Prospect Carter George’s 'Brain is So Elite'

“He’s poised in the structure he has in this game,” observed the Attack goalie coach. “And for me, those are the kind of things that stick out with Carter. He has a lot of the things you can’t teach, like the brain and just to really understand and see what’s going to happen next [on the ice].

As for what the 18-year-old can improve upon, Gibson opines the importance of growth.

“Conversely, in terms of things to work or progress with, as with most young goalies, just getting stronger,” he told me. “I believe he’s training to get faster and to get more dynamic. And overall, I think he needs to train, and he’s training his body to be ready to play a lot of hockey. He could be playing a lot of hockey this year and just think that’s important for him.

The importance of the latter cannot be emphasized enough for major-junior players. After all, the OHL schedule is 68 games long – 14 fewer than the NHL’s current format. George played in a career-high 56 contests and four more in the playoffs. Promising numbers, yes, but still some that adjustment should he reach even the American Hockey League, much less the NHL.

Stoic to a Fault

For goaltenders, the secret to success consists largely of a calm demeanor and a short memory. According to Owen Sound’s goaltending coach, George possesses these qualities to a T.

“Carter is pretty even keel in everything that he does,” Gibson stated. “Obviously, he shows emotion but nobody would know that on the outside. He doesn’t get too high or too low, but obviously he’s a competitor and he expects a lot of himself.

And that short memory is a testament to the youngster’s sheer resilience.

“Does he want goals back sometimes? Of course he does, but he does a good job in bouncing back, focusing on the next puck, and ultimately staying in the moment,” Gibson added. “He’s open to a lot of new things, too, He’s open to new ideas, trying new things. He’s just open-minded in everything that he does. He just wants to get better every day.”

Mind Over Matter

At 6-foot-1 and 182 pounds, Carter George may be on the slightly smaller side of netminders today. However, Paul Gibson has been impressed by his goaltender. So much so that he hasn’t been able to see the faults, for lack of a better term, of his size. After all, as the old adage goes, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog.”

Carter George has been a byproduct of said adage since his arrival to Owen Sound.

“For me, Carter plays a lot bigger than his 6-foot-1 frame,” Gibson said. “He has a presence in the net, he shows himself larger than a lot of goalies that have that size.”

It states the obvious that a smaller goalie leaves more space in the net. But Carter George is able to decipher that space he leaves open and how to capitalize on it.

“He really understands the space that he fills and his net coverage,” added Gibson. “To me, his size, or lack thereof, is a factor because his brain is so elite. And to me, his brain will overcome any size issues that he has.”

Moving Forward

Having just turned 18 this past May, don’t expect Carter George to be battling for a spot with the LA Kings – or even the Ontario Reign – just yet. Having just completed his first full season in Owen Sound, do fully expect to see George donning an Attack jersey once again in 2024-25. But, when the time does come to move on, Paul Gibson has some sage advice waiting for his netminder.

“Trust the process,” he said matter-of-factly. “Believe in what you’re doing in terms of his training and his practice habits. The biggest thing is probably what makes Carter Carter, and that is the person that he is: his values, his work ethic, all of the intangibles. And I think that’s, for me, my advice as he moves on and progresses.

Fresh off signing a three-year ELC,, Carter George is ready to impress the Kings this coming season. However, before he kicks off his OHL campaign, do expect George – who dons a familiar No. 32 in Owen Sound – to make a solid impression at the upcoming Kings rookie camp. Regardless, George’s addition to the club’s prospect pool may just be what the silver-and-black need to boost their ranking in said category. George, after all, is coming off a season that saw him earn top goaltender at the Under-18 World Championship. The youngster accomplished the feat en route to leading his native Canada to gold.

Overall, Carter George was a great draft choice by the Kings. So, let’s see what’s in store for the netminder this coming season. It should be exciting.