Kings’ Carter George looking for redemption with Canada at 2026 World Juniors
It’s not every day a Canadian goalie gets a second chance at the starter’s job at the World Junior Championship. But Los Angeles Kings prospect Carter George is ready for the challenge.
Canada fell in the quarterfinal for the second straight year in 2025, marking a rare cold streak for a nation that’s used to challenging for medals. George was one of the few bright spots on the team, though, posting some of the best numbers of any goaltender.
George, who already has AHL experience with the Ontario Reign, is expected to be on Canada’s roster when the list is announced on Monday, Dec. 8. Ahead of that, George chatted with Daily Faceoff’s Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton about getting a second chance at gold:
Tyler Yaremchuk: “How much time have you spent thinking about the opportunity that you could be getting this Christmas to avenge last year’s World Juniors and get another crack at it?”
Carter George: “Obviously, last year we didn’t get the result we wanted, and it’s definitely been on my mind a lot. You got to focus on your season, focus on what we have here at Owen Sound and when I got the opportunity to go up to the AHL I got to focus on that. But definitely in off-season training, it was on my mind for sure. Being able to get another crack at it, having a second opportunity, I’m definitely trying to make the most of it.”
Carter Hutton: “Carter, it was a great run last year and it’s just been fun watching your development. Thinking about those World Juniors, being in Canada and the pressure that came with it, and now it reverses a little bit. You’re going to have to battle with the pressure of the USA being the defending champs, and you’re in the States. What do you do to prepare yourself mentally?”
Carter George: “I work with a mental coach. So that definitely helps out when trying to handle the pressure. And last year, I think I learned a lot about dealing with the pressure at that kind of tournament, especially on home soil. There’s always a little extra pressure there. But for USA to come win it on our soil, I think it’s going to be even sweeter when we go win it there.”
You can watch the full episode below: