Carrier gets a second chance to win the Cup, this time vs. his former team

RALEIGH, N.C. — William Carrier has gotten over it.

You know, the facing your old team thing.

The rugged veteran left winger left the Vegas Golden Knights for the Carolina Hurricanes two years ago after getting his name on the Stanley Cup with the Knights in 2023. An original Golden Misfit, Carrier, who was selected from Buffalo in the 2017 NHL expansion draft, will always have fond memories of his time in Vegas.

But what’s past is past. He’s trying to get his name on the Cup a second time, and his former team is the one standing in the way of his present team accomplishing that.

“(I have) lots of great memories,” Carrier said of his time in Vegas on Monday at the NHL’s Media Day advancing the Cup Final. “It’s going to be special. I think it’s going to be fun out there. It’s always special. I won a Cup there. Lost a Cup there. That building (T-Mobile Arena) has a lot of memories for me.

“They want to win every year. Same here. We both want to be playing hockey here in June.”

He’s a bottom-six forward in Carolina, grinding away in Rod Brind’Amour’s North-South system. Carrier’s physical style of play has always prevented him from playing a full season. The most games he’s ever played in during his 10-year NHL career was in 2019-20 with Vegas, when he appeared in 71 contests.

This year, he played in 70 regular-season games for the Hurricanes and has seven goals and 18 points. But to ask Carrier to change the way he plays would essentially be telling him don’t bother stepping onto the ice. His game has always been one of speed and physicality and it has kept him in the league for a decade.

“It’s a lot easier to play for a team that focuses on winning year after year,” he said of playing for Carolina. “There’s high expectations here.”

Carrier still enjoys getting out on the water. When he played for the Golden Knights, he had a boat moored at Lake Mead and would spend many a quiet hour fishing.

“I got rid of that boat, got a new one,” he said.

He also keeps his handyman skills up to date. When linemate Mark Jankowski joined the Hurricanes, he heard about Carrier’s handyman skills.

“When I was in Nashville and came here, Marchy (Jonathan Marchessault) told me about it,” Jankowski said. “I haven’t hit him up yet for help. But I’m sure I will at some point.”

For now, he’s happy to be playing alongside Carrier.

“His game is perfectly suited for the playoffs,” Jankowski said of Carrier. “You know what you’re going to get from him every time. We see it every night which is why it translates to the playoffs so well.”

Carrier is hoping to contribute in his own way, which means getting in on the forecheck, taking the body, forcing turnovers and hopefully creating scoring opportunities for his line.

“You want to go to a team where your skills fit what they do,” he said. “They picked me and Glad to be here and be part of this.”