[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Hidden Gems Edition, Vol. 60):

LW/C Shawn Carrier (5'10",181lbs)
Halifax (QMJHL): 59gp/ 18g/ 26a/ 44pts, -14, 48 PIM

The Halifax Mooseheads squeaked into the QMJHL playoffs this spring, finishing the regular season in 16th-place out of 18 teams, while compiling the second-worst goals-for in the entire CHL (155 goals). Even more interesting was the Mooseheads' first-round victory in their series against the Drummondville Voltigeurs, though they were subsequently swept by the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in the Quarter-Finals. F Shawn Carrier (ranked # 148 NA Skaters), who was selected 6th-overall by Moncton in the 2023 QMJHL Draft, was second in team-scoring for the Mooseheads, and only 2 points behind the leader, Liam Kilfoil, with 44 points in 59 games- quite impressive on a team like Halifax. Both Kilfoil and Carrier finished in a tie for 3rd in playoff scoring, both posting 5 points in 11 games, with Carrier racking up 32 penalty-minutes. Call him a "pocket power-forward"- he's a skilled, speedy, and energetic winger who plays a direct, north-south style, affects the play in all three zones, employs a physical game, and is trusted on both sides of special teams. His mostly chip-and-chase approach is facilitated by his breakaway speed and explosiveness, and his ability to put defenders on their heels with his supreme pace. There aren't too many players in the Q who can beat him in a race, or catch up to him after he blows by them, which draws a lot of penalties. His feet are always in-motion, and he displays excellent agility on his edges; he can beat defenders wide, and is highly elusive with quick changes of pace and direction to sidestep checks and spin off of hits- making him an even bigger problem for his opponents.

Carrier is a character kid, and his coaches call him a "heart and soul player"- he's intense, with a high-end motor and an overwhelming compete level. Despite being short in stature, he never backs down from the rough stuff, and in fact- he initiates contact early and often to create a bit of room, and to provide his team with advantages. With a robust board-game, he gets inside hands, wins battles in hard areas with grit and determination, plays through contact, and will bowl opponents over if they come between him and the puck. He plays much bigger than his size, leaning into opponents to push his way around, or drive inside as if he was 6'2", and he's like a wrecking ball- hitting hard, and hitting often, trying to put his targets into the 5th-row. On the forecheck, he's like a dog on a bone, finishing checks and causing turnovers with his tenacity and pace, and will even pin defenders to the wall to neutralize breakouts. He keeps his head on a swivel, and manages contact well. Primarily a playmaker, he leverages his ability to read gaps, and often changes pace and direction to open seams, hitting his teammates through traffic with skilled passing and acute timing; he possesses excellent anticipation, and can drive play. Carrier displays top-tier vision and a high IQ, but alot of his more complex ideas go unrequited in Halifax- although he does seem to have good chemistry with Kilfoil. He employs a mostly simple game that's devoid of much flashiness, but he is blessed with plus-level puck skill and tight protection ability that allows him to challenge opponents one-on-one with his repertoire of slick stickhandling tricks, and he can weave around traffic with deft fakes, hesitations, and feints. For extra spacing, he uses contact to push back in battles, and is proficient at using reverse-hits to make a little more room to operate.

Like any true power-forward, he drives the net with aplomb, shows no fear in attacking the middle with-and-without the puck for looks, and owns a hard shot with fair precision and a snappy release. Though he needs work on his finishing skills, he displays soft hands in-tight, keen hand-eye coordination for tipping shots, quick reflexes for converting rebounds, and a willingness to battle for positioning in front of the net. Carrier excels on the backcheck, from disrupting the opposing team's breakout, to upending their rush through the neutral zone, to snuffing their cycle, employing sharp defensive awareness in all areas, a well-positioned stick with good timing, and intelligent positioning. With his aggression and intensity, he racks up steals, causes turnovers aplenty, forces dump-ins, pokes away passes, and angles attackers away from danger. He is a trusted penalty-killer, and is said to be good in face-offs. He makes smart plays off of retrievals to kickstart the breakout, and is an important contributor to the Mooseheads' transition- and though he skates mostly straight-line routes in his carries, he pushes defenders back to create room for teammates. To push the puck up-ice, he will engage in give-and-go's to achieve clean entries, and isn't at all shy about dumping the puck-in or using chip-and-chase plays. Carrier plays a rather pro-style game, but will need to get stronger if he wants to employ the same style in the pros. He could maybe use a bit more dynamism in his offensive game (though it's hard to tell in Halifax) in order to be less predictable, but his only real flaw right now is his finishing skills, and his lack of size. Stylistically speaking, I have read that some scouts compare him to Brad Marchand, but he reminds me of a poor-man's Brayden Point, with his staunch 200-ft game. Look for him in the middle rounds, but any team would be wise to take him earlier, as he'll be ripping up the Q in a season or two.