There’s never a good time to be injured but being hurt in your draft year is probably one of the worst possible moments. As luck would have it, that’s what happened to Carter Bear, an 18-year-old who can play both center and left wing and who suffered a partial Achilles tendon laceration just before the WHL playoffs.
Before the injury, he had played 56 games and had already tallied 82 points, including 40 goals, a plus-33 rating, and 77 penalty minutes. The youngster has already caught the Montreal Canadiens’ attention as they took the prospect to dinner earlier this year.
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The forward possesses an interesting blend of skills and enjoys being involved at both ends of the ice. Though he’s only six feet and 179 pounds, his competitiveness gives him an edge to win puck battles, which he enjoys taking part in. He picks his battles well, however, thanks to his high hockey IQ and his ability to read the game. He’s dedicated and has no problem with sacrificing his body for the game.
In an interview with RG.org, Bear told reporter Marco D’Amico that if his play could be summed up in a single metaphor, he’d be a wolf because he’s always on the hunt. That’s an interesting answer and one I’m sure he won’t hesitate to use if the Canadiens still use their controversial question about which animal the player would be.
The injury may hurt his draft stock, but he’s still 10th amongst North American Skaters in the Central Scouting Final Rankings. TSN’s Craig Button has him at 24 in his mock draft, while Bob MacKenzie has him at 15, THN’s Tony Ferrari up to seven, while Ryan Kennedy puts him at 17.
It will be interesting to see if he’s still available when it’s the Canadiens’ turn to speak.
Photo Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
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