Flames Draft Carson Carels 6th Overall

With the 6th pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the Calgary Flames have selected Carson Carels from the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League (WHL). 

About Carson Carels

Carson Carels is a great two-way defender who played massive minutes in the WHL this year. He featured on both special teams and established himself as perhaps the most reliable defensive player in the draft class. Carels has some good offensive skills, with his skating standing out, and he could contribute to an NHL power play someday. 

However, offense isn’t the end-all-be-all for him as he excels in the defensive zone, using his physicality and mobility to make life difficult for all opponents. Carels made such a name for himself early on this year that he earned a regular shift for Team Canada at the World Juniors despite being just 17 years old. He wasn’t exceptional at that level, though I do expect him to be a major piece for Canada at next year’s tournament (and possibly the year after that as well). 

Carels scored a whopping 73 points in 58 WHL games this season, more than doubling his rookie year in the WHL (35 points). That total ranked the fourth highest in the entire league. Not bad for a 17-year-old defender whose best traits are defensive skills. 

THW Prospect Profile Excerpt

“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.” – Dayton Reimer

Continue reading the full player profile here

How This Affects the Flames’ Plans

Carson Carels is a native of Cypress River, Manitoba, a Western Canadian farm boy through-and-through. The Flames are filling out their prospect pool with an excellent defensive prospect who complements their top prospect, Zayne Parekh, quite well.

Carels is a big physical defender, but he also scored a remarkable 73 points in the WHL this season. Carels is a great bet to be a strong two-way defender in Calgary for a very long time. He is set to join the University of North Dakota next season with fellow Flames prospect Cole Reschny, an NCAA program famous for their phenomenal track record with NHL prospects.