PG Cougars Handout Photo via Thomas Skrlj/Hockey Canada Images

By Victor Kaisar

Carson Canada

Cougars defenceman Carson Carels to play for Canada at 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup

Aug 2, 2025 | 9:11 AM

PRINCE GEORGE — Carson Carels will compete for Team Canada at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup later this month.

The Prince George Cougars defenceman was one of 25-players added to the roster for the tournament, which is set to run from Aug. 11 to 16 in Brno, Czechia, and Trencin, Slovakia.

Carels was one of six players at selection camp who helped Canada win gold at the 2025 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship. He also won a silver medal with Team Canada Red at the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

The Hlinka Gretzy Cup is an invitation-only, best-on-best tournament that is administered by Hockey Canada, the Czech Ice Hockey Association, and the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation.

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Canada has won 25 gold medals at the tournament, and they’ll begin their quest for their fourth in a row against Finland on Aug. 11. Canada will also face Switzerland and Czechia with the medal games set for Aug. 16.

The Canadians will also play play pre-tournament games in Budapest against Hungary’s national under-20 team on Aug. 7 and in Piestany against Slovakia on Aug. 9.

The 17-year-old Carels is coming off a standout rookie season with the Cougars where he tallied six goals and 35 points in 60 regular season games. He also added a goal and four points in the playoffs as the Cougars fell in seven games to the Portland Winterhawks.

The native of Cypress River, Manitoba is a projected by some scouts as a first round pick at the 2026 NHL Entry Draft