A member of the Okotoks Bow Mark Oilers has recently been named to Team Canada.

Carter Esler will be one of Team Canada's netminders as they head to South Korea to compete in the 4th Winter Youth Olympic games in Gangwon Province.

Esler started playing hockey when he was four years old, after being inspired by his father, who was also a goalie.

"It was more, at first, trying to be like my dad. Just kind of like father figure," explains Esler. "I love being a goalie, I don't know what it was, I just kind of fell in love with it."

After starting his career in the Timbits league, Esler progressed his way up to join the Alberta Elite Hockey League with the Bow Mark Oilers.

Just 15 years old, this is Esler's first year he was eligible to play for the Oilers, and he has already made a name for himself.

He was also selected to represent Alberta at the 2023 WHL Cup held in Red Deer last October.

Then, this last summer, Esler received an email, stating that he was being considered to play for Team Canada.

"At first I was a bit curious to see if that was true or not, and then once I found it's true, I was kind of excited to see I was on that list," explains Esler.

Esler says that there were no tryouts to make the team, hence his hesitation at first.

"They just kind of watch us, there's no tryout. They just scouted us," Esler says. "And then I got an email for being on a short list and then I got a call, saying that I made the team."

That call only came a few weeks ago.

Now, it's time for him to start getting ready to head to the Olympics.

"We go up to Vancouver on the 20th. Like, all together as a team and we practice, train there, play a game, before we go out to South Korea. We get three or four days to practice as a team," says Esler. 

And then it's off to South Korea to compete against the world's greatest.

Esler currently has a .910 Save Percentage this season.

For more information on when the games will be played, keep an eye on the Team Canada website.

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