Welcome to The Win Column 2026 Calgary Flames Prospect Rankings. Ranked 2nd on our list is the 6th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft: Carson Carels.
Who is Carson Carels?
| Position | Age | Year Drafted | Round Drafted | 2026 Ranking | 2025 Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D | 18 | 2026 | 1st | 2nd | Not Ranked |
After having quite the miserable season, the Flames drafted Carels out of the WHL. Some scouts saw Carels as the best NHL defenceman in the 2026 draft, and the Flames clearly saw his upside. He’ll no doubt be a defenceman at the NHL level, as his development will be a consistent storyline for fans to follow.
Carels’ development so far
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | Pilot Mound Academy U17 Prep | CSSHL U17 | 27 | 18 | 32 | 50 |
| 2024-25 | Prince George Cougars | WHL | 60 | 6 | 29 | 35 |
| 2025-26 | Prince George Cougars | WHL | 58 | 20 | 53 | 73 |
Carels’ production has been experiencing a clear upward trend, as this season he finished fourth in the WHL in scoring among defencemen. He’ll be joining the NCAA this season as he’s committed to the University of North Dakota, a team which already has some notable names on their roster.
Carels’ Strengths
Skating and mobility
Carels’ skating is one of the foundations of his game. For a 6-foot-2 defenceman, he has excellent agility, edgework, and acceleration, allowing him to change direction quickly and close gaps effectively. His mobility is valuable at both ends of the ice: he can step up on attackers defensively, recover when plays break down, and transition himself into the offensive zone with speed
Defensive intelligence
Carels combines his physical tools with strong defensive awareness. He reads plays developing in front of him, keeps his head moving, and does a good job identifying passing lanes before they open. His active stick allows him to disrupt plays without always needing to make a physical play, while his skating lets him stay in position against quick forwards. He isn’t simply a physical defenceman; he has the anticipation and positioning to take away options from opposing attackers actively
Carels’ Weaknesses
Overall consistency
Carels’ overall game can fluctuate from shift to shift and game to game. There are stretches where he controls play at both ends of the ice, but he can occasionally become less impactful when managing a heavy workload. This was identified as one of his more notable areas for improvement following his breakout WHL season. As he moves into the NCAA and eventually professional hockey, maintaining his best habits for an entire game will be important. Consistency will determine whether his impressive tools translate into a dependable top-four role.
Decision-making under pressure
Carels’ biggest developmental area is making consistently efficient decisions when the game becomes chaotic. He has the skill and confidence to create plays, but that can occasionally lead him into situations where he has limited options. At times, he’ll attempt a difficult pass or force a puck through traffic rather than resetting the play and waiting for a better opportunity. At the NHL level, those small decisions become much more important because opposing forwards close space faster. He will need to become more selective about when to attack and when to simplify his game.
Carels’ next steps
Carels will be committing to the NCAA, where he’ll be exposed to a new level of hockey. Given his skill set and potential, Carels may be seeing NHL action quite soon. There could be a scenario where Carels’ NCAA season ends, and the Flames give him the chance in the big leagues.
NHL projection
Ceiling: Potential franchise defenceman
Likely Outcome: Top-pair defenceman
Floor: Top-four NHL defenceman
NHL timeline projection
Carels may appear in NHL games as soon as this upcoming season and will compete for a role likely in the 2027–28 season.
See the other articles on the list of prospect rankings for 2026:
