Rising blueliner and Cypress River native Carson Carels dominated the NHL Combine, eyeing a hometown homecoming as the Jets look to bolster their defense with elite local talent.
On Saturday, the NHL Scouting Combine brought 90 draft-eligible prospects to Buffalo, each looking to strengthen their case ahead of the 2026 draft by putting their athletic abilities on display across a series of physical and skills-based exercises.
For a Winnipeg Jets organization that holds the eighth overall pick and is eager to inject new life into their prospect pipeline following a disappointing season, the event could not have come at a more important time.
This year's draft class is loaded with top-end defensive talent, and one of the best blueliners who figures to be right in their range is Carson Carels, a Cypress River, Manitoba native who has spent the past year establishing himself as one of the premier prospects in the entire draft.
The 18-year-old, six-foot-two defenseman took a massive step forward this season, jumping from 35 points the year prior with the Prince George Cougars all the way up to 73 points, posting 20 goals and 53 assists in just 58 games. He also represented Canada at the World Junior Championships, where he contributed an assist and a plus-three rating across five games as Canada earned a bronze medal.
His breakout season has sent his stock soaring into the top ten conversation, with some scouting outlets placing him as high as the third-best player in the entire class while he has averaged out to around sixth in Elite Prospects' consolidated draft rankings.
"They kind of just talked about the farm and talked who I am and obviously they're in a range to get me, and I think that if I would end up there that would be pretty special and surreal, and there'll be a lot of happy people," Carels said.
When asked what it would mean to join an organization that has consistently developed elite defensive talent like Josh Morrissey and Neal Pionk, Carels spoke about the opportunity to learn from some of the best in the business.
"Yeah, growing up, watching them a lot, It was kind of a dream come true when they were in the range right now and you could end up there and obviously when you jump on a team like that," Carels explained. "You can learn a lot of things from those guys, and it would be a really appreciate thing to go on a team with a guy like that, like Morrissey and learn from him."
The Jets will be hoping the stars align and Carels is still on the board at eight, but drafting well in the first round has proven to be a persistent challenge for Winnipeg in recent years. Sascha Boumedienne continues to develop and still has time to grow into a legitimate NHL defenseman, but before him, first-round picks Colby Barlow, Rutger McGroarty, who was traded as part of the deal that brought Brayden Yager to Winnipeg, and Chaz Lucius have all failed to reach the expectations that come with being a first-round selection, at least thus far.
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