Matt Carle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Matt Carle
Carle with the Tampa Bay Lightning in February 2013
Born	(1984-09-25) September 25, 1984 (age 40) Anchorage, Alaska, U.S.
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
National team	United States
NHL Draft	47th overall, 2003 San Jose Sharks
Playing career	2005–2016

Matthew Carle (born September 25, 1984) is an American former professional ice hockey player. He played as a defenseman in the National Hockey League (NHL). Carle played for teams like the San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers, and Nashville Predators. The San Jose Sharks first picked him in the 2003 NHL Draft.

Before becoming a professional, Carle played college hockey at the University of Denver. There, he won many awards. He was named the best college defenseman. In 2006, he won the Hobey Baker Award. This award goes to the top college hockey player in the United States.

Playing Career Highlights

Early Hockey Days

As a young player, Carle played in the 1998 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. This is a famous tournament for young hockey players. He played for a team from Alaska.

Carle later played for the River City Lancers in the USHL in 2002–03. The San Jose Sharks drafted him in 2003. He was the 47th player chosen overall. Instead of going pro right away, Carle chose to play college hockey.

College Success

Carle started playing for the University of Denver in the 2003–04 season. As a freshman, he joined the United States team for the 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. His team won the gold medal there.

He then returned to Denver and helped his college team win the NCAA Championship title in 2004. Carle was the first American player to win both the World Junior gold medal and the NCAA Championship in the same year.

In his second year, Carle helped his team win another NCAA Championship. He was named the best college defenseman in 2005. He also made several All-American teams. In his junior year, Carle became the captain of his college team. He won the Hobey Baker Award in 2006. This made him the only player from the University of Denver to win this award.

Professional Journey

The San Jose Sharks signed Carle to a three-year contract in 2006. This was a big deal to convince him to leave college early. Carle made his NHL debut on March 25, 2006. He also scored his first NHL goal in that game.

In his first full season with the Sharks (2006–07), Carle scored 11 goals and 31 assists. He was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. This team recognizes the best new players in the league. In 2007, he signed a new, longer contract with San Jose.

On July 4, 2008, Carle was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. This was part of a big trade that involved several players and draft picks. Later that year, on November 7, 2008, he was traded again. This time, he went to the Philadelphia Flyers.

With the Flyers, Carle played well. He often played alongside Braydon Coburn. In the 2009–10 season, Carle had an amazing game. He tied an NHL record for defensemen by getting four assists in one period. This helped his team win and was a career high for him.

After playing four seasons with the Flyers, Carle returned to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2012. He signed a six-year contract. On February 16, 2016, Carle played in his 700th NHL game. This 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. On July 27, 2016, he signed a one-year deal with the Nashville Predators. He played only six games for the Predators before deciding to retire from hockey on November 25, 2016. He had played for 12 seasons in the NHL.

In 2015, Carle was honored by being inducted into the Lancers Hall of Fame.

Personal Life

Matt Carle has two younger brothers. His brother, David, also played hockey. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning. However, David was diagnosed with a heart condition. This meant he could no longer play hockey. David Carle is now the head hockey coach at the University of Denver.

His youngest brother, Alex, plays hockey for Merrimack College. He played high school hockey before joining the United States Hockey League (USHL).

Matt Carle married Clancey Kabella in 2010. She was also a student at the University of Denver. They live in Clancey's home state of Minnesota during the hockey off-season.

In 2012, Carle appeared in a movie called This Is 40. He was in the film with some of his teammates from the Philadelphia Flyers.

Career Statistics Summary

International Play

Medal record
Representing the  United States
Ice hockey
World Championships
Bronze	2013 Sweden/Finland
World Junior Championships
Gold	2004 Helsinki
World U18 Championships
Gold	2002 Trnava

Awards and Honors

Images for kids

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  Carle spent his first three NHL seasons with the San Jose Sharks.

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  Carle with the Tampa Bay Lightning in January 2014