Carrier plenty familiar with Hurricanes' opponent in Stanley Cup Final

RALEIGH, N.C. -- William Carrier will be plenty familiar with the opposition when the puck drops for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; ABC, SN, TVAS, CBC).

That's because the Carolina Hurricanes forward played seven seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights from 2017-24, including winning the Stanley Cup with them in 2023.

“It’s going to be special,” Carrier said at Stanley Cup Final Media Day on Monday. “It will definitely be fun out there. If it was last year it would have been a little different, but it’s been two years.”

Carrier is in his second season with Carolina after signing a six-year, $12 million contract ($2 million average annual value) on July 3, 2024. The long-term deal was a reflection of the Hurricanes' belief in his consistency as well as their need for a checking forward.

“I think it’s every game, it’s not just this time of year,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “You know what he does and he does it every night. This time of year I think his game gets a little more noticed because that’s the kind of hockey that gets played now. He’s just been a perfect fit.”

This postseason, Carrier leads the Hurricanes and ranks third in the NHL with 66 hits. But his rugged style of play offers more than just physicality and creating turnovers behind the net.

In Carolina’s series-clinching 6-1 win against the Montreal Canadiens in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final on Friday, Carrier set up the goal that gave the Hurricanes a 3-0 lead. He gathered the puck in the corner of Carolina’s defensive zone and made a perfect flip pass to linemate Eric Robinson just beyond the opposite blue line. Robinson skated into it in stride, settled the puck on his forehand and scored five-hole on Montreal goalie Jakub Dobes.

“That was an incredible play,” Robinson said. “All I had to do was skate onto the puck.”

Carrier's other linemate, Mark Jankowski, wasn't surprised by the play.

“He’s probably the best player in the League when the puck is below the hash marks and he has the puck,” Jankowski said. “He can take on anyone, he can take it to the net, and he’s the strongest guy I’ve ever been around."

That mixture of strength and skill has always been a priority for Carrier, who has three assists in 13 Stanley Cup Playoff games after getting 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 70 regular-season games.

“Physicality is a big part of (my role), but then you’ve got to get those big goals,” Carrier said. “We’ve been rolling as a line. I’ve kind of seen it through the year. You’ve got to play safe, but you’ve got to get those big goals and try to make plays when you get the puck back. You can’t be nervous, trying to be simple out there. When there’s a chance to score, you have to score.”

Beyond his physical presence and timely offensive contributions, Carrier brings another key element to the Hurricanes' lineup: championship experience.

On top of winning the Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights in 2023, he also played in the Final in 2018, when Vegas lost to the Washington Capitals in five games.

Those experiences are part of the reason why he chose to sign with Carolina when free agency rolled around.

“It’s a lot easier to play for a team that wants to win,” Carrier said. “(When) you’ve been winning, you want to be on a team that focuses on winning year after year. That’s what they do here, and they bring people in. They’ve got a high expectation every year, so that was definitely part of it. They’ve been winning (close to) 50 games the past five or six years.”

Carolina’s style of play was an easy fit, too.

“You pick a team that you fit right into,” Carrier said. “It’s up and down, there’s a lot of forechecking, a lot of backchecking. It takes a lot of energy, but it’s a big part of what we do.”

Of course, Carrier played a similar role in Vegas, where he is remembered for the same attributes he has brought to Carolina.

“There are a lot of similarities in the style we both play,” Golden Knights forward Keegan Kolesar said. “He’s one of those guys you love to have on your team and you hate to play against, especially if you’re a defenseman, because you know he’s going to be hunting on the forecheck.”

And if Carrier has his way, he will help deliver the Hurricanes their first championship since 2006.

“There’s a lot of guys here who deserve for their name to be up there,” Carrier said. “They’ve been around it. It’s just something magic. At that point, I’m kind of doing it for them, trying to get them to feel the same.

“To win that last game is the most important part. You go through the summer, and it’s an unbelievable feeling. So, if I can bring these guys to live that (experience), that would be great.”