Michael Caruso

Michael Caruso (born July 5, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently playing for the Nottingham Panthers of the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL).

Playing career Caruso was selected in the 4th round, 103rd overall, by the Florida Panthers in the 2008 NHL entry draft, after an outstanding junior career with the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).

Following a strong training camp, Caruso was assigned to the Panthers' American Hockey League affiliate, the Rochester Americans, to start the 2008–09 season.

A free agent in the 2014–15 season, Caruso belatedly signed an ECHL contract with the Reading Royals on November 8, 2014. In adding a stabilising influence to the Royals blueline, Caruso contributed with 20 points in 65 games.

On June 12, 2015, Caruso signed his first contract abroad, a one-year deal with Austrian club, Dornbirner EC of the EBEL. After three seasons with the Bulldogs, Caruso left as a free agent, continuing in the EBEL with Hungarian competitors, Fehérvár AV19, on September 15, 2018.

After a season playing for HC Pustertal Wölfe, Caruso signed in the UK for the Nottingham Panthers of the EIHL for the 2022/23 season.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2004–05 Guelph Storm OHL 56 0 3 3 31 4 0 0 0 2 2005–06 Guelph Storm OHL 66 1 15 16 85 15 1 2 3 24 2006–07 Guelph Storm OHL 64 4 16 20 119 4 0 0 0 8 2007–08 Guelph Storm OHL 62 10 24 34 103 10 2 6 8 22 2008–09 Rochester Americans AHL 73 1 9 10 66 — — — — — 2009–10 Rochester Americans AHL 67 1 10 11 42 — — — — — 2010–11 Rochester Americans AHL 75 5 4 9 77 — — — — — 2011–12 San Antonio Rampage AHL 68 5 8 13 63 10 0 4 4 4 2012–13 San Antonio Rampage AHL 35 1 3 4 22 — — — — — 2012–13 Florida Panthers NHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2013–14 San Antonio Rampage AHL 35 0 2 2 32 — — — — — 2014–15 Reading Royals ECHL 65 4 16 20 63 — — — — — 2015–16 Dornbirner EC EBEL 53 2 13 15 53 6 0 0 0 4 2016–17 Dornbirner EC EBEL 54 3 3 6 38 — — — — — 2017–18 Dornbirner EC EBEL 54 4 11 15 54 6 0 2 2 4 2018–19 Fehérvár AV19 EBEL 51 3 14 17 18 6 1 2 3 4 2019–20 Hydro Fehérvár AV19 EBEL 38 2 7 9 24 — — — — — 2020–21 Hydro Fehérvár AV19 ICEHL 48 4 9 13 34 4 0 1 1 4 2021–22 HC Pustertal Wölfe ICEHL 44 2 12 14 47 4 0 0 0 4 2022–23 Nottingham Panthers EIHL 44 1 7 8 34 2 0 0 0 02023–24Nottingham PanthersEIHL4908861––––– AHL totals 353 13 36 49 302 10 0 4 4 4 NHL totals 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — — EBEL/ICEHL totals 342 20 69 89 268 26 1 5 6 20

International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 2005 Canada Ontario U17 6 0 0 0 2 Junior totals 6 0 0 0 2