Top 2026 NHL Draft Defense Prospect Carson Carels Commits to North Dakota
The move stacks North Dakota’s blue line with multiple first-round talents for 2026–27.
Overview
- Carels, who announced his decision Monday via UND and his Instagram, chose the NCAA route after starring for the WHL’s Prince George Cougars.
- Analysts rank the 17-year-old among the draft’s best defensemen, with Corey Pronman projecting him to the New York Rangers at No. 5 next month.
- Carels posted 20 goals and 73 points in 58 WHL games and added 10 points in 10 playoff games, serving as an alternate captain and a WHL defenseman of the year finalist.
- He will join E.J. Emery and Keaton Verhoeff at North Dakota, a trio that could give the Fighting Hawks three first-round blue liners on the 2026–27 roster.
- UND expects him to take heavy minutes after three top defenders departed, a shift that also pulls a premier blueliner out of the WHL and highlights the CHL-to-NCAA path for elite prospects.