Cougars Defenceman Carson Carels Commits to North Dakota
Elite Prince George Cougars defenceman and projected 2026 NHL lottery pick Carson Carels is committing to the University of North Dakota for next season.
thehockeynews.comHere’s the latest you asked for about Carson Carels:
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Carson Carels, a highly regarded defenseman from the Prince George Cougars, announced his commitment to the University of North Dakota for the 2026–27 season. This move marks a significant step in his development path toward the NHL, with many outlets highlighting his status as a top prospect for the 2026 draft. [Source: The Hockey News, May 17–19, 2026 coverage]
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In addition to UND, several outlets have noted that Carels accumulated 73 points in 58 WHL games last season, underscoring his offensive upside from the blue line, and that he helped the Cougars reach the second round of the WHL playoffs. He was also part of Canada’s bronze-medal-winning World Junior team in 2026. [Source: The Hockey News, May 17, 2026; Wikipedia entry referencing the 2026 World Junior Championship]
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Fantasy/projection sites around that time expected him to be among top draft-eligible defensemen, with discussions about spending at least one season in college before turning pro. [Source: Rotowire summary, May 17, 2026]
If you’d like, I can:
- Pull a concise timeline of Carels’ key milestones from 2024–2026.
- Create a quick, visual snapshot (timeline or bar chart) of his WHL stats and draft projections.
- Find the most recent UND press releases or UND hockey bios for the official language on his commitment.