VANCOUVER – The defending Canada West Champion UBC Thunderbirds are making a big splash in the 2024-25 recruiting pool with the addition of fourth round NHL draft pick Carson Latimer.
Selected 123
rd overall by the Ottawa Senators in 2021, the 6-foot-1, 194 pound forward heads to UBC following a tremendous WHL career where he amassed 122 points (48G, 74A) in 178 regular season games.
"After playing in junior hockey for so many years, I'm now moving on in life and working towards a world class degree from a world class school which is the most appealing thing to me," said the Surrey native who's thrilled about his next chapter. "Being a business guy and having the opportunity to go to Sauder and get a degree like that is super appealing. Having UBC win Canada West last year and being one of the top schools in Canada hockey-wise, I'm getting the best of both worlds which is super exciting."
"We play an upbeat, aggressive forechecking style and he's going to fit in perfectly with that," said UBC head coach
Sven Butenschon. "That's the thing I'm most excited about, he's another guy that can go out there and get turnovers on the forecheck and wear other teams down and be relentless on the attack. That's kind of how we've built our forward group. We're just ecstatic that we can add another guy like that."
Originally selected by Edmonton in the third round of the 2018 WHL bantam draft, Latimer began his junior career with the Oil Kings where he played with current Thunderbirds
Scott Atkinson,
Conner McDonald and
Josh Williams. Latimer was traded to the Prince Albert Raiders in the middle of the 2021-22 season and also spent time with the Winnipeg Ice before concluding his WHL career with Red Deer.
This past season with the Rebels, Latimer was limited to 35 regular season games due to injury, but he still managed to produce 25 points and followed up with another five goals and three assists in nine playoff contests, tied for the team's post-season scoring lead.
"This year was a little bit unpredictable. I spent quite a bit of time hurt, I missed around 30 games and when you're not playing hockey you start thinking a lot more about other things in life and how you're a lot more than a hockey player," said Latimer about choosing to go the collegiate route. "Eventually, even the best of the best only have careers until – if you're lucky – into your late 30s. Even then, you have so much life left after hockey. When I was hurt, that was one of the things I started thinking about and it became an option for me as the season went on."
For a player of Latimer's calibre to choose the U SPORTS level is nothing new, but it's certainly a boost for a program like UBC which is proving to be a consistent championship contender that has now added another big weapon. But in addition to his on ice skillset, his character and drive off the ice is just as appealing.
"He's a great player, but it starts with the character in the room and the culture and he's going to fit in great right there," Butenschon added. "The fact that he loves school and he's a smart kid, everything was just coming together and you got to give him credit for being very mature through the whole process as far as giving us a chance to talk about the things we have to offer at UBC."
"I play with speed, that's the biggest part of my game, I like to press the puck," Latimer said, describing his style of play. "I play hard and fast and I like to make it hard on the other teams' defencemen to contend with me whether it's off the rush or in the corners. I think I'm good on special teams, power play and penalty kill. I can play up and down the lineup, wherever I'm needed any given night. I'm just a bit of a Swiss army knife and hopefully I can bring that to UBC next year."
In addition to finding a fit with top class academic and hockey programs, Latimer is also excited to play so close to home for the first time since midget.
"I'm lucky enough to live in B.C., what I consider to be one of the luckiest places in the world to live in, it's so beautiful. Coming out to check out the UBC campus, it's no different. You're in your own little city, it's beautiful and closer to home. Being away for so many years you miss family and friends so to be able to be close to them and have them be able to watch me play hockey more and also study close to home is super appealing."
