With the Attack in a battle for a playoff spot and facing a tough schedule for the remainder of the regular season, Carter George is still smiling. Underestimated and improving every time they hit the ice, George says this year’s team is a so much fun to be a part of. I caught up with Carter at the Bayshore to chat about the playoff push, the Four Nations Face Off, the LA Kings and life lately. I was pumped to hear I wasn’t the only one imagining him in net that night when Canada won gold.

You’re fresh off a 42 save win over the Niagara Ice Dogs and gearing up to face the London Knights tomorrow night. Where is your head at these days?

I’m just out there having fun right now. The best part of the season is the playoff run. So it’s pretty fun coming to the rink and seeing all the guys wanting it so badly. Everyone is being competitive in everything they do. We’re just focusing on one game at time right now and trying to get as many points as we can to make playoffs.

I made a silly post the other day about you having a smile on your face when you step on the ice these days. But I really have noticed that since World Juniors. How would you describe what it’s like playing with this team right now?

It’s a lot of fun. We’re coming together as a team and everyone’s buying into the system and it’s showing the progress everyone’s made throughout the season. It’s so much fun in that locker room right now with a great group of guys. It definitely makes coming to the rink a lot better when you’re having fun. It simplifies everything. I’m really just enjoying being here right now.

What’s the feedback from the coaching staff?

They want us to know that we can compete with anyone. They don’t want us to give anyone too much respect. We have a good group of guys and when we’re playing the full 60 minutes, we can win any game. We just need to realize our potential and see what we can really do. That’s huge and that’s what our coaches have been focused on recently,

On paper, everyone is talking about the tough schedule you guys are facing in this 5 way battle for a playoff spot.  How do you see your group taking on this challenge? 

Yeah. I mean, for sure you look ahead and you know who you have coming up. But at the same time, I think if we’re playing our game and sticking to our structure, we’ll be okay. We’re just taking It one game at a time. We don’t worry about the teams ahead or the schedule ahead of us, we’re just worried about the next game and not getting too far ahead of ourselves.

Obviously this is a much different group than last year. Younger and with fewer expectations and an all-new coaching staff. What feels different about coming to the rink every day this year?

It’s a little different for sure. You go from having a team with a lot of skill and a lot of talent who were not quite meeting or exceeding expectations last year, to a team where they projected us to be the last place in the league and with no expectations on us. So it’s a little different mindset coming to the rink every day. For me, practices are so competitive and guys just want to get better every time they are on the ice.  Everyone’s staying on the ice late to try and perfect their craft. So for me that’s super neat. I love seeing the guys work ethic on and off ice. You can see it in the gym too. Everyone has taken big steps this year and it’s a lot of fun to be a part of.

While you’re not officially allowed to wear a leadership letter in net, you’ve been made an assistant captain. What are your thoughts on that rule?

I don’t mind it and I guess I understand it. For me, it’s not really about wearing a letter. Everyone in the room is a leader, and I just think it’s an extra letter on your jersey and it doesn’t mean too much. You’re going to be yourself in the room and have the same characteristics. It’s just recognizing that leadership.

There’s been a couple of times where the team has had a lousy first period, maybe even a lousy second period, and Greg Cowan has quoted the coaching staff, saying that you straightened everybody out in there. In those situations, what do you say?

Sometimes if we don’t come out with a hot start, I might blow a gasket here and there but it’s always for a good reason. Everyone responds to it in different ways and personally, I think, sometimes everyone needs a kick in the butt to get going after a slow first period. You’ve still got 40 minutes to play. So, if we’re down a couple goals or something like that after the first, that’s when it will happen. Obviously there’s a time and place for it. I try not to do it too often, but sometimes you kind of need to.

I legit can’t even picture you blowing a gasket. I guess it’s impactful because it’s so rare.

It’s gotten more rare recently because we’ve been playing so well. I’d like to keep it that way.

And obviously you can’t predict the future, but we all know you’ll do everything you can to steal a game when needed. What would it mean to experience the playoffs with this group?

Yeah, it would be awesome. First of all, no one thought we’d even come close to playoffs, so to prove all those people wrong would be unbelievable. For the young guys just to get that experience this year, I think it’s huge. Even last year, we had four games but you still got a taste of playoffs. Half of our room has never been in a playoff game before so I think it would be good for everyone’s development. That’s a big push for us. I think we could force a first round upset with the team we have. We can do it. No one really has any expectations of us. So for me, if we stick to our structure and stick to the game plan, I think we can actually do some damage and surprise a lot of people.

Okay changing course a bit here. I’m sure you like the rest of Canada watched the Four Nations Face Off. What did you think of former Attack goalie Jordan Binnington’s performance?

I thought it was unbelievable. For him to make those three huge saves in overtime time and up his compete level in those big game moments, it’s so impressive. It’s pretty cool to see a guy who played in Owen Sound achieve that and watch the path he took. I look up to him a lot so it was super cool to see him win. It meant a lot to see a former Attack player win that tournament.

I heard you may have predicted his ability to steal the game over a chicken souvlaki at Europa?

Yeah, we talk a lot about hockey when I go there (laughs). But I do remember saying something like that. A lot of people were giving him hate and criticizing him, so I said I thought he was going to come up big and prove them all wrong in the next game. He definitely did that.

I know it’s a long ways off, but personally I couldn’t watch that game without imagining you being in that position. Is that something that crosses your mind?

Oh, yeah, all the time. Every save he made, I was just picturing myself making that save. Every moment of that game, I was just picturing myself in that moment. I just try to manifest it and see myself in that spot one day and I use that as motivation.

Obviously, the manifesting has worked pretty well for you to date. Let’s talk about World Juniors just for a sec. Tell us about the feeling of putting on a Canadian jersey and playing on the world stage in front of a sold out crowd on home soil.

That was probably the biggest stage I’ve played on so it was super special. It’s something you dream of as a kid your whole life, playing in the World Juniors, so to actually get there was so special. I tried to soak in every moment. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the results we wanted but I gained a lot of experience and I’m looking forward to next year.

Do you have one memory that stands out from those two weeks?

For me, it was just the locker room, meeting all those new guys and getting so close to them. You’re with them 24/7 for a month straight so we create these bonds and friendships that will last a lifetime. I still keep in touch with them. The friendships made along the way are super special to me.

I noticed, the other night when we played Erie and Malcolm Spence scored that goal in overtime that he came over and gave you a hug. I’m pretty sure the refs thought you guys were going to start throwing punches or something but then they realized it was just a chat between two Team Canada teammates.

He and I developed a pretty close bond over at Hlinka Gretzky and the U18s. He was bugging me all game because he had like 10 shots on net but couldn’t score and then of course he gets the overtime winner. It’s awesome to see those guys around the league. It just makes you want to beat them and you play better when you face them. It’s a lot of fun.

We haven’t spoken since the draft, so tell us a bit about that.

It was unbelievable. It was such a cool experience. I mean, in Vegas, at the sphere, just everything was just amazing. And then to hear your name called for your childhood team just meant the world through. Then to go through the whole process of getting interviews and all of that, it’s definitely a moment I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

And then you had no real break. You just went straight to LA from there?

Yeah, straight to training camp. Saturday I got drafted and Sunday morning, I flew out. I did not get a lot of sleep Saturday night (laughs).

Yeah I bet. And what was that experience like in camp?

It was awesome. You go in there and it’s a whole new environment and you don’t really sure what to expect. I didn’t really know too many guys. Obviously, I knew Liam Greentree because I’ve played with him a little bit, so that’s kind of cool and I met Jared Wooley, the other draft pick in our class and we became close friends. You go in there not knowing what to expect and a little nervous, but I just tried to take in as much as possible. You learn so much there and you learn what they want you to get better at over the summer. I was just trying to learn as much as possible and get used to the environment so when I got back for rookie camp it was more familiar.

And then you signed your ELC over the summer?

Yes, I just remember my agent texting me, and saying, ‘Hey, can you give me a call tomorrow?’  I was joking around with my friends and family about how I was going to get an ELC and then all of a sudden I was. I was in shock and disbelief but it was pretty cool. It means a lot to me and it shows that the Kings really care about me and are invested in my development. It gives you so much confidence to know that they’re behind me.

How often do you talk with them now? And how involved are they with your during the OHL season?

Each team does it differently. Their development goalie coach comes up for a week at a time. He’s come up once already and he’s coming up next week. They come to a lot of games but I don’t always see them after. Sometimes they just say hey and have a quick chat. I keep in touch with a couple of them and they reach out to me so it’s pretty cool. They keep a close connection and they keep a close eye on me which is super special.

What happens next with them in terms of camps and opportunities?

Well, hopefully this season goes longer than just the regular season so really, I’m just focused on that. But then there’s development camp in July and then rookie and main camp in September. But right now the focus is solidly here.

Can you share a few thoughts about your family and their support. You’ve been lucky enough to have them at the draft and at World Juniors and here at the Bayshore most nights.

It’s awesome. They come to almost every event I have and they were with me at the draft and when I signed my contract. There at almost every home game and some road games too. It’s super special to me to have their support. It can be tough when you’re away from home and sometimes the season can get pretty rough, but to have their support and have them behind me at all times helps out a lot.

I heard after the Icedogs game you approached Hayden Jeffery with a few words after his  first OHL game. What did you say?

I just told him to keep battling and that he played well. They’re in a tough situation over there. Their starting goalie is out, their second had to get surgery and their third string is hurt. They are on their fourth and fifth goalies. I just wanted to wish him all the best. He played well in a bad situation. It’s tough to come and join a team who hasn’t won in 10 games. He did a good job and he deserved some kind words.

As of right now, what is your favourite thing about playing for the Owen Sound Attack?

The winning (laughs). Honestly, probably just coming to the rink and seeing all the guys. It’s been good vibes in the room all year. It’s a lot of fun coming to the rink and hanging out away from the rink. We are always together. So my favourite thing is just the group of guys we have here. Usually throughout the season, a few guys get separated but not with this group. Everyone’s so close. It’s pretty awesome.

Maybe that’s the secret? Maybe that’s what will push you guys through.

Yes, hopefully that’s the magic ingredient.

Thanks so much Carter. Have a good practice and keep up the great work in the playoff push.

Thank you.