to be a quality depth player. He’ll be a UFA next offseason, so he’s looking to, if nothing else, show teams elsewhere that he belong full-time in the NHL.
McCarron’s career high for games played in a NHL season is 51 games, which was 2021-22 for the Nashville Predators when he logged 14 points, 70 PIM and 116 hits.