Carson Carels – 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Profile – The Hockey Writers – NHL Entry Draft

Carson Carels

2025-26 Team: Prince George Cougars (WHL)
Date of Birth: Jun. 23, 2008
Place of Birth: Cypress River, MB
Ht: 6-foot-2 Wt: 202 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: Defence
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2026 first-year eligible

Rankings

In his second season with the Prince George Cougars, Carson Carels has established himself as one of the top defencemen in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) through his ability to affect every aspect of the game. His combination of skating, hockey sense, and puck distribution is second to none, making him a favourite to go very early in the 2026 NHL Draft.

There are few defencemen in the Western Hockey League (WHL) more dangerous on offence than Carels. He finished this season with 20 goals and 73 points, the fourth-highest point total among WHL defencemen and the fifth-highest goal total. Not many defencemen can hit the 20-goal plateau, and he has a great shot from the point and a very quick wrister he uses up close, but his playmaking game is on another level. At the WHL Top Prospects Game in February, Carels contributed to every single point that Team West scored, finishing the game with four assists. He is an elite puck mover, using an arsenal of passes to get the job done.

Aiding his playmaking is his excellent skating. He might be one of the best skaters of this draft class, possessing great four-direction mobility and a strong stride that can get him up to speed very quickly. He’s especially effective at creating space with quick crossovers and direction changes while controlling the puck. On defence, he can move quickly to get in front of a shot for the block or create a turnover with a burst of speed. He can put himself exactly where he needs to be to create a scoring opportunity or stop one, making him a dangerous presence anywhere on the ice.

Carels’ offensive impact and excellent mobility made him a surprise addition to the 2026 Canadian World Junior Championship roster, especially considering he’s one of the youngest potential first-round picks up for the 2026 Draft. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the most successful World Junior debut, putting up just a single assist in five games and was a healthy scratch for two games. It also revealed some concerns with his game, namely his decision-making and consistency. Limited ice time and inexperience certainly played a part in his muted performance, but those issues have popped up back with the Cougars, too.

Related: THW’s 2026 NHL Draft Guide

When he is on top of his game, Carels is an incredible two-way player who can change the pace of the game, but there are times when he is too passive and makes poor reads. It’s not often, but the one or two times he does it throughout a game can really leave one wondering. He has the speed and work ethic to fix his mistakes, and he often backs up a bad play with an incredible one, but those lapses in judgment stick out like a sore thumb.

However, it’s worth noting Carels’ age – only 18 defenders under 18 have ever played on the Canadian Junior team, many of whom became NHL All-Stars. Carels didn’t have the strongest tournament, finishing with a single assist in five games. His youth and inexperience on the international stage at that level exposed some of his flaws, namely his ability to keep up with the world’s best prospects, but that shouldn’t be too much of a concern. Future Hall-of-Fame defenceman Scott Niedermayer also played for Canada at the World Juniors at 17 years old, and he didn’t record a single point in seven games.

Despite the concerns, Carels is still in the conversation to be one of the first defencemen off the board because of his all-around effectiveness. On top of his offensive impact, he’s a strong checker and loves to finish his hits, and he’s always engaged defensively and ready to block a shot, even if there are times he doesn’t always make the best decision. No matter what needs to be done, he can do it – it’s what he did growing up on his family’s farm in Manitoba, and he’s taken that mentality to the ice in Prince George. Pretty soon, he’ll be taking it to the NHL.

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Carson Carels – NHL Draft Projection

There’s a three-way tie for who will be the first defenceman off the board between Keaton Verhoeff, Chase Reid, and Carels. On the NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings, Verhoeff had the lead, followed by Carels and Reid. However, on the final ranking, Verhoeff and Reid were flipped, with Carels still in the middle. Given this year’s strong defensive class, Carels could be one of the first five names called on draft day, and at the very least, is a lock for the top 10.

Quotables

“I think that I’m just a really good two-way player. I’m going to play hard every night, and I don’t sacrifice offence for defence, too. I’m trying to be as complete as I can, and I’m always going to be the hardest guy to play against.” Carson Carels to McKeens Hockey’s Linc Zdancewicz

“Carels is a strong two-way defender. He’s a powerful, fluid skater who can get up the ice easily. He closes on checks well, using his feet and body to break up a lot of plays. Carels has very good hands and vision and can activate into plays. He doesn’t project as a PP1 type in the NHL, but he should generate offence. He could be a great top-four defenseman who will play significant NHL minutes.” Corey Pronman, The Athletic (from ‘2026 NHL Draft ranking: Keaton Verhoeff, Ivar Stenberg top Pronman’s midseason board,’ The Athletic – 27/01/2026)

“Carels is a unique all-around defenseman who has offensive talent and brings a physical element while playing sound defensively. He can play big minutes and is deployed in all situations with the ability to run a power play. An excellent puck transporter and distributor who drives offence and shows some elite offensive skill. He skates very well with excellent mobility and agility and can defend with speed. A potential top-pairing defenseman.” NHL Central Scouting

“Carson Carels, the way he commands and controls the game, there’s no way anybody’s ever going to be Nick Lidstrom, but the manner in which he plays, in every single regard, the big minutes, the hard minutes, the offensive and defensive play and the timely play, he’s got all those elements.” Craig Button, TSN

Strengths

• Skating and mobility
• Competitiveness
• Puck distribution

Under Construction/Improvements to Make

• Consistency
• Urgency
• Decision-making

NHL Potential

Carels is one of the most productive defencemen in the 2026 Draft class and plays a very complete, 200-foot game, and since he’s one of the youngest top prospects, he offers some of the highest growth potential of the defenders available. That’s led some, including Carels himself, to compare his upside to Ottawa Senators star Jake Sanderson, as well as Dallas Stars defender Miro Heiskanen. Even if he falls short of those lofty comparisons, Carels looks like a future top-four, two-way defenceman who can contribute on the power play and penalty kill.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk – 2/5, Reward – 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense – 8/10, Defence – 7/10

Awards/Achievements

• Nominated for WHL Defenceman of the Year
• 2026 World Junior Championship – Bronze Medal
• Named captain for the WHL Top Prospects Game – Team West
• 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup – Bronze Medal
• 2025 U18 World Junior Championship – Gold Medal
• 2025 U17 World Hockey Challenge – Gold Medal

Interviews/Links

Carson Carels Stats

Videos