Carson Carels is going to be leaving the Prince George Cougars.
But it’s only temporary.
Hockey Canada has selected the 16-year-old defenceman to play for Canada Red in the six-team U17 World Hockey Challenge in Sarnia, Ont., Nov. 3-9.
Carels is off to a great start in his rookie WHL season and has seven points (all assists) in nine games.
The Cougars selected him in the first round (ninth overall) in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft.
The six-foot-one, 175-pound product of Cypress River, Man., was called up from Pilot Mound Academy last season and played seven games for the Cougars, recording three assists.
He was the top scorer on the Pilot Mount Academy U-17s in 2023-24, with 18 goals and 32 assists for 50 points in 27 games. He also had eight playoff points in four games.
Forty-four CHL players were picked for the two Canadian teams – Red and White – for the U-17 tournament.
One of Carels’s teammates on Canada Red is 15-year-old defenceman Landon Dupont of the Everett Silvertips, who was awarded exceptional status to play full time this season in the WHL. The Calgary native already has four goals and seven assists for 11 points in seven games.
Canada Red will open against Finland on Saturday, Nov. 3 at 4:30 p.m. PT, while Canada White plays Czechia the same day at 12:30 p.m. PT.
Canada Red shares a pool with Finland and the United States.
Canada White is grouped with Czechia and Sweden.
Each team plays two preliminary round games, followed by the playoff round. Medal games will be played on Sunday, Nov. 9, both to be broadcast nationally on TSN.
Carels will be back in action with the Cougars Saturday (6 p.m.) at CN Centre when they take on the Prince Albert Raiders.
