Carolina Hurricanes forward William Carrier is a proud Quebecer, but he's putting that all aside for the next week and a half. Unfortunately for him, his family and friends can't shake their allegiances so easily.
Carrier admitted to reporters today that his friends back home in Pierrefonds, Quebec are proud Montreal Canadiens supporters and are actively rooting against him in the Eastern Conference Final.
Even worse though, Carrier's own wife Caroline Carrier, is also cheering on the Habs!
What's a guy to do?!?!
Really though, if you think about it, there's no losing for Mrs. Carrier. Hurricanes win and her husband wins. Habs win and her hometown team wins. You can't lose.
As for Carrier, he and the Hurricanes are heavy favorites in the series after sweeping both the Philadelphia Flyers and Ottawa Senators in relatively easy fashion.
Carrier has quietly built a reputation as one of the NHL's most effective bottom-six forwards thanks to his physical style, relentless forechecking and surprising offensive touch. Originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues in 2013, Carrier bounced between organizations before finally finding stability with the Vegas Golden Knights during their inaugural 2017-18 season. From the very beginning, Carrier became a perfect fit for Vegas' identity - hard-working, aggressive and difficult to play against. While injuries have occasionally slowed him down, Carrier remained an important depth piece during Vegas' rise into a perennial contender, including the franchise's Stanley Cup championship run in 2023 where his energy and physicality proved invaluable.
Carrier's strong play with the Golden Knights eventually earned him a lucrative opportunity on the open market when he signed with the Carolina Hurricanes in free agency. For the Hurricanes, the addition of Carrier represented another move aimed at strengthening an already aggressive forechecking system under head coach Rod Brind'Amour. Carrier's physical edge, playoff experience and relentless motor made him an ideal fit for Carolina's style of play. While he may never be a top offensive producer, the Hurricanes viewed Carrier as the type of battle-tested depth player capable of making a major impact during long playoff runs.
