Michael McCarron reinstated by NHL, NHLPA player assistance program

The NHL and the NHLPA have announced that Nashville Predators forward Michael McCarron has been cleared to return to play after spending time with the league’s player assistance program.

The news comes after the Predators placed McCarron on waivers in order to send him to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals to get some regular playing time.

McCarron entered the assistance program back in December, having last played on Dec. 8. McCarron has one goal and two points in 15 games with the Predators this season.

The 27-year-old was drafted 25th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 2013. After bouncing between the NHL and AHL, he joined the Predators in 2019-20 and had 10 goals and 13 points in 27 games with the Admirals.

McCarron played six games with Nashville the following year before spending most of the season with the big club, registering seven goals and 14 points in 51 games — the most expansive NHL season of his career. McCarron last played in the AHL last season, scoring three goals and finishing with six points in 14 games.

Milwaukee currently sits second in the Central Division with a 20-12-4 record in 36 games. The team has won three of its past five games, including high-scoring victories over the Tucson Roadrunners. The Admirals play Springfield on Wednesday night before battling the Iowa Wild in a back-to-back this weekend. They play three more games at home to close out the month, so McCarron will have time to get his footing back and accumulate to the pro game again.

The Predators currently sit fourth in the Central Division with a 21-17-6 record and will battle for the wild-card spot for the rest of the season. They have just a one-point cushion over Colorado and St. Louis, but they’re currently on a two-game winning streak and have a 6-3-1 record over the past 10 games.