Carver possesses a lot of attributes that I think make him a legitimate QMJHL prospect. He’s already quite physically developed and possesses strong skating mechanics that he uses to get in quickly on the forecheck as the F1. He was able to force a plethora of turnovers due to his compete level and puck tracking ability, which created puck touches for himself and his linemates. I thought he showed effective passing ability in transition as well, leading teammates into pucks so they could maintain their stride and enter the zone with speed. His best work came off the cycle in the offensive zone when he was able to get the puck below the goal line and make a hard cut to the front of the net looking to create a chance in tight.

His ability to continuously put himself into advantageous situations off-puck made Carver a great complimentary piece on whatever line he was placed on. He was very good at taking the proper routes and angles to puck-carriers, which helped him close in quickly and force plenty of turnovers as a consequence. Carver always seemed to be around the puck in the offensive zone as well, demonstrating good anticipatory habits that allowed him to pounce on loose pucks when they presented themselves to get himself looks from dangerous areas. He was able to connect a few plays in transition with hard and accurate passing that allowed his teammates to attack with speed and sprung a few odd man rushes. Off the rush he was always looking to attack the net with speed while off-puck in order to drive back defenders and subsequentially create space up high for his linemates.

I came away rather impressed with Carver, most notably his ability to affect the game in a multitude of ways using his speed, physicality and array of offensive skills. When things weren’t clicking for Team Green, it was Carver who was looking get things going by establishing himself on the forecheck and pressuring opposing defenders. There were a few times throughout this camp where he was able to deliver huge checks along the boards to remove a player from the puck and win back possession. I thought Carver was also effective in the transition game, opting to use his teammates to dish off to in order to drive the net with speed, push back defenders and create space up high off the rush. He demonstrated a sort of power game below the goal line in the offensive, using his frame to shrug off defenders and make strong moves to the front of the net to create chances from the crease area. Off-puck he was consistently able to keep his feet moving in the offensive zone, jumping in and out of pockets of space in order to make himself a passing option. It’ll be interesting to see the balance he purses between his skill and power game as he develops throughout the year, but he’s one of the more intriguing players from Nova Scotia this year, nonetheless.

I wanted to highlight Carver here for his strong off-puck play and finishing ability around the crease area. He was consistently getting himself in on the forecheck, utilizing his size and speed combination to close in on defenders and separate body from puck to create loose puck opportunities. He scored the game’s second goal of the game by attacking the front of the net, receiving a pass in tight and pulling it around to goaltender to his backhand before depositing it into the back of the net.

It was a quiet first couple of periods for Carver, but he ended up being an integral part of his team’s late push in the final frame. At his best he was connecting plays in transition by making quick one touch passes to teammates in stride, keeping his feet moving and driving the net with speed looking for rebounds in the crease area. He was quite good below the goal line in the offensive zone as well, using his frame to shrug off defenders and make power moves to the front of the net.

Carver’s speed and physicality were on full display in the first few shifts by getting in on the forecheck and using his body to remove defenders from the puck. There were also flashes of some strong play in transition, threading passes through seams in the neutral zone to allow his teammates to attack the zone with speed. Without the puck, Carver was consistently keeping his feet moving looking to make himself a dangerous passing target or getting himself to the front of the net to pick up any loose pucks in the crease. In terms of production, Carver finished off the game with two goals, one of which came from him throwing a puck on net from the perimeter in the offensive zone that found its way in. His second goal was much more impressive, when after getting in on the forecheck and stripping a defender of the puck he made a quick push to the net and scored on the ensuing wrap-around try.