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Carlos Handel, Halifax Mooseheads (Trevor MacMillan/Halifax Mooseheads)

Carlos Handel – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Jacob Billington | Last updated Jun 21, 2025 10:49 AM ET

Carlos Handel

2024-25 Team: Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
Date of Birth: Mar. 31, 2007
Place of Birth: Erlangen, Germany
Ht: 6-foot-1 Wt: 172 pounds
Shoots: R
Position: D
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2025 first-year eligible

Rankings

Carlos Handel is a German defenseman who came to North America to play in the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League, and as a rookie, he posted three goals and 26 points in 53 games with the Halifax Mooseheads. Considering the Mooseheads were expecting to be a rebuilding team, they did very well, and Handel was a strong part of their success on the back end. While the Mooseheads had some other defensemen eating a lot of minutes, Handel really came into his own as the season progressed.

The transition wasn’t as smooth as many hoped, but later in the season and into the playoffs, Handel took on a bigger role and played excellent. He is a strong puck-moving defenseman with great offensive instincts, and while he didn’t produce a ton over the course of the season, now that he has one year under his belt, he will likely produce more next season in a bigger role.

The defensive side of his game, as well as the physicality, are still in development, but with an adjustment season to the smaller ice surface, it makes sense for a defenseman to take some time. Combining his skating, offensive vision, and decent size, Handel will have a natural path to offense, and if he rounds out his defensive play a bit more, he could find himself as a very stable 20-point third-pair defenseman in the NHL, if not more.

Other THW Draft Profiles

Carlos Handel – NHL Draft Projection

Handel has been up and down the rankings this season, and on average, is expected to go in the third round. Given the fact that he made such big improvements this season, and is likely to again next season, plus the fact that he is a right-shot defenseman, there is a very good chance she bumps up into the second round, and a team with multiple top-64 picks selects him.

Quotables

“He’s not flashy, but he’s a fluid skater who likes to carry the puck and can be aggressive with his stick around the net. Händel is always moving and making smart decisions in his own zone, and he has looked strong both physically and mentally this season.”
-Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff

“As a talented young offensive defenseman, he knows he needs to improve his defensive game. However, he has already made significant progress in that area, whether it’s with small details like how to position his stick, how to manage the space he leaves for the forwards, or even his physicality. He has already improved drastically, and I know he will continue to do so.”
–Andrew Lord, Halifax Mooseheads

Strengths

Under Construction- Improvements to Make

NHL Potential

Handel has the potential to become a strong two-way defenseman in the NHL. He has a lot of the right tools, and since making the transition to the QMJHL, he has elevated his game significantly. Handel could be a very good third-pair defenseman who can move the puck or even find himself as a number-four defenseman.

Risk- Reward Analysis

Risk- 3/5, Reward 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense- 5/10, Defense 6/10

Awards/ Achievements

Interviews/ Links

Carlos Handel Stats

Videos

Fastest 2 goals scored by a player at #U18MensWorlds

Carlos Handel scores 2⃣ in 19 seconds to put @deb_teams in the lead! pic.twitter.com/yKpxoOAGkl
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) April 27, 2025