Cougars Continue NHL Draft success as Carson Carels goes sixth overall to Calgary Flames

Carels was sitting at his family farm in Cypress River when Hockey Hall of Famer Lanny McDonald stepped to the podium and announced his name as Calgary’s first-round selection.

The moment marked the culmination of years of hard work for the six-foot-two defender, who rapidly established himself as one of the most complete blueliners available in this year’s draft class.

While Carels’ draft position generated plenty of excitement, Lamb believes the destination may be even more important than the number beside his name.

“I even actually thought he might go a little bit higher,” Lamb said. “But it really doesn’t matter. It’s about the fit of the team and the cycle where Calgary is right now.”

The Flames are currently building toward the future as they continue a roster transition, and Lamb believes that process creates an excellent opportunity for Carels to develop into a cornerstone piece of the organization.

“Watching as a fan where they are in their organization, the cycle that they’re in and kind of in a rebuild stage, he’s just a perfect fit,” Lamb said. “He’s the perfect guy that you’d want.”

Calgary management appeared to share that assessment.

Flames general manager Craig Conroy praised virtually every aspect of Carels’ game after making him the sixth overall selection, highlighting not only his physical tools but also his approach away from the rink.

“When you watch his game, he’s physical. He skates really well. He can put up points,” Conroy said. “He’s just so well-rounded. He just does everything well.”

Conroy added that conversations with those who have coached Carels reinforced Calgary’s belief that the young defender possesses the competitiveness and character required to reach the NHL.

“Everybody we talked to, whether it’s Jim Playfair coaching him in junior, talked about what type of person he is,” Conroy said. “He’s always trying to get better. He always wants to be better, and it’s always about the team.”

Those qualities helped elevate Carels into one of the highest selections in franchise history for the Cougars and have many around hockey projecting a bright future for the Manitoban.

While most first-round prospects require significant development time before reaching the NHL, Lamb believes Carels could challenge that timeline.

“He could be right away,” Lamb said when asked how soon Carels might make an impact. “He’s got so much talent. He’s so mature.”

That maturity has been apparent throughout his time in Prince George. Carels consistently displayed poise under pressure, logging important minutes against top competition while contributing at both ends of the ice.

His ability to defend aggressively, move the puck efficiently and contribute offensively helped make him one of the most coveted defencemen available in this year’s draft.

For the Flames, the selection represents an investment in a player who projects as a modern NHL defender capable of handling difficult assignments while contributing in all situations.

While Carels headlined the weekend for Prince George, he was not the only Cougar to hear his name called.

The Minnesota Wild identified Kayden Lemire as a player they wanted badly enough to move up and secure. Minnesota traded up in the fourth round to select the six-foot-four forward, recognizing the untapped potential in one of the WHL’s most intriguing young power forwards.

Lamb believes the Wild may have landed one of the draft’s biggest long-term bargains.

“I think it’s a great pick by Minnesota,” he said.

The coach described Lemire as a player whose best hockey remains ahead of him.

“He’s a power forward. He’s a really raw player right now,” Lamb said. “He just keeps on going.”

That combination of size, skating ability and determination made Lemire an attractive prospect despite still having significant room to grow.

According to Lamb, the next stage of development will be particularly important.

“The process part for Kayden is going to be very important,” he said.

Fortunately for both Lemire and Minnesota, that process is expected to continue with an expanded role in Prince George next season.

Following the departures of several key players, the Cougars are preparing to hand greater responsibilities to a number of younger athletes, and Lamb expects Lemire to be one of the biggest beneficiaries.

“I think he’s going to have different ice time this year,” Lamb said. “He’s going to be playing in a much more important role.”

Greater offensive opportunities could allow Lemire to showcase the elements of his game that made him such an appealing NHL prospect. At six-foot-four, he possesses the physical profile teams covet, but his combination of motor and willingness to engage physically may ultimately define his professional future.

Minnesota’s decision to trade up indicates the organization felt strongly about his upside and did not want to risk losing the opportunity to draft him.

For the Cougars organization, the selection serves as another example of the club’s ability to identify and develop players capable of reaching professional hockey.

The organization has steadily built a reputation for producing NHL prospects and helping them refine their skills in an environment that emphasizes development as much as winning.

This year’s draft reinforced that reputation.

Having two players selected is meaningful in itself, but the significance extends beyond draft day recognition. Each player chosen provides evidence that the development path in Prince George can prepare athletes to compete at the highest levels of the sport.

Lamb believes both Carels and Lemire possess the tools necessary to eventually establish themselves as NHL players.

Carels arrives in Calgary with expectations that accompany a top-10 selection, while Lemire enters the professional pipeline carrying the label of a high-upside project whose best years may still be ahead of him.

Either way, both players will be watched closely as they continue their development journeys.

The draft was not the only source of encouraging news for the Cougars.

Several additional players have received opportunities to showcase their abilities at NHL development camps, ensuring professional organizations will continue monitoring Prince George talent throughout the summer.

Forward Jett Lajoie has earned an invitation to development camp with the Winnipeg Jets, providing him an opportunity to make an impression in front of one of the NHL’s most respected organizations.

Development camps often serve as valuable evaluation periods where players can demonstrate their skills, hockey sense and professionalism while competing alongside drafted prospects.

For Lajoie, the invitation represents another important step in his development and an opportunity to put himself on the radar of NHL decision-makers.

Meanwhile, goalie Alexander Levshyn will attend development camp with the Vegas Golden Knights.

Levshyn will have a familiar face in attendance as he joins former Cougars blueliner Villiam Kmec within the Golden Knights organization.

The opportunity offers Levshyn a chance to learn from NHL coaches and management while continuing to build momentum toward a professional career.

Taken together, the draft selections and development camp invitations highlight what has become a defining characteristic of the Cougars program: the consistent production of players capable of attracting attention from NHL organizations.

For Prince George hockey fans, the weekend offered yet another reminder that elite talent continues to emerge from the Cougars dressing room.

For Carels and Lemire, the celebrations are only beginning. Both now enter the next phase of their careers with NHL organizations investing in their futures.

And for the Cougars, the 2026 NHL Draft served as both a celebration of past development success and a glimpse of what may still be to come. As another season approaches, Prince George will once again be home to players pursuing the same dream that became reality for two of their teammates in Buffalo.

by Thomas Doucet

Cougars Continue NHL Draft success as Carson Carels goes sixth overall to Calgary Flames

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