As the 2023-24 NHL regular season enters the final stretch, the annual awards nominations cycle has begun. The Bill Masterton Trophy has been awarded yearly since 1968 to honor the player who displays the “qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey.” This year, the local chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) has chosen Michael McCarron to be the trophy nominee for the Nashville Predators.
McCarron is a Dominating Force for the Predators.
It’s not a stretch to say that Michael McCarron truly is a dominating force for Nashville this season. It’s practically impossible to miss McCarron’s presence on the ice, given the fact that he’s 6’6″ and one of the tallest players in the NHL. It’s also easy to find McCarron wherever the puck is trying to use his large body to make plays, and his heroics in the Preds’ win over the St. Louis Blues this week only highlights his selfless, give-everything-for-your-team playing mentality. Originally drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round (25th overall) in the 2013 NHL draft, McCarron has been with Nashville since coming over via trade in January 2020.
McCarron has played in 64 games this season and scored 22 points (including 12 goals), but in the last five games, McCarron has come alive and produced a goal and an assist to help the Predators push towards the playoffs. Normally, fans and pundits alike don’t get overly excited about a third or fourth-line center. Still, Michael McCarron’s style of play and overall character makes him an excellent nomination choice for this year’s Masterton Trophy for Nashville. Regardless of the trophy outcome, Michael McCarron will literally and figuratively stand a full head above the crowd every time the Nashville Predators are on the ice this season.
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