- Carson Carels is wearing white skates at the World Junior Summer Showcase and taking chirps for it
- Patrik Kerkola made 34 saves as Finland beat the United States 3-2, and Sweden handled Canada 5-3
- Read below for the full Day 4 rundown from Windsor
Carson Carels is the easiest player to pick out in Windsor this week, and his draft slot has nothing to do with it.
The 18-year-old defenseman, taken sixth overall by the Calgary Flames in June, is skating in white skates at the World Junior Summer Showcase. He talked about the throwback look with NHL.com’s Mike Morreale, tracing it back to a conversation with his Prince George teammates last season before a pair turned up at his house.
“The skates are kind of unique right now. I think white is kind of a thing that was in the old times, and it’s coming back a little bit now.”
The chirping started almost immediately. Predators prospect Brady Martin got the first one in roughly 20 minutes after Carels showed up at camp, and Carels said he has no choice but to smile and wear it.
The inspiration came from watching Dustin Byfuglien wear a white pair in Winnipeg. Canada coach Misha Donskov was asked whether the look works on a teenager still trying to make the roster, and he pointed straight at the skating.
“You can definitely notice him on the ice, and he’s a great skater. So with that and the white skates, you pick it up.”
Carels drew Flyers prospect Brek Liske as his partner in Canada’s showcase opener Wednesday night. Take a look at how both sides lined up:
Sweden won that one 5-3 for its first victory of the week. Filip Ekberg scored again and is up to three points in three games, which is a nice run for a player Carolina took 221st overall in 2025.
Finland provided the other result of the night. Patrik Kerkola stopped 34 shots in a 3-2 win over the United States, 18 of them in a second period the Americans spent camped in the offensive zone.
Here’s how the finish read from the rink:
Kerkola sat as Finland’s third goalie at the 2026 World Juniors and never got into a game. He’s the only returning player Finland brought to Windsor, and he was asked what he wants out of the week.
“My goal is to be that guy, the No. 1 goalie. Get those games and help the team to win.”
The Americans played that game a day after sending 10 players home, five forwards and five defensemen. Coach Adam Nightingale told the group that surviving the first round of cuts guarantees nobody anything.
“For the guys that stayed, you can’t get comfortable because those guys that went home, they’re going to be really hungry. Competition is the greatest driver in development.”
Kraken defenseman Chase Reid is the only returning American in camp. The U.S. draws Sweden on Thursday, looking to get back to the version of itself that swept both games on Day 2.
