A Fresh Start in Kamloops – Getting to Know Defenseman Carson Olsen

By Colton Davies – Follow Colton on X

When the Kamloops Blazers acquired Carson Olsen, the 19-year-old defenceman barely had time to catch his breath. One moment, he was preparing for another day in Lethbridge; the next, he was driving through the prairies, joining a new team in the middle of a road trip.

But if there’s been any shock to the transition, you wouldn’t know it from talking to him. “It’s been awesome,” Olsen said. “The guys have been great. Even with the short notice—driving from Swift Current, showing up at the hotel—everyone came and said hi right away. Coaches have been great too. The whole thing made the move way easier.”

Since the trade, Olsen has played in 17 games with the Blazers, registering three assists and even getting into a scrap at centre ice against the Portland Winterhawks, which sent the Kamloops fans into a frenzy.

“For fans who haven’t seen me yet, I’m a puck-moving defenceman,” Olsen explained. “I take care of the D-zone, then have some fun in the O-zone—creating offence, making plays, putting pucks in better spots. That’s the biggest thing for me. Make a play, move it quickly, get it to a better area.”

If there’s one part of his game he relies on the most, it’s his feet. “My skating is what I pride myself on,” he said. “It gets me out of trouble, whether I’m going back for pucks or jumping up in the play. That’s probably my biggest advantage.” It should be no surprise that he models his game after Miro Heiskanen, one of the NHL’s smoothest defenders. “Really good skater, smooth, reliable,” Olsen said. “That’s who I try to be like.”

For Olsen, the WHL was once something that he felt was out of reach. A year ago, he was playing in the BCHL, splitting time between the Salmon Arm Silverbacks and the Spruce Grove Saints, waiting for his chance to play in the NCAA for UMass-Lowell. But the NCAA rule change gave Olsen a chance to play in the WHL. “I always wanted to play in the dub,” he said. “But when I went undrafted, I had to adjust. I was kind of a late bloomer, so college felt like the perfect route. Different story now,” he said with a smile. “The rule change opened the door, and I’m grateful it did.”

For a player who once thought his WHL window may have closed, his arrival in Kamloops feels like more than just a trade; it’s a fresh start, the chance to rewrite his path, and a genuine opportunity to shape a young Blazers blueline.