Carson Carels enters the 2026 NHL Draft as the third-ranked North American skater after two seasons with the Prince George Cougars. The 18-year-old defenceman put up 111 points in 125 games, a total that puts him in the top 10 conversation and positions him for an early call this week.
Rick McConnell saw it first
Rick McConnell first saw him at Pilot Mound Hockey Academy, 45 minutes south of Cypress River, Manitoba. McConnell said, "When he first hit the ice, his skating, it just stood out — we were kind of in awe".
That first impression held. McConnell said, "His talent level was through the roof. His vision, his IQ, his shot, his skating. Just one of those kids that don't come around all the time." He also said, "Every game, something stood out to me with him. He was exceptional".
Pilot Mound numbers
Carels spent three seasons at Pilot Mound and finished with 50 points in 27 games in his final season there. For a defenceman, that kind of output tracks with the draft ranking he now carries: production, skating and play-making all showed up before he reached the WHL.
McConnell said, "he would see things that nobody else did and put that puck through seams. I don't know how he did it, but he did it." He added, "He had a knack for reading plays before they happened — Gretzky-like, to be very honest."
Prince George Cougars output
He carried that game to the Prince George Cougars and posted 111 points in 125 games over two seasons. The scoring line gives NHL teams a clean read on his value: a defender who can move the puck, join the rush and still drive offense against WHL competition.
The growth was not only on the ice. McConnell said Carels "matured," and described how he went from being quiet early to taking charge by the end of his time at the academy. "He was growing up. He was just a young guy coming up his first year, so he was quiet when he first came. But by the end of the year, he took the team on his back. He was that type of player, and became a vocal leader."
Draft week for Carels
Carels is also getting noticed for how he carries himself. McConnell said, "He's done so well in the sport, but you're not going to meet a more humble boy". That profile fits the draft board now: a top-ranked North American skater with two productive WHL seasons behind him and a likely top 10 landing spot ahead.
For Carels, the next step is simple. A player from Cypress River who sharpened his game at Pilot Mound and turned it into WHL production now walks into the 2026 NHL Draft with his name already near the top of the board.
