Carels is one of the more divisive blueliners in the class, in my opinion.

He has a lot to like in his game. He's got great size, moves fairly well and has an impressive and fairly safe defensive floor. Carels has the strength to compete in puck battles or move opponents from the net front.

Carels put up massive numbers in the WHL this year, often jumping into play and making things happen. His 73 points in 58 games were tied for the fourth-most by defensemen in the league.

The one thing I always came away with, though, is that so much of his production wouldn't be available at the NHL level because of the increased structure and his lack of truly dynamic skating or handling. The offensive upside is there, but I just don't know how much of it will be realized at the next level.

Drop a comment and share your perspective.