William Carrier (ice hockey)

William Carrier
Carrier with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2018
Born (1994-12-20) December 20, 1994 (age 29)
LaSalle, Quebec, Canada
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 212 lb (96 kg; 15 st 2 lb)
Position Left wing
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams
Carolina Hurricanes
Buffalo Sabres
Vegas Golden Knights
NHL draft 57th overall, 2013
St. Louis Blues
Playing career 2014–present

William Carrier (born December 20, 1994) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Carrier was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the second round (57th pick overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. Carrier won the Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023.

Early life

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Carrier was born in LaSalle, Quebec, but grew up in Pierrefonds, Quebec.[1] His younger brother Alexandre also played hockey in the Quebec Junior Hockey League.[2]

Playing career

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Youth

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As a youth, Carrier played in the 2007 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Deux-Rives.[3] During the 2009–10 season, Carrier played in three games for the midget AAA team Lac Saint-Louis Lions.[1]

Major junior

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Carrier was selected in the fourth round, 61st overall at the 2010 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) draft by the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles.[4] He recorded his first QMJHL goal on September 10, 2010, in a 3–2 win over the Halifax Mooseheads.[5] Carrier was later selected to compete with Team Canada Quebec at the 2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, where he recorded five points in six games.[1]

Leading up to the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Carrier was lauded as a top-30 prospect.[6] During a game against the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, Hockey Canada’s head scout Kevin Prendergast attended to view Carrier's play.[7] Passed over in the first round, he was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the second round, 57th overall. On August 19, 2013, Carrier was signed to a three-year entry-level contract with the Blues.[8]

In the 2013–14 season, on January 7, 2014, the Eagles traded Carrier along with Matthew Donnelly to the Drummondville Voltigeurs in exchange for Guillaume Gauthier, a first round pick in 2015, and a fifth round pick in 2014.[9] Over a month later, Carrier was involved in a second trade as on February 28, 2014, the Blues traded his NHL contract, along with Chris Stewart, Jaroslav Halák, and 1st and 3rd round draft picks for the 2014 NHL Entry Draft to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for netminder Ryan Miller and captain Steve Ott.[10]

Professional

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Carrier made his NHL debut on November 5, 2016, against the Ottawa Senators[11] and recorded his first NHL goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins on November 19.[12] During a game against the Boston Bruins in December 2016, Carrier was penalized for an illegal check to the head on David Backes, who suffered a concussion.[13]

Having been left exposed by the Sabres for the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft, Carrier was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights on June 21, 2017.[14] Carrier and the Golden Knights qualified for the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs in their inaugural season. During the first round of the playoffs against the Los Angeles Kings, Carrier entered into concussion protocol as a result of an illegal check to the head by Drew Doughty.[15] Carrier would be sat out another game during the Knights' third round against the Winnipeg Jets.[16]

On February 27, 2020, Carrier signed a four-year, $5.6 million contract extension with the Golden Knights.[17]

By the 2022–23 season, Carrier was one of six remaining original members of the Golden Knights, alongside Jonathan Marchessault, William Karlsson, Reilly Smith, Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore. The team reached the Stanley Cup Finals for the second time, winning the Cup over the Florida Panthers in five games.[18]

Following seven seasons with the Golden Knights, Carrier left the organization as a free agent and was signed to a six-year, $12 million contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 3, 2024.[19]

International play

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Carrier was a member of the bronze medal winning Team Canada at 2012 IIHF World U18 Championships.[20]

Personal life

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Carrier and his wife Caroline Vezina had their first child together in March 2020.[21] After the birth of his daughter, he was told to stay home as a result of COVID-19 suspending play.[22]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2009–10 Lac St-Louis Lions QMAAA 3 0 0 0 2
2010–11 Cape Breton Screaming Eagles QMJHL 61 8 4 12 54 4 0 0 0 2
2011–12 Cape Breton Screaming Eagles QMJHL 66 27 43 70 65 4 3 3 6 4
2012–13 Cape Breton Screaming Eagles QMJHL 34 16 26 42 41
2013–14 Cape Breton Screaming Eagles QMJHL 39 12 29 41 42
2013–14 Drummondville Voltigeurs QMJHL 27 10 14 24 45 4 1 3 4 6
2014–15 Rochester Americans AHL 63 7 14 21 38
2015–16 Rochester Americans AHL 56 13 17 30 48
2016–17 Rochester Americans AHL 8 3 2 5 6
2016–17 Buffalo Sabres NHL 41 5 3 8 21
2017–18 Vegas Golden Knights NHL 37 1 2 3 19 10 0 0 0 8
2018–19 Vegas Golden Knights NHL 54 8 1 9 29 7 0 0 0 6
2019–20 Vegas Golden Knights NHL 71 7 12 19 39 20 2 1 3 10
2020–21 Vegas Golden Knights NHL 52 6 9 15 16 19 1 2 3 8
2021–22 Vegas Golden Knights NHL 63 9 11 20 34
2022–23 Vegas Golden Knights NHL 56 16 9 25 30 18 2 4 6 26
2023–24 Vegas Golden Knights NHL 39 6 2 8 16 7 1 0 1 6
NHL totals 413 58 49 107 204 81 6 7 13 64

International

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Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2011 Canada Quebec U17 4th 6 2 3 5 10
2012 Canada U18 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 7 0 0 0 0
Junior totals 13 2 3 5 10

Awards and honours

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Award Year
NHL
Stanley Cup champion 2023 [23]
International
IIHF World U18 Championship bronze medal 2012 [1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "William Carrier prospect profile". hockeysfuture.com. May 2, 2014. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
  2. ^ "Alexandre Carrier". eliteprospects.com. Retrieved October 19, 2018.
  3. ^ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2019. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  4. ^ "Local Speedster, Big Defenceman First Choices For Eagles". capebretoneagles.com. Cape Brenton Eagles. July 22, 2010. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  5. ^ "Macdougalls goal earns Eagles win over herd". capebretoneagles.com. Cape Brenton Eagles. September 10, 2010. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  6. ^ "William Carrier – The Next Ones: NHL 2013 Draft Prospect Profile". TheHockeyWriters.com. June 20, 2013. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
  7. ^ "Carrier On The Radar Outside Of The Q". capebretoneagles.com. Cape Brenton Eagles. February 29, 2012. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  8. ^ "Blues sign Carrier to three-year deal". St. Louis Blues. August 19, 2013. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  9. ^ "Screaming Eagles trade Carrier". Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. January 7, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  10. ^ "Sabres deal Miller, Ott to Blues for Halak, Stewart, Picks". The Sports Network. February 28, 2014. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  11. ^ LaBarber, Jourdon (November 5, 2016). "Sharpen Up: November 5, 2016". NHL.com. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  12. ^ Yerdon, Joe (November 20, 2016). "Anders Nilsson lifts Sabres past Penguins". NHL.com. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  13. ^ Haggerty, Joe (December 31, 2016). "Backes out of Bruins lineup 'indefinitely' with concussion". nbcsports.com. NBCSN. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  14. ^ "Vegas rolls the dice on Sabres' Carrier at expansion draft". Buffalo News. June 21, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  15. ^ Schoen, David (April 12, 2018). "Kings' Drew Doughty faces hearing for hit on William Carrier". Las Vegas Review Journal. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  16. ^ "Golden Knights winger William Carrier to miss Game 1 against Jets". sportsnet.ca. Sportsnet. May 12, 2018. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  17. ^ "Golden Knights sign William Carrier to four-year contract extension". sportsnet.ca. Sportsnet. February 27, 2020. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  18. ^ Delos Santos, Paul (June 14, 2023). "Original 'Misfits' get Golden Knights started to Cup-clinching Game 5 win". NHL.com. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  19. ^ "Canes sign Carrier to six-year contract". Carolina Hurricanes. July 3, 2024. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  20. ^ "Shinkaruk scores winner as Canada beats Finland for bronze at U18 worlds". Cape Breton Post. April 22, 2012. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  21. ^ @GoldenKnights (March 18, 2020). "Congratulations to William Carrier & Caroline on the birth of their baby girl!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  22. ^ Landry, Nicolas (March 31, 2020). "En attendant le retour du hockey, William Carrier découvre la paternité". rds.ca (in French). Réseau des sports. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  23. ^ Brewer, Contessa (June 14, 2023). "Golden Knights' Stanley Cup win cements Las Vegas as a big-time sports city". CNBC. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
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