Nelson Home Building Centre Leafs Player Profile of the Week — Carsen Willans
By The Nelson Daily Sports
Despite being small in stature, Carsen Willans, all 5’8” of him, plays the game with no fear, speeding around the NDCC ice like a very explosive heat-seeking missile.
Whether the opponent is big or small, Willans has a way of going into the corner without the puck and coming out with the piece of rubber and has been a key cog in the Leafs 10-0-1-1 start, tops in the hotly contested Neil Murdoch Division.
Willans and the rest of the Leafs take to the road for a three-game swing through the Okanagan/Shuswap Conference.
The Heritage City native is the feature in this week’s edition of the Nelson Home Building Centre Leafs Player Profile of the Week.
Carsen Willans
Age: 19
Birth place: Nelson
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 168 pounds
Years in Hockey: 14 yrs
Hometown: Nelson
Favorite NHL Player: Patrick Kane
Favorite NHL Team: Toronto Maple Leafs
Favorite Music: Country
Pre-Game Meal: Chicken Stir Fry
Biggest accomplishment in hockey: B.C. Bantam Rep champions 2009
Job: Student, attends Selkirk College, First-year engineering
Nickname: Cars
Other interests: Fishing, Wakeboarding, and hanging out with my friends
Twitter or Facebook: Twitter
The Nelson Daily: What are your strengths as a player?
Carsen Willans: Speed is my number one asset at my size you need to be able to get out of trouble quicker than you get in it. I like to work the corners.
TND: What are your team goals this season?
C.W.: This is good team and we would like to qualify for the Cyclone Taylor rather than just get in as the host. Once the tournament starts we would like to be playing our best hockey and hopefully win the cup on home ice.
TND: What are your individual goals this season and beyond?
C.W.: I would like to contribute at both ends of the ice and help the Leafs realize their team goals.
TND: You’re 5’8” . . . small by hockey scouts. What do you do to overcome this size disadvantage playing against bigger players?
C.W.: Again my speed comes in handy I am able to get in and make a play before the big guys arrive. I also have a low centre of gravity which makes it difficult for bigger players to knock me off the puck.
TND: You’re Nelson Minor Hockey grad. Have you always wanted to play for the Leafs?
C.W.: Yes
TND: You spell your first name with an “e” instead of “o”. How many times do you think you’ve had to correct people spelling your name?
C.W.: I accept it both ways now.
TND: Where do you hope to be next year? 5 years? 10 years?
C.W.: In five years I would like to be graduating from a major university with an engineering degree. I am hopeful that in ten years I will be trying to figure out where to take my next vacation and wondering who my line mates will be at Lenny Ice.
