Kings select goaltender Carter George (Round 2, Pick 57)

The LA Kings have made their first second of the 2024 NHL Draft, their first pick in the second round, selecting netminder Carter George from the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL.

The Vitals
Position: Goalie
Catches: Left
DOB: May 20, 2006
Height: 6-1
Weight: 194
Hometown: Thunder Bay, ONT
NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: 2 (North American Goalies)
TSN/Bob NcKenzie’s Final Ranking: 71
EliteProspects’s Final Ranking: 59
Craig Button/TSN’s Final Ranking: 41
Stats (Owen Sound, OHL): 56 GP, 3.30 GAA, .907 SV%, 4 SO, 23-21-6 record

What The Experts Said

Colin Hunter, Dobber Prospects
George’s game is mature beyond his years. His ability to track and anticipate play, along with excellent movement selection and (mostly) perfect positioning allow George to consistently keep the play in front of him. On the very rare occasion that he finds himself out of position, he has the athletic ability to recover. Though he’s listed at “only” 6’1, his relatively upright and compact stance allow him to fill more of the net than his counterparts of similar size.

TheHockeyWriters.com
While not the prototypical size for a goaltender in the NHL, Carter George has proven that size is not everything when it comes to being a goalie in today’s game. While playing on an Owen Sound Attack team that has underperformed this season, George has stolen wins for his team, having had numerous games of 40 or more saves, including a 50-save shutout against the Barrie Colts on Nov. 23, 2023. He has been one of the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) best goaltenders in his first full season of junior hockey after a strong showing in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup with Team Canada. He was also a standout at this year’s CHL/NHL Top Prospects game.

David Phillips, FCHockey
George is a smaller goalie who is composed in all scenarios. He plays a butterfly-heavy game and can move well throughout the crease. His ability to take good lines cross-crease resulted in him being early and set at shot positions. George makes saves look easy by tracking pucks well and staying square to shooters consistently.

Quick Take – George becomes just the second amateur goaltender in the Kings prospect pool, and looks like someone with plenty of upside. Last year was his first full season in the OHL after splitting time between Owen Sound and the St. Marys Lincolns in the GOJHL during 2022-23. The Thunder Bay native represented Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and won a gold medal with excellent numbers, going 6-0-0 in six appearances with a 2.33 goals-against average and a 0.915 save percentage. This season’s honors also included a selection to the the OHL’s All-Rookie Team and the league’s Third All-Star Team.

Quotes –
On being drafted by his favorite team growing up, the LA Kings
This was a dream of mine since I’ve been a kid, growing up as a huge LA Kings fan. I’ve always dreamed of wearing the jersey and playing for them. It’s pretty cool to get drafted by this organization. It’s just a dream for me.

On his favorite memory of being in LA
When I went there, it was just playing in the LA Kings practice facility, so I thought that was pretty cool playing there. Growing up, I think the 2012 cup was pretty cool to me and then obviously they won again in 2014, that was the cherry on top.

On his game as a goaltender and who he models his style after
Growing up, I watched a lot of [Carey] Price and Jonathan Quick, those kinds of guys I loved. Then once I kind of got to an age where I kind of started modeling my game after guys, it was Igor Shesterkin and Jeremy Swayman. Those two guys, kind of same frame as me, pretty similar, so I definitely take a lot from them and can now apply some of their attributes to my game. I’m still learning a lot and trying to take as much as possible from other goalies around the league.