William Carrier Bio
William Carrier is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who plays as a forward for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born in LaSalle, Quebec, Carrier came up through the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League before being selected 57th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. He has built a reputation as a hard-working power forward and is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, having won with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023 and with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2026.
Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing around 214 pounds, Carrier uses his size and skating to play a physical brand of hockey. After starting his NHL career with the Buffalo Sabres, he spent seven seasons with the Golden Knights before signing a long-term deal with the Hurricanes in July 2024.
Early Life and Background
William Carrier was born on December 20, 1994, in LaSalle, Quebec, Canada. Although born in LaSalle, he grew up in Pierrefonds, a borough on the Island of Montreal, where he developed his early love for hockey. Like many Canadian children, he was on the ice at a young age and progressed through local minor hockey programs.
As a youth, Carrier played in the 2007 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Deux-Rives. During the 2009-10 season, he appeared in three games for the midget AAA team Lac Saint-Louis Lions, where his combination of size and skill began to attract attention from junior scouts. His steady development in the greater Montreal area set the stage for his entry into major junior hockey.
Path to Hockey
Carrier was selected in the fourth round, 61st overall, by the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles at the 2010 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) draft. He scored his first QMJHL goal on September 10, 2010, in a 3-2 win over the Halifax Mooseheads. The following season, he represented Team Canada Quebec at the 2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, recording five points in six games and gaining valuable international experience.
Leading up to the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Carrier was regarded as a top-30 prospect. Passed over in the first round, he was chosen 57th overall by the St. Louis Blues and signed a three-year entry-level contract on August 19, 2013. Mid-season, on January 7, 2014, the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles traded him to the Drummondville Voltigeurs. Less than two months later, on February 28, 2014, the Blues sent his NHL rights to the Buffalo Sabres as part of the package that brought goaltender Ryan Miller and captain Steve Ott to St. Louis.
William Carrier Career
Early Career (2014-2016)
Carrier spent the early portion of his professional career developing in the American Hockey League with the Sabres’ affiliates. He continued to grow his game, adding strength and refining his two-way play while waiting for an opportunity at the NHL level. His consistent production and physical presence eventually earned him a recall to the Sabres.
Carrier made his NHL debut on November 5, 2016, against the Ottawa Senators. Just two weeks later, on November 19, 2016, he recorded his first NHL goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He appeared in 41 games for the Sabres that season, but his time in Buffalo was cut short when he was left exposed for the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft.
Buffalo Sabres (2016-2017)
Carrier’s brief stint with the Buffalo Sabres gave him his first taste of the NHL. Although his offensive numbers were modest, he established himself as a hard forechecker who was willing to play a physical role. The Sabres’ decision to leave him unprotected in the expansion draft opened the door to the next chapter of his career.
Vegas Golden Knights (2017-2024)
Carrier was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights on June 21, 2017, becoming one of the foundational pieces of the franchise’s inaugural roster. The Golden Knights qualified for the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs in their first season, where Carrier suffered a concussion from an illegal hit by Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings during the first round. Despite the setback, he returned to action as Vegas made an improbable run to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final.
On February 27, 2020, Carrier signed a four-year, $5.6 million contract extension with the Golden Knights. By the 2022-23 season, he was one of six remaining original members of the team, alongside Jonathan Marchessault, William Karlsson, Reilly Smith, Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore. That year, the Golden Knights reached the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in franchise history and defeated the Florida Panthers in five games to win the Stanley Cup. Carrier’s steady presence on the third and fourth lines was a key part of the championship run.
Carolina Hurricanes Era (2024-Present)
Following seven seasons with the Golden Knights, Carrier left as a free agent and signed a six-year, $12 million contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 3, 2024. He quickly became a staple in the Hurricanes’ bottom-six forward group, bringing the same physical edge and forechecking intensity that defined his time in Vegas.
In his second season with Carolina, Carrier helped the Hurricanes capture the 2026 Stanley Cup, defeating his former team, the Vegas Golden Knights, four games to two in the Final on June 14, 2026. The victory made him a two-time Stanley Cup champion and confirmed his value as a depth forward on a contending roster.
Driving Style and Strengths
Carrier is known for a power-forward style built on size, straight-line speed and a willingness to finish every check. He excels along the boards and in front of the net, where he can create space for linemates and disrupt opposing defensemen. His game is less about point production and more about physicality, forechecking and responsible two-way play, traits that have made him a coach’s favorite in both Las Vegas and Raleigh.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of William Carrier’s career are his 2023 Stanley Cup triumph with the Vegas Golden Knights and his 2026 Stanley Cup win with the Carolina Hurricanes against that same Vegas organization. He also reached the Stanley Cup Final with the Golden Knights as an expansion team in 2018, an accomplishment that cemented the franchise’s place in league history. His first NHL goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins in November 2016 marked another key milestone in his rise to the top level.
William Carrier Career Wins
William Carrier has collected two of the most prestigious prizes in professional hockey: Stanley Cup championships in 2023 with the Vegas Golden Knights and in 2026 with the Carolina Hurricanes. Both runs to the Cup came in seasons where he was a reliable contributor in the bottom six and on the penalty kill.
Vegas Golden Knights Highlights
Carrier spent seven seasons with the Golden Knights and was part of two Stanley Cup Final appearances. In 2018, the expansion club’s run to the Final was one of the most remarkable stories in NHL history, though they fell short of the title. Five years later, Carrier helped Vegas complete the journey by defeating the Florida Panthers in five games to claim the 2023 Stanley Cup.
Carolina Hurricanes Highlights
In his second season with Carolina, Carrier won his second Stanley Cup when the Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in six games on June 14, 2026. The championship added to the growing reputation of the Hurricanes’ physical, structured style of play and gave Carrier his second ring in four years.
William Carrier Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Details about William Carrier’s parents and broader family background are not widely documented in public sources. He grew up in the Pierrefonds area of Montreal, where hockey is deeply embedded in the local culture, and he has credited that environment for shaping his path to the professional game.
Personal Life
William Carrier is married to Caroline Vezina. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, in March 2020. Shortly after her birth, the COVID-19 pandemic paused NHL play, allowing Carrier to spend extended time at home with his newborn before hockey resumed.
2025 Season Performance
William Carrier’s first full season with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2024-25 marked a smooth transition into head coach Rod Brind’Amour’s structured system. Carved out as a fixture on the third and fourth lines, he provided the kind of heavy, north-south forechecking the Hurricanes are known for, and he continued to log important minutes on the penalty kill. The team remained firmly in the Eastern Conference playoff picture throughout the campaign.
Carrier’s combination of physical play and veteran leadership helped stabilize a deep Hurricanes forward group during a tightly contested Metropolitan Division race. His familiarity with championship-level hockey, earned during the 2023 Cup run in Vegas, made him a respected voice in the locker room as Carolina pushed toward another postseason. By the end of the regular season, Carrier had established himself as a reliable complementary piece on a roster built to contend deep into the spring.