Scouting Report
EVALUATED 06/04/2023
Joel Henderson
Director of Scouting
Now, I knew that Carson Carols was very talented but I figured he was at the top of my “let’s see how he looks here” player coming into the camp. I’m not sure he could have had a better showing. I thought he was the most agile and fluid skating defender there; angling off players off the rush defensively and showing flash and flair while attacking off the rush. He made a few puck rushes and blasting around the coverage wide. He builds speed so effortlessly with long strides and determines pushes. I thought from the details of his defensive stick to the way he can cut laterally and still maintain an attack in the offensive zone, Carson proved not only that he was one of the best players there, but was deserving of a big raise on my list.
Scouting Report
EVALUATED 18/01/2023 Joel Henderson
Director of Scouting
I wrote a bit about Carson after the Graham Tuer tournament but I’ve been so impressed with him since then that I wanted to touch base about him again. I think the way he adds deception in his outlet passing and his separation on retrievals is really terrific. He does such a great job of reading pressure down low and curling or cutting to give him enough space to make that outlet. Whether it is a feathered pass through the middle of the ice or a well weighted bank pass along the boards, I am starting to see the creativity and dependability of Carson. His reaction timing is quick and allows for him to make quick twitch passes when the lanes open up. In my last few viewings, he’s done a lot of great things I’d look for him to do defensively too like match pace with players attacking the middle, tying up sticks, and being physical with defending the net front spacing.
Scouting Report
EVALUATED 15/11/2022 Joel Henderson
Director of Scouting
Pilot Mound piled up the points against Okotoks which skyrocketed some of their production for the tournament with a 9-1 victory. Carsen is such a smart player when it comes to anticipating where the puck is going to be and where to move into space off-puck to try and intercept passes or be an option on a cycle. He is equally as smart at seeing passing lanes into the interior. A lot of his points simply came from continuous movement and shifting his angles until he saw the pass into the slot or the backdoor. I liked his skating balance, his ability to adjust to poor passes, and his overall composure in the times I watched him. When I went back to watch video again, I noticed that he was credited for an assist that he definitely didn’t get as well, if that counts for anything. I’d keep my eye on him though.
Scouting Report
EVALUATED
Joel Henderson
Director of Scouting
Projectable Skills: Transition ability, long reach, effective wrist shot
Development Opportunities: Defensive zone positioning
Pilot Mound finished in the bottom-5 of the CSSHL this season and had a -74 goal differential. Carson managed to grab 32 points in 20 games as a transition defender. Many of his physical elements are still evolving as he moves with a long stride, long stick, and can dangle and manipulate through layers off the rush. For teams who need a player to push the pace and drive play through the middle of the ice, Carson brings that element in spades. He is able to curl away from pressure, control a puck at the end of his reach, and deliver passes across seams on the PP or fire a disguised wrist shot on net. The defensive elements of Carson’s game are a work in progress as he can often get caught watching, finding players slipping behind him net front, and being straight legged. His rush defense is met with great balance, a sweeping stick, and a push or two. Against some of the best competition in the CSSHL this season, he did have players finishing plays behind him. As those details continue to grow, the importance of the one-man-rush will sparkle and shine. The instincts and work ethic are there alongside high-end puck control.
Skating
9Puck Skills
8.5Hockey IQ
8Playmaking
8Scoring
8Physicality
6.5Defense
7Overall
7.86Game Reports
EVALUATED 24/10/2024
Donesh Mazloum
Regional Scout - Western Canada
Carels was fantastic again in this one and I liked his ability to turn down his risk dial and understand the defensive task against the two most prolific players in the tournament. There was an elevation of compete and focus with the daunting task and he really rose to the occasion. His puck retrieval especially was world class as time after time he’d track back, absorb contact, use his feet to gain separation and fire a myriad of cross ice, stretch, and area passes to teammates. His puck movement is a major strength and I really value defenders who have the skating and mobility to wheel out of the zone themselves but don’t relying on it as a crutch. He was slinging the puck all over the ice and had a multitude of really impressive passing moments including a picture-perfect sauce pass on Manitoba’s third goal.
Game Reports
EVALUATED 26/10/2023 Donesh Mazloum
Regional Scout - Western Canada
I feel like I’ve written about Carels in every single Manitoba game and it’s hard to overstate how integral he is to this team. There is a reason that after this victory he was named the tournament MVP. He is such a gamer and showed the ability to rise to the occasion at every challenge thrown his way. He scored two goals in this game and showcased his typical crisp and accurate outlets to kickstart the counter-attack.
Player Card
- All Data is derived via 5v5 per 60 minutes rate displayed in percentile format.
- Data Courtesy of In Slat.
TEAM PREDICTION
-
North Dakota
Confirmed
100%
TIMELINE
- 2026
18/05/2026
Carson Carels commits to North Dakota
- 2023
24/05/2023
Prince George Cougars sign Carson Carels
- 2023
11/05/2023
Prince George Cougars select Carson Carels in the WHL Bantam Draft
