# Carson Carels > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Carson_Carels > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Carson_Carels.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carson_Carels > Source revision: 1354842696 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Carson Carels** (born June 23, 2008) is a Canadian [ice hockey](/source/Ice_hockey) player who is a [defenceman](/source/Defenceman) for the [North Dakota Fighting Hawks](/source/North_Dakota_Fighting_Hawks_men's_ice_hockey) of the [NCAA](/source/National_Collegiate_Athletic_Association). He is considered a top prospect eligible for the [2026 NHL entry draft](/source/2026_NHL_entry_draft). ## Playing career After showing promise as an [ice hockey](/source/Ice_hockey) player from a young age, Carels enrolled at the Pilot Mound Hockey Academy prior to [ninth grade](/source/Ninth_grade).[1] Playing with their U15 team in 2021–22, he posted 19 points in 26 games played.[2] The next season, he appeared in 20 games for the U15 team and scored 32 points.[3] He also appeared in two games for the U17 team and scored two points in the 2022–23 season.[2] After his performance in the 2022–23 season, Carels was selected by the [Prince George Cougars](/source/Prince_George_Cougars) with the 15th overall pick in the [Western Hockey League](/source/Western_Hockey_League) (WHL) draft.[4] He played with the Pilot Mound U17 team for most of the 2023–24 season, posting 50 points in 27 games while being named his team's [most valuable player](/source/Most_valuable_player) and a league all-star.[1] Carels also then played in seven games for Prince George, posting three assists.[5] He participated at the WHL Cup for Team Manitoba, helping them to the title while being named the tournament MVP.[6] As a rookie for the Cougars in 2024–25 season, Carels was named the Cougars rookie of the year after tallying 35 points in 60 games played.[7] Entering the 2025–26 season, he was named an alternate [captain](/source/Captain_(ice_hockey)) for Prince George, becoming, at age 17, one of the youngest alternate captains in the WHL.[8] Carels announced his commitment to play for the [North Dakota Fighting Hawks](/source/North_Dakota_Fighting_Hawks_men's_ice_hockey) beginning in the [2026–27 season](/source/2026%E2%80%9327_NCAA_Division_I_men's_ice_hockey_season) on May 18, 2026.[9] Carels is regarded as a top prospect for the [2026 NHL entry draft](/source/2026_NHL_entry_draft).[10] ## International play Carels helped Team Canada Red to a silver medal at the [2024 World U-17 Hockey Challenge](/source/2024_World_U-17_Hockey_Challenge).[5] He also participated at the [2025 IIHF World U18 Championships](/source/2025_IIHF_World_U18_Championships), scoring one goal in seven games.[2] He competed at the [2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup](/source/2025_Hlinka_Gretzky_Cup) for Canada and tallied an assist.[2][11] In December 2025, he was selected to represent [Canada](/source/Canada_men's_national_junior_ice_hockey_team) at the [2026 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships](/source/2026_World_Junior_Ice_Hockey_Championships).[12] During the tournament he recorded one assist in five games and won a bronze medal.[13] ## Personal life Carels was born on June 23, 2008, in [Cypress River, Manitoba](/source/Cypress_River,_Manitoba).[2] He grew up on his family's farm, which has 500 cattle, and he is one of five children.[14][1] His father and four siblings each played ice hockey, with Carels first skating at age four.[1] During the [COVID-19 pandemic](/source/COVID-19_pandemic), his family built a hockey rink on their farm so that they could continue playing.[1] ## Career statistics ### Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2023–24 Prince George Cougars WHL 7 0 3 3 2 — — — — — 2024–25 Prince George Cougars WHL 60 6 29 35 42 7 1 3 4 6 2025–26 Prince George Cougars WHL 58 20 53 73 66 10 1 9 10 4 WHL totals 125 26 85 111 110 17 2 12 14 10 ## References 1. ["Carson Carels rise to the big league"](https://baldur-glenborogazette.ca/archives/230715). *[The Baldur-Glenboro Gazette](/source/The_Baldur-Glenboro_Gazette)*. December 19, 2024. 1. ["Carson Carels"](https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/878533/carson-carels). *EliteProspects.com* 1. Moulton, Jack (May 24, 2023). ["Cougars ink draft pick to WHL scholarship and prospect agreement"](https://www.princegeorgepost.com/sports/local-sports/prince-george-cougars-carson-carels). *[Prince George Post](/source/Prince_George_Post)* 1. ["Carson Carels signs with Prince George"](https://www.brandonsun.com/sports/2023/05/23/carson-carels-signs-with-prince-george). *[The Brandon Sun](/source/The_Brandon_Sun)*. May 23, 2023. 1. Clarke, Ted (November 15, 2024). ["Prince George Cougars' Carson Carels makes Craig's List top-10"](https://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/local-sports/prince-george-cougars-carson-carels-makes-craigs-list-top-10-9815345). *[Prince George Citizen](/source/Prince_George_Citizen)* 1. Taylor, Scott (May 2, 2025). ["Defenceman Carson Carels is a pick of the crop"](https://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/taylor-defenceman-carson-carels-is-a-pick-of-the-crop). *[Winnipeg Sun](/source/Winnipeg_Sun)* 1. ["Carson Carels wins Brett Connolly Award"](https://ckpgtoday.ca/2025/04/24/carson-carels-wins-brett-connolly-award/). [CKPG-TV](/source/CKPG-TV). April 24, 2025. 1. Kepke, Cami (November 26, 2025). ["Cougars defenceman Carels old beyond his years"](https://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/local-sports/cougars-defenceman-carels-old-beyond-his-years-11531785). *[Prince George Citizen](/source/Prince_George_Citizen)* 1. Schlossman, Brad (2026-05-18). ["Top hockey prospect Carson Carels commits to UND"](https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/top-hockey-prospect-carson-carels-commits-to-und). *Grand Forks Herald*. Retrieved 2026-05-18. 1. Bergson, Perry (October 27, 2025). ["WHL NOTEBOOK: Farm and family key for Carels"](https://www.brandonsun.com/sports/2025/10/27/whl-notebook-farm-and-family-key-for-carels). *[The Brandon Sun](/source/The_Brandon_Sun)* 1. Clarke, Ted (August 5, 2025). ["Cougars d-man Carels representing PG in Hlinka Gretzky Cup"](https://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/local-sports/cougars-d-man-carels-representing-pg-in-hlinka-gretzky-cup-11035623). *[Prince George Citizen](/source/Prince_George_Citizen)* 1. ["Canada returns three players to club teams, trims world juniors roster"](https://www.sportsnet.ca/world-juniors/article/canada-returns-three-players-to-club-teams-trims-world-juniors-roster/). *[Sportsnet](/source/Sportsnet)*. December 18, 2025. Retrieved December 18, 2025. 1. Aykroyd, Lucas (5 January 2026). ["Canada ends medal drought with bronze"](https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2026/wm20/news/71556/can-fin-bmg). *IIHF.com*. Retrieved 5 January 2026. 1. Bergson, Perry (January 21, 2025). ["WHL NOTEBOOK: Carels capitalizes on farm values"](https://www.brandonsun.com/sports/2025/01/21/whl-notebook-carels-capitalizes-on-farm-values). *[The Brandon Sun](/source/The_Brandon_Sun)* --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Carson Carels](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carson_Carels) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carson_Carels?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.