After a year with the University of North Dakota defenseman Mickey Volcan joined the Hartford Whalers organization. In 1980-81, his first year as a professional, Volcan played 24 games with their farm team in Binghamton but spent more time up in Hartford playing in the National Hockey League.
Volcan played 49 games with the Whalers and scored two goals and 11 assists but his offense was overshadowed by a -12 plus/minus rating. The next season he played just 26 games but his plus/minus swelled to -17 but he had a career year the following season when he was a full-time NHLer for the only time in his career. In 1982-83 Volcan was a regular member of the Whalers defense core and played 68 games with them. In that time he scored four goals and 17 points, but his plus/minus rating clocked in at -30.
That summer the Whalers dispatched Volcan to Calgary in exchange for Richie Dunn and Joel Quennville, but despite surrendering two players for his services, he wasn't with the Flames for long. Volcan played 19 games with Calgary but only produced five points and spent the rest of the year in the minors.
When three more seasons past with Volcan still toiling in the lower leagues he elected to try his luck in Europe. In 1987 he signed on to play in Finland and then retired from the game at season's end.
After two years away from the ice, Volcan returned and signed on to play with the International Hockey League's Phoenix Roadrunners for one final campaign and acquitted himself well, scoring 13 goals and 42 points in 59 games.
