San Jose Barracuda captain John McCarthy announced his retirement on Friday, and will join the club as an assistant coach effective immediately.
On Dec. 10, McCarthy suffered an ischemic stroke due to a previously undetected hole in his heart. Following swift medical attention from the team’s medical staff and the physicians at Kaiser Permanente, McCarthy was stabilized and has made a complete recovery. In the coming weeks, McCarthy will undergo a minor heart procedure to correct the issue.
McCarthy, 33, will join co-coaches Jimmy Bonneau and Michael Chiasson on the Barracuda coaching staff beginning with today’s game vs. Stockton.
“There is no player who has had more of a direct impact on our prospects and our American Hockey League franchise than John McCarthy,” said Sharks general manager Doug Wilson. “‘Mac’ has been a pillar for San Jose’s American Hockey League franchises, first in Worcester and the last four-plus seasons in San Jose. While we’re sad to see his playing career come to an end, we couldn’t be more excited about his staying in our organization and joining the coaching staff of the Barracuda.”
A member of the United States Olympic men’s hockey team in 2018, McCarthy skated in 577 career regular-season AHL games over 11 professional seasons — all but 25 contests with the San Jose Sharks’ AHL affiliates in San Jose and Worcester. He totaled 130 goals and 167 assists for 297 points in the AHL, and is the Barracuda’s all-time leader in games played (275), goals (62), assists (76) and points (138). McCarthy notched four goals in 18 games with San Jose in 2019-20.
Originally drafted by the Sharks in 2006, McCarthy also had three goals and three assists in 88 career NHL games with San Jose.
