Matt Carle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Matt Carle |
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Carle with the Tampa Bay Lightning in February 2013
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| Born | September 25, 1984 Anchorage, Alaska, U.S. |
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| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 197 lb (89 kg; 14 st 1 lb) | ||
| Position | Defense | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | San Jose Sharks Tampa Bay Lightning Philadelphia Flyers Nashville Predators |
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| National team |  United States |
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| NHL Draft | 47th overall, 2003 San Jose Sharks |
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| Playing career | 2005–2016 | ||
Matthew "Matt" Carle (born September 25, 1984) is a former American professional ice hockey player. He was a defenseman, which means he played a position focused on defending his team's goal. Matt Carle played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for several teams, including the San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers, and Nashville Predators.
Before becoming a professional player, Carle was a star at the University of Denver. There, he won many awards, including the Hobey Baker Award in 2006. This award is given to the best college ice hockey player in the United States.
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Matt Carle's Hockey Journey
Matt Carle started playing hockey at a young age. When he was a kid, he even played in the famous Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a team from Alaska.
Playing in College
After playing for the River City Lancers in the USHL, Matt Carle was chosen by the San Jose Sharks in the 2003 NHL Draft. He was the 47th player picked overall. Instead of going straight to the pros, Carle decided to play college hockey at the University of Denver.
In his first year at the University of Denver (2003–04), Carle joined the United States team for the 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He helped his team win a gold medal there! When he returned to Denver, he also helped his college team win the NCAA Championship title. Matt Carle was the first American player to win both a World Junior gold medal and an NCAA Championship in the same year.
During his second year, Carle helped his team win another NCAA Championship. He was named the best defenseman in college hockey for the 2004–05 season. In his third year, he became the team captain. He won the Hobey Baker Award in 2006, which is a huge honor for a college hockey player. He was the only player from the University of Denver to ever win this award.
Becoming a Professional Player
The San Jose Sharks really wanted Matt Carle to join their team. They signed him to a big contract in 2006, even though he still had one year left of college. He made his NHL debut and scored his first NHL goal on March 25, 2006.
In his first full season with the Sharks (2006–07), Carle played very well. He scored 11 goals and made 31 assists in 77 games. He was even named to the NHL All-Rookie Team, which means he was one of the best new players in the league.
Moving to Other Teams
In 2008, Matt Carle was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Later that same year, he was traded again to the Philadelphia Flyers. He played for the Flyers for four seasons. He was known for his strong defense and good passing. In one game in 2009, he tied an NHL record by making four assists in a single period!
After his time with the Flyers, Carle returned to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2012. He played four more seasons there. On February 16, 2016, he played his 700th NHL game, which is a big milestone for any hockey player.
In June 2016, the Lightning decided to buy out the rest of his contract. This made him a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team. He then signed a one-year deal with the Nashville Predators. He played only a few games for the Predators before deciding to retire from hockey on November 25, 2016. He had a great 12-season career in the NHL.
In 2015, Matt Carle was honored by being inducted into the Lancers Hall of Fame.
Matt Carle's Family Life
Matt Carle has two younger brothers who also love hockey. His brother, David Carle, was also a talented hockey player. However, he was diagnosed with a heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This condition meant he could no longer play hockey safely. Even though he couldn't play, the Tampa Bay Lightning drafted him in 2008 to honor his talent. David Carle is now the head hockey coach at the University of Denver, where Matt played!
The youngest Carle brother, Alex, plays hockey for Merrimack College. He played high school hockey and then in the USHL before going to college.
Matt Carle married Clancey Kabella in 2010. She was also a student at the University of Denver. During the hockey off-season, they live in Clancey's home state of Minnesota.
In 2012, Matt Carle even appeared in a movie called This Is 40. He was in it with some of his teammates from the Philadelphia Flyers.
International Hockey Achievements
Matt Carle also represented the United States in international hockey tournaments. He helped his country win medals!
| Medal record | ||
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Representing the  United States |
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| Ice hockey | ||
| World Championships | ||
| Bronze | 2013 Sweden/Finland | |
| World Junior Championships | ||
| Gold | 2004 Helsinki | |
| World U18 Championships | ||
| Gold | 2002 Trnava | |
Awards and Honors
Matt Carle received many awards during his hockey career:
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| College | ||
| All-WCHA Rookie Team | 2003–04 | |
| All-WCHA First Team | 2004–05, 2005–06 | |
| AHCA West First-Team All-American | 2004–05, 2005–06 | |
| All-NCAA All-Tournament Team | 2005 | |
| Hobey Baker Award | 2005–06 | |
| NHL | ||
| NHL All-Rookie Team | 2006–07 | |
