FRASER, Mich. – Some hockey players say they just know a certain team is the perfect fit.
Anthony Carlier felt that way this past summer when it came to the Metro Jets.
The 19-year-old goalie from Clinton Township played junior hockey out west last year and was primed to go back as he didn’t have any concrete options anywhere else.
Enter the Jets.
“I talked to ‘Q’ (Jets coach-GM Justin Quenneville) after last season and I started looking into the Jets organization more,” said Carlier. “I started going to the MJDP skates and got the opportunity to play in the showcase with the team in May. I really loved what the program and the coaching staff had to offer, and I ended up getting offered a contract and it was a no-brainer to play here. I had some buddies on the team and I got to stay close to home.
“The Jets organization is like a family and it just felt like a great fit. The organization offers a ton that makes players want to be there and buy in. We have a full-time gym, tons of ice time, and a coaching staff committed to making its players better. It really is a great program and I’m happy to be a part of it. This has been my favorite year of hockey thus far and we are only a few months in.”
On the ice, Carlier has been improving on a weekly basis.
“This season, I’ve been able to get off to a hot start,” Carlier said. “It started when I was given the opportunity to start my first game as a Jet in Lansing and right from the start, I felt how confident the coaching staff was in me and I ran with it. I find it easy playing for a team who wants you and supports you no matter what. Especially working with (Jets assistant coach and goalie coach) Randy Wilson every single day, I know what I need to work on and it really helps build confidence. I love the feeling of knowing you’re getting better every day and transitioning the tools given at practice and using them in games and seeing how I’m progressing.
“From a team standpoint, I think we’re doing really well. Being on the MJDP team, we don’t have the luxury of having guys with a ton of junior experience, but that doesn’t stop us. We love the adversity and we love learning together and getting better as a team. We really are a team that plays hard, grinds it out, and loves playing together. We are fortunate to play a tough schedule and get continuous opportunities.”
Quenneville has seen Carlier grow into a very reliable netminder and one that is calm under pressure.
“’Carly’ has been a real bright spot this year,” said Quenneville. “We knew we had strong goaltending this year, but he brought immediate depth between the pipes. He is a hard worker, is accountable for his development and more importantly, a great teammate. Besides Randy’s help on the ice, his success early is attributed to his approach every day at the rink – be positive, work hard and buy in. We are fortunate to have a player like him in our program and excited about his continued development.”
Growing up in the shadows of Fraser Hockeyland, Carlier started playing hockey around the age of nine. He played house hockey his first year and said his team didn’t have a goalie.
“I just got thrown in there,” said Carlier. “And I loved it.”
Moving forward, Carlier wants to continue his trend of being a reliable presence between the pipes.
“This season, I hope to give my team a chance to win every night,” said Carlier. “I kind of take every game one at a time and I do the same for practices. I found that when I think too much on what I want to accomplish in the future, I lose focus on the present. I ultimately want to be looked at as a goaltender who can steal games and be one of the best in the league.
“I try to live in the moment and enjoy what I’m doing right now and by doing that, I think I will be able to accomplish a lot of things I never even thought of.”
When his junior hockey career is over, Carlier wants to keep playing the game.
“I want to be able to play college hockey, but more than that, I want to play at a competitive level and go to a great school where I can be set up with the tools needed to be a productive citizen later on in life,” Carlier said. “I know hockey will not always be there for me and my goal is to become a doctor. My brother is a doctor and it’s a field I fell in love with and I hope hockey can open up a door for me to go to school.”
