While the ping-pong balls may not have shot up in their favour at the NHL draft lottery a few months back, the Winnipeg Jets are still poised to add a promising young player to their prospect cupboard later this week.
Winnipeg is set to select 8th overall in the first round of this year’s NHL Draft — barring a trade, of course — which takes place in Buffalo on Friday.
Team Canada defenceman Carson Carels (left) battles Slovakia’s Martin Kalis during a preliminary-round game at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship in Allen, Texas, on April 24, 2025. Carels is projected to be among the top selections in Friday’s NHL Draft.
By Donald Duench, Toronto Sun
kAmxE’D E96 9:896DE A:4< E96 4=F3 92D 925 😕 2 564256 D:?46 5C27E:?8 u:??:D9 D?:A6C !2EC:< {2:?6 a?5 @G6C2== 😕 a_`e[ 2?5 E96 D:IE9 E:>6 E96J’G6 5C27E65 😕 E96 E@A `_] %96 =2DE E:>6 H2D H96? E96J D6=64E65 r@=6 !6C76EE: `_E9 @G6C2== 😕 E96 a_a_ 5C27E 4=2DD]k^Am
kAm%96C6’D ?@ 5@F3E 86?6C2= >2?286C z6G:? r96G6=52J@77 H:D96D 96 H2D >2<:?8 E9:D @?6 F?56C 36EE6C 4:C4F>DE2?46D[ 3FE E96 92C5 ECFE9 😀 9:D E62> 3@EE@>65 @FE 2?5 72:=65 E@ >2<6 E96 A@DE\D62D@? 27E6C H:??:?8 E96 !C6D:56?EDV %C@A9J 2 J62C AC:@C]k^Am
kAm}@H[ E9@D6 DECF88=6D 92G6 7F6=65 DA64F=2E:@? DFCC@F?5:?8 DFA6CDE2C 8@2=E6?56C r@??@C w6==63FJ4< 2?5 9:D 7FEFC6 H:E9 E96 @C82?:K2E:@?]k^Am
kAm$@ H9:=6 E96 y6ED A:4< @? uC:52J 6G6?:?8 C6>2:?D E@ 36 D66?[ H92E 😀 46CE2:? 😀 r96G6=52J@77 4@F=5 FD6 2 H:? — 2?5 E9:D A:4< H@F=5 36 2 8@@5 A=246 E@ DE2CE]k^Am
kAmw6C6’D 2 =@@< 2E 7:G6 ?2>6D E96 y6ED 4@F=5 A@E6?E:2==J 42== H96? E96J C6249 E96 A@5:F> 2E 6:89E]k^Am
kAmqFE 7:CDE[ 2? 9@?@FC23=6 >6?E:@?]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mr2CD@? r2C6=D WsXk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mw@>6E@H?i rJAC6DD #:G6C[ |2?:E@32k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAma_ad\ae 8=2?46i !C:?46 v6@C86 W(w{Xi fb A@:?ED Wa_v[ dbpX 😕 dg C68F=2C D62D@? 82>6D[ `_ A@:?ED W`v[ hpX 😕 `_ A=2J@77 82>6D]k^Am
kAm}w{ r6?EC2= $4@FE:?8 #2?<:?8i b W2>@?8 :?E6C?2E:@?2= D<2E6CDXk^Am
kAm%96 3=F6AC:?Ei %9:D H@F=5 36 (:??:A68’D D=2>\5F?< A:4<]k^Am
kAmr2C6=D[ H9@ ;FDE EFC?65 `g J6DE6C52J[ 😀 2 AC2:C:6 3@J H9@ C6AC6D6?ED 6I24E=J H92E :E >62?D E@ 36 2 4@>A=6E6 5676?46>2?]k^Am
kAm%96 D:I\7@@E\EH@[ `hg\A@F?5 =67E\D9@E 5676?56C 😀 ECFDE65 E@ 92?5=6 E96 @AA@?6?EVD 36DE @776?D:G6 E9C62ED 3642FD6 @7 9:D C6=:23=6[ >62? 2?5 962GJ DEJ=6 @7 82>6]k^Am
kAmr2C6=D 92D 366? C676CC65 E@ 3J >2?J D4@FED 2D @?6 @7 E96 36DE D<2E6CD 😕 E96 5C27E[ H9:49 😀 H9J 96’D 23=6 E@ EC2?DA@CE E96 AF4< ?@CE9 😕 2 9FCCJ]k^Am
kAmw:D ?F>36CD H:E9 E96 r@F82CD D9@H 96’D ;FDE 2D AC@5F4E:G6 @? E96 @776?D:G6 D:56 @7 E96 AF4< 2D H6==[ 2D 9:D G:D:@? 2?5 3@@>:?8 D9@E 96=A65 9:D 4=F3 E@ cc H:?D @? E96 D62D@? 2?5 2 7:CDE\C@F?5 G:4E@CJ 282:?DE E96 $A@<2?6 r9:67D]k^Am
kAm&?7@CEF?2E6=J 7@C E96 y6ED[ r2C6=D 😀 F?=:<6=J E@ 36 FA 7@C 8C23D @?46 E96J >2<6 E96:C D6=64E:@?]k^Am
kAmw6’D C2?<65 2D 9:89 2D }@] a @? D@>6 >@4< 5C27ED[ 8@:?8 E@ E96 $2? y@D6 $92C@G65 FA 7C@> ?:?E9 @G6C2== 7@==@H:?8 E96 =@EE6CJ — 3FE :E H@F=5 36 2 D9@4< :7 96 H2D?’E ?23365 3J E96 E:>6 E96 u=2>6D A:4< 2E D:I]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m’:88@ q;öC4< WrXk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mw@>6E@H?i $E@4<9@=>[ $H656?k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAma_ad\ae 8=2?46i s;FC8åC56? xu W$w{Xi `d A@:?ED Wev[ hpX 😕 ca C68F=2C D62D@? 82>6D[ E9C66 A@:?ED W`v[ apX 😕 E9C66 A=2J@77 82>6D]k^Am
kAm}w{ r6?EC2= $4@FE:?8 #2?<:?8i c W2>@?8 :?E6C?2E:@?2= D<2E6CDXk^Am
kAm%96 3=F6AC:?Ei q;öC4< >2J 36 ;FDE 7:G6\7@@E\?:?6[ 3FE 96 5@6D?’E A=2J 2?JE9:?8 =:<6 9:D D:K6]k^Am
kAm%96 `g\J62C\@=5 46?EC6 😀 =:<6 2 DEF33@C? 3F==5@8 E92E H@?’E DE@A F?E:= 96 7:?2==J D?2E496D 9@=5 @7 H92E’D C:89E7F==J 9:D — E96 3@?6]k^Am
kAmq;öC4< 😀 36DE @H? 7@C FD:?8 9:D A9JD:42=:EJ 2?5 C6=6?E=6DD >@E@C E@ EC24< 5@H? E96 AF4<[ 2?5 @?46 96 86ED :E[ 96’D 23=6 E@ 4C62E6 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ H:E9 9:D D>2CED]k^Am
kAmw6’D AC2:D65 7@C 2=H2JD 36:?8 😕 E96 C:89E DA@E 2?5[ >@DE :>A@CE2?E=J[ >2<:?8 9:D E62>>2E6D 36EE6C]k^Am
kAmp7E6C 2==[ ?@ @?6 @HD >@C6 23@FE E92E E92? xG2C $E6?36C8[ H9@ A=2J65 2=@?8D:56 q;öC4< 2E E96 (@C=5 yF?:@CD — H96C6 $H656? H@? 8@=5 7@C E96 E9:C5 E:>6 😕 E@FC?2>6?E 9:DE@CJ 2?5 7:CDE D:?46 a_`a — 2?5 H@C=5 492>A:@?D9:AD @? E96 E@A =:?6]k^Am
kAmw2?5:?8 @FE A=2J6C 4@>A2C23=6D E@ E66?286CD DE:== 7:?5:?8 E96:C H2J 42? 36 2 D:==J E2D< 2E E:>6D[ 3FE D4@FED 92G6 >256 E96 4@??64E:@? E@ 7@C>6C (:??:A68 x46 7@CH2C5 2?5 qF772=@ $23C6 +249 q6?D@?[ H9@ C62==J 6DE23=:D965 9:>D6=7 2D 2? 6=:E6 A6DE 😕 E9:D J62C’D A=2J@77 CF? 56DA:E6 9:D D>2==6C D:K6]k^Am
kAmq;öC4<’D DE@4< 😀 2E 2? 2==\E:>6 9:89 C:89E ?@H[ D@ E96C6’D 2 492?46 96’D ?@E 2G2:=23=6 2E 6:89E[ 3FE :7 96 :D[ (:??:A68 H@F=5 :>>65:2E6=J 255 ?@E @?=J :ED 36DE AC@DA64E[ 3FE 2=D@ :ED 36DE 7FEFC6 @AE:@? 5@H? E96 >:55=6]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mp=36CED Å >:ED WsXk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mw@>6E@H?i ‘2=>:6C2[ {2EG:2k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAma_ad\ae 8=2?46i yF6Dj twr |ü?496? Wst{Xi D:I A@:?ED Wav[ cpX 😕 “ A=2J@77 82>6D]k^Am
kAm}w{ r6?EC2= $4@FE:?8 #2?<:?8i a W2>@?8 :?E6C?2E:@?2= D<2E6CDXk^Am
kAm%96 3=F6AC:?Ei x7 y6ED 72?D 92G6?’E D66? >F49 @7 Š>:ED[ E9:?< @7 2 E@?65\5@H? G6CD:@? @7 sFDE:? qJ7F8=:6?]k^Am
kAm*6D[ E92E’D 6IEC6>6=J 9:89 AC2:D6 7@C D@>6@?6 H9@ 92D J6E E@ DF:E FA 😕 2? }w{ 82>6[ 3FE 96’D AC24E:42==J 8@E E96 6IA6C:6?46 6G6CJH96C6 6=D6]k^Am
kAmx? 255:E:@? E@ DA=:EE:?8 E:>6 36EH66? u:?=2?5 2?5 v6C>2?J’D E@A =628F6D 2?5 A=2J:?8 2E E96 H@C=5 ;F?:@CD 2?5 H@C=5 492>A:@?D9:AD[ Š>:ED 2=D@ 3642>6 E96 J@F?86DE A=2J6C E@ 9:E E96 :46 2E E96 ~=J>A:4D E9:D J62C]k^Am
kAmp?5 96 5:5 ?@E =@@< @FE @7 A=246]k^Am
kAm%96 =67E\D9@E AC@5F4E @7 {2EG:2 H:== FD6 9:D D:I\7@@E\E9C66[ a_h\A@F?5 7C2>6 E@ 9:E 2?JE9:?8 2?5 6G6CJE9:?8 96 42?[ H9:49 😀 H9J 96 5:DCFAED E96 2EE24< D@ H6==]k^Am
kAmw6’D 2C8F23=J E96 >@DE }w{\C625J A=2J6C 6G6? 😕 2 5C27E 4=2DD H:E9 v2G:? |4z6??2[ D@ :7 E96 y6ED H2?E E@ 96=A D9@C6 FA E96:C 3=F6 =:?6[ 6DA64:2==J H:E9 t=:2D $2=@>@?DD@? D=2E65 E@ >:DD E96 DE2CE @7 E96 D62D@? 5F6 E@ D9@F=56C DFC86CJ[ E96J D9@F=5 @AE 7@C Š>:ED]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8ms2I@? #F5@=A9 WsXk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mw@>6E@H?i {24@>36[ p=36CE2k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAma_ad\ae 8=2?46i !C:?46 p=36CE W(w{Xi fg A@:?ED Wagv[ d_pX 😕 eg C68F=2C D62D@? 82>6D[ af A@:?ED Whv[ `gpX 😕 `h A=2J@77 82>6D]k^Am
kAm}w{ r6?EC2= $4@FE:?8 #2?<:?8i d W2>@?8 }@CE9 p>6C:42? D<2E6CDXk^Am
kAm%96 3=F6AC:?Ei (96? 5:C64E@C @7 2>2E6FC D4@FE:?8 |2C< w:==:6C =@@<65 2E #F5@=A9’D AC@7:=6[ :E’D 92C5 ?@E E@ E9:?< 96’5 :>>65:2E6=J 5C2H 2 4@??64E:@? E@ (:??:A68’D 2==\DE2C 5676?46>2? y@D9 |@CC:DD6J]k^Am
kAm#F5@=A9[ 2 76H :?496D E2==6C 2E D:I\7@@E\E9C66[ 😀 2? p=36CE2 8FJ H9@’D C:D6? FA E96 5C27E C2?36CD H:E9 E96 #2:56CD]k^Am
kAmv:G6? 9:D E@@=<:E[ >2?J D4@FED AC@;64E 9:> E@ 36 2 E@A\A2:C:?8 @776?D:G6 5676?46>2? H9@ 42? 2=D@ BF2CE6C324< E96 A@H6C\A=2J H:E9 9:D =6E92= C6=62D6 2?5 A=2J>2<:?8 23:=:E:6D]k^Am
kAm#F5@=A9 2=D@ D9@@ED C:89E[ D@ 96 2=C625J 364@>6D 2 AC6>:F> 2DD6E 4@?D:56C:?8 9@H >F49 E62>D[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 y6ED[ 4@G6E E92E A@D:E:@? 😕 A2CE:4F=2C]k^Am
kAmx? 2 5C27E E92E 😀 @H? >@C6 7@C 92G:?8 :ED A@E @7 8@=5 2E E96 5676?D:G6 A@D:E:@?[ J@F H@F=5 92G6 E@ E9:?< E9:D H@F=5 36 2 D6C:@FD A@DD:3:=:EJ 7@C (:??:A68]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mz62E@? ‘6C9@677 WsXk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mw@>6E@H?i u@CE $2D<2E496H2?[ p=36CE2k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAma_ad\ae 8=2?46i &?:G6CD:EJ @7 }@CE9 s2<@E2 W}rppXi a_ A@:?ED Wev[ `cpX 😕 be C68F=2C D62D@? 82>6D]k^Am
kAm}w{ r6?EC2= $4@FE:?8 #2?<:?8i c W2>@?8 }@CE9 p>6C:42? D<2E6CDXk^Am
kAm%96 3=F6AC:?Ei ‘6C9@677’D C2?65 E@ 36 FA 2?5 5@H?]k^Am
kAm|2?J 925 E96 D:I\7@@E\7@FC[ a`_\A@F?5 5676?56C 4@?E6?5:?8 7@C 7:CDE @G6C2== 2=@?8 |4z6??2 2?5 $E6?36C8 2E E96 DE2CE @7 E96 D62D@?[ 3FE ?@H 2 4=62C 82A 92D D66>65 E@ 6>6C86 36EH66? 9:> 2?5 E96 @E96C E@A A=2J6CD]k^Am
kAm$E:==[ ‘6C9@677 😀 H:56=J 4@?D:56C65 @?6 @7 E96 36DE 3=F6=:?6CD 2G2:=23=6 H:E9 9:D 4@>3:?2E:@? @7 D:K6[ @776?D:G6 :?DE:?4ED[ 2?5 A9JD:42=:EJ]k^Am
kAm$4@FED 2=D@ AC2:D6 9:D H:==:?8?6DD E@ FD6 9:D 7C2>6[ 3@I @FE @AA@?6?ED[ 2?5 4@?EC:3FE6 😕 2== E9C66 K@?6D[ 3FE E96 3:886DE BF6DE:@? >2C< C6G@=G6D 2C@F?5 9:D D<2E:?8]k^Am
kAmw:D 7@@E DA665 42? =28 369:?5 2E E:>6D[ H9:49 >2<6D 9:> 2 GF=?6C23=6 E2C86E 2?5 =62G6D D4@FED H@?56C:?8 9@H E92E H:== EC2?D=2E6 E@ E96 ?6IE =6G6=]k^Am
kAmtG6? D@[ ‘6C9@677 C6>2:?D 2 ?62C =@4< E@ 962C 9:D ?2>6 42==65 :?D:56 E96 E@A `_] %96 492==6?86 😀 7:8FC:?8 @FE 6I24E=J H96C6]k^Am
kAmu@C 2 y6ED @C82?:K2E:@? E92E @?46 FD65 2 7:CDE\C@F?5 A:4< @? {@82? $E2?=6J[ 36EE:?8 @? D:K6 2?5 FAD:56 @? E96 3=F6 =:?6[ ‘6C9@677 4@F=5 46CE2:?=J 7:E E96 >@F=5 :7 96VD DE:== 2G2:=23=6 H96? (:??:A68 😀 @? E96 4=@4<]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m%J?2? {2HC6?46 WrXk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mw@>6E@H?i uC656C:4E@?[ }6H qCF?DH:4
kAma_ad\ae 8=2?46i |FD<68@? W&$w{Xi `f A@:?ED W`_v[ fpX 😕 `b C68F=2C D62D@? 82>6Dj q@DE@? &?:G6CD:EJ W}rppXi D6G6? A@:?ED Wav[ dpX 😕 `g C68F=2C D62D@? 82>6Dk^Am
kAm}w{ r6?EC2= $4@FE:?8 #2?<:?8i f W2>@?8 }@CE9 p>6C:42? D<2E6CDXk^Am
kAm%96 3=F6AC:?Ei q69:?5 qC2?E7@C5 qF==5@8D 7@CH2C5 r2=63 |2=9@EC2 2?5 q;öC4<[ {2HC6?46 😀 6IA64E65 E@ 36 E96 36DE 46?EC6 😕 E9:D 5C27E]k^Am
kAm%96 `f\J62C\@=5 E@@< 2 3:8 36E @? 9:>D6=7 😕 E96 >:55=6 @7 E96 D62D@?[ =62G:?8 9:D &$w{ 4=F3 😕 |FD<68@? E@ A=2J 282:?DE E@F896C 4@>A6E:E:@? 😕 E96 }rpp[ 3FE 9:D 5C27E DE@4< >2J 92G6 E2<6? 2 9:E 2D 2 C6DF=E]k^Am
kAm{2HC6?46 😀 2 8:7E65 D<2E6C H:E9 2 C6DA@?D:3=6[ EH@\H2J 82>6[ 3FE 9:D =@H AC@5F4E:@? E9C@F89 `g 82>6D 2E E96 4@==686 =6G6= =67E >2?J H2?E:?8 >@C6]k^Am
kAm$E:==[ 96 H2D ;FDE E96 D64@?5\J@F?86DE A=2J6C 😕 E96 }rpp H96? 96 >256 9:D 563FE[ D@ 92=7 2 D62D@? @7 25;FDE>6?ED 😕 2 72DE6C 2?5 DEC@?86C =628F6 >2J AC@G6 E@ 92G6 A2:5 @77 4@>6 ?6IE D62D@?]k^Am
kAmx7 96 C62496D 9:D 46:=:?8[ 96’D AC@;64E65 E@ 36 2 5676?D:G6 D64@?5\=:?6 46?EC6 😕 E96 }w{[ 3FE H92E’D >@C6 =:<6=J 😀 {2HC6?46 EFC?:?8 :?E@ 2? 677:4:6?E >:55=6\D:I @AE:@?]k^Am
See more Winnipeg Sun on Google – save as a Preferred Source
— Massimo De Luca-Taronno is a sports reporter with the Winnipeg Sun.
