"I'm pumped – it's going to be awesome," Verhoeff said. "Playing with him and being around him, we've become pretty close. With our team next year, we have a great chance to win a national championship. We came to (Frozen Four host city) Vegas this year and fell short, and every guy was left with a sour taste. Even the new guys coming in have one goal. To play with guys you know and enjoy spending time with brings things to another level, too."

With Carels shooting left and Verhoeff a righty, the two could even play as a pair, just like they did at the 2026 world juniors for bronze-medal Canada. They're both eligible to return to the tournament next season, as well.

"He's a really creative guy," Carels said. "And we complement each other: my two-way game and his offensive dimension are really good – and he's been working on his defense. We can become a really good pair, especially if we play together all year at North Dakota, we'll go into the world juniors feeling really good."

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