David Carle: News, Notes & Articles

This probably wasn't what DU recruit David Carle had in mind days after the NHL Draft, but he is turning into a media sensation and the articles are pouring in from around North America. We've linked the articles and quoted the highlights.

NHL.com (New York) did a compilation article that was released on Saturday afternoon.

"The David Carle pick was a selection made by our new owner, Oren Koules," said Jay Feaster, the Lightning GM. "He did some discussions with some people, but he came and asked us if we would make that pick. He said the young man worked his whole life to be in a position to be drafted today. He wanted us to make the pick and that's why we did it."

The Star.com (Toronto) had an interesting article about Tampa Bay's new ownership group and their decision to draft Carle.

"Tampa Bay owner Oren Koules, producer of Hollywood gore movies, knows the Carle family and understood the deep disappointment of the young man. The Bolts took Carle anyway, just so he'd be able to say he was drafted into the NHL."

Mike Chambers Blog (Denver) interviewed former Colorado Avalanche player Steve Konowalchuk who was forced to retire due to a heart ailment that was not as serious as Carle's.

Konowalchuk noted, “That’s classy. With the University of Denver honoring his scholarship. Maybe he’s going to look at things and say, ‘Hey, I’m going to get an education. I’m going to concentrate on my education, and not just hockey.’ Denver is giving him a great chance. What a great school. Look at my brother (Brian), he went to DU and now he’s a doctor. Classy move by DU and George (Gwozdecky).”

Tampa Bay.com (Tampa) has a good article including an interesting quote that there might be a small chance that Carle may have less dangerous form of the heart disease.

"I'm just glad they found it," he said. "The scary part is there are no symptoms. I didn't have symptoms. Your first symptom is your last."

Carle said there is hope more tests will show a less-dangerous condition he called "athlete's heart," in which the heart's lining thickens and grows because of exercise.

He said it will be six to eight weeks before he knows the results, another three months, if the results are good, to see if the heart reduces. If it does, it could mean a renewed athletic career.

"But it's almost a false hope," Carle said. "It's less than a 1 percent chance, so unless there's a miracle, I don't see it changing."

CBS Sports.com (New York) called Carle being drafted by Tampa Bay the feel good moment of the draft.

The Lightning, by the way, produced the feel good moment of the draft when they took American David Carle in the seventh round. The younger brother of San Jose's Matt Carle, David was rated a second to third round pick by scouts, but informed teams at the draft he was withdrawing his name because of a heart condition that was recently discovered. Koules said the team felt Carle should get to say he was actually drafted by an NHL team. A nice move.

Sports Illustrated.com (New York) gave the Lightning "The Good Guys Award" for picking Carle.

The Bolts also won the Good Guys award for tabbing David Carle in the seventh round. The brother of San Jose defender Matt Carle was expected to be a second-round selection, but was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomiopathy at the scouting combine -- the same condition that killed basketball stars Hank Gathers and Reggie Lewis -- thereby ending his NHL dreams. New owner Oren Koules ordered the pick to honor the kid's efforts. Classy start to his term with the organization.

USCHO.com said Drafting Carle was more memorable than the Lightning selecting Steven Stamkos with the first pick in the draft.

Tampa Bay will be most remembered at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft for selecting standout Steven Stamkos with the number one overall pick. However, in the minds of many, including this writer, that’s not the best reason to remember the Lightning’s trip to Ottawa.

With things just about wrapped up, the Lightning decided to sacrifice its final draft pick to pay tribute and draft David Carle.

Nova Scotia may not be at the end of the earth, but you can see it from there. The Chronicle Herald (Hailfax) ran this little blurb.

Tampa Bay drafted the brother of San Jose Shark Matt Carle on Saturday, but not because the Lightning expect David Carle to play for them. The younger Carle was draft-eligible but found out during medical testing that a heart condition prevents him from continuing his hockey career.

"The kid worked his whole life to be drafted in the NHL, and I don’t see a reason he shouldn’t be," new Lightning owner Oren Koules said. Carle graduated from the same Minnesota high school that Koules’s son attended. Nice touch.