Max McCormick
American forward who played for three NHL teams.
Last updated
Max McCormick, an American former professional ice hockey forward, appeared in the NHL for the Ottawa Senators, Carolina Hurricanes, and Seattle Kraken. He was a sixth-round pick of the Senators, taken 171st overall in the 2011 draft. McCormick later became the first captain of the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the Kraken’s AHL affiliate.
Growing up near Green Bay, McCormick played high school hockey at Notre Dame Academy before joining the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL. After being drafted, he spent three seasons at Ohio State University before signing a two-year, entry-level contract with the Senators in May 2014. He turned pro that year with the AHL’s Binghamton Senators and made his NHL debut on October 25, 2015, in a 4–1 loss to the Arizona Coyotes.
In February 2019, Ottawa traded McCormick to the Colorado Avalanche for J.C. Beaudin. He was sent directly to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, where he recorded eight points in 25 regular-season games and played two postseason games in the 2019 Calder Cup playoffs.
The following July, he signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Carolina Hurricanes. After recovering from an injury, he was assigned to the Charlotte Checkers and posted 16 goals and 35 points in 56 games before the 2019–20 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He signed a one-year, two-way extension with Carolina in October 2020.
McCormick joined the Seattle Kraken on a one-year, entry-level contract in September 2021, becoming part of the NHL’s newest expansion team. Before the 2022–23 season, he was named captain of the Kraken’s new AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds. After missing the entire 2025–26 season while recovering from hip surgery, McCormick announced his retirement from professional hockey at age 34.
Lore & Background
McCormick grew up in the Green Bay area with his younger brother Sam, playing high school hockey for Notre Dame Academy before moving to the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League (USHL). He committed to Ohio State University, playing three seasons of collegiate hockey before signing a two-year, entry-level contract with the Senators on May 28, 2014. He turned professional that year with the Binghamton Senators of the AHL and made his NHL debut on October 25, 2015, in a 4–1 loss to the Arizona Coyotes.
On February 6, 2019, McCormick was traded to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for J.C. Beaudin and was assigned to the AHL's Colorado Eagles. He later signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 25, 2019, and after returning from injury was assigned to the Charlotte Checkers. He collected 16 goals and 35 points in 56 games before the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On October 28, 2020, he signed a one-year, two-way contract extension with Carolina.
On September 29, 2021, McCormick signed a one-year, entry-level contract with the Seattle Kraken, the NHL's expansion team for the 2021–22 season. Prior to the 2022–23 season, he was named captain of the Kraken's new AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds. After missing the entire 2025–26 season due to recovery from hip surgery, McCormick announced his retirement from professional hockey at age 34.
Reader's Guide
Max McCormick's career is notable for its trajectory from a sixth-round draft pick to a player who appeared for three NHL organizations, including the Seattle Kraken during their inaugural season. His professional journey included significant AHL contributions, particularly with the Charlotte Checkers where he posted 16 goals and 35 points in 56 games before the COVID-19 pandemic ended the season.
McCormick's role expanded beyond playing when he was named the first captain of the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the Kraken's new AHL affiliate, ahead of the 2022–23 season. His retirement followed a full season missed due to hip surgery recovery, ending a career that spanned over a decade of professional hockey. The trade that sent him from Ottawa to Colorado in exchange for J.C. Beaudin marked a mid-career transition, and his subsequent moves to Carolina and Seattle reflected his value as a depth forward and leader in the minor leagues.
Career statistics and honours
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2007–08 | Notre Dame Academy | FRCC | 18 | 18 | 19 | 37 | 70 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2008–09 | Notre Dame Academy | FRCC | 20 | 21 | 38 | 59 | 32 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 2009–10 | Notre Dame Academy | FRCC | 29 | 38 | 37 | 75 | 74 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2010–11 | Sioux City Musketeers | USHL | 55 | 21 | 21 | 42 | 102 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 2011–12 | Ohio State University | CCHA | 27 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 31 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2012–13 | Ohio State University | CCHA | 40 | 15 | 16 | 31 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2013–14 | Ohio State University | B1G | 37 | 11 | 24 | 35 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | Binghamton Senators | AHL | 62 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 133 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | Binghamton Senators | AHL | 57 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 143 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 20 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 37 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016–17 | Binghamton Senators | AHL | 66 | 21 | 15 | 36 | 105 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016–17 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2017–18 | Belleville Senators | AHL | 49 | 8 | 19 | 27 | 80 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2017–18 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 30 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 37 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 14 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | Belleville Senators | AHL | 20 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | Colorado Eagles | AHL | 25 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 41 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019–20 | Charlotte Checkers | AHL | 56 | 16 | 19 | 35 | 120 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020–21 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 12 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020–21 | Chicago Wolves | AHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021–22 | Charlotte Checkers | AHL | 46 | 13 | 16 | 29 | 42 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 23 |
| 2021–22 | Seattle Kraken | NHL | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022–23 | Coachella Valley Firebirds | AHL | 71 | 28 | 39 | 67 | 76 | 26 | 14 | 13 | 27 | 16 |
| 2023–24 | Coachella Valley Firebirds | AHL | 68 | 32 | 28 | 60 | 61 | 18 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 28 |
| 2023–24 | Seattle Kraken | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2024–25 | Coachella Valley Firebirds | AHL | 19 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — |
| NHL totals | 94 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 97 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
Tables copied from the source article, totals included as the source gives them: Wikipedia: Max McCormick (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wide tables scroll sideways.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Max McCormick (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Statistics, medals and awards: the tables of the source article.
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