Attack’s George a steadying presence during busy 2024-25 season
Amid a year full of standout performances in the crease, Carter George has managed to carve out a resume filled with accolades and memorable moments.
The 19-year-old Owen Sound Attack netminder from Thunder Bay, Ont. has strung together a remarkable 2024/25 campaign, one that stretches far beyond junior hockey.
A third-round pick by Owen Sound in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, George has long been known as a steady presence in the crease and a leader in the locker room.
In 2023/24, he earned both the Bobby Smith Trophy (OHL Scholastic Player of the Year) and the Ivan Tennant Memorial Award (Top Academic High School Player). This season, his efforts were once again recognized as he was named the runner-up for the Jim Rutherford Trophy, awarded to the OHL’s Goaltender of the Year.
Then, this past summer, George’s lifelong dream took a major step forward when the L.A. Kings selected him 57th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, making him the third goaltender off the board. Shortly afterward, he signed his entry-level contract and attended the team’s development camp – the beginning of his professional journey with the team he grew up idolizing.
“My whole room was decked out with Kings stuff, including a big Fathead of Johnny Quick on the wall,” George recalled. “To be taken by the team I grew up cheering for – it just all kind of worked out.”
In September, George tended the net for the Kings’ Rookie Faceoff event and saw preseason action with Los Angeles before heading back to Owen Sound to start the OHL season, a transition that proved more difficult than expected.
“There’s a big difference between the NHL and OHL, just in breakdowns and structure. It was definitely a different jump that I haven’t done before in my life,” George admitted. “It was a big learning experience for me and something that’ll definitely stick with me going into next year and the future. I think for me, the biggest thing was just kind of sticking with it and to keep working hard, because I knew I’d get back to my old self eventually.”
And that he did.
By November, George had found his groove and added his name to OHL history in the process. With Owen Sound holding a multi-goal lead against the Peterborough Petes, George corralled a dump-in attempt and launched the puck the full length of the ice, burying it into the empty net. The goal made him just the 11th goaltender in OHL history to score, adding yet another milestone to a season full of standout moments.
His turnaround game soon led to national recognition, as George earned the starting role for Team Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship. Wearing the Maple Leaf, he delivered a stellar performance with a 1.76 goals-against average, a .936 save percentage, and two shutouts across four games.
“Representing my country was incredible,” George said. “I learned so much; putting on the Maple Leaf is always an honour.”
That momentum followed him into the second half of the OHL season, where George returned to Owen Sound and elevated his play even further. In 47 regular-season appearances, he faced more shots than any goaltender in the league – a staggering 1,665 – and led all netminders with 1,514 saves. Backstopping a young, rebuilding Attack team, George posted a .909 save percentage and helped push the club into the postseason.
Although their playoff run was short-lived, George’s season was far from over.
He was called up to the AHL’s Ontario Reign, where he wasted no time making an impact. In two starts with LA’s affiliate, he posted a 0.50 GAA and a .984 save percentage, earning a shutout in one of the games. His performance then earned him a call-up as the third goaltender for the Los Angeles Kings during round one of their Stanley Cup Playoff run against the Edmonton Oilers.
“For me, it’s just kind of about getting here, getting the pro experience, getting a taste of it,” George said. “I think it’s a great opportunity, and I’m just trying to soak it all in and take as much from the experience as I can.”
In a season defined by exceptional goaltending across the OHL, Carter George didn’t just keep pace, he set himself apart. From World Juniors to the AHL, from scoring goals to collecting accolades, George’s 2024/25 campaign was a masterclass in rising to the moment.
And if this season is any indication, he’s only just getting started.
