After four seasons playing for the WHL’s Everett Silvertips, Red Wings prospect forward Carter Bear will “turn pro” this upcoming season. As such, Bear told the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan that he’s getting ready for the transition from Major Junior hockey to the AHL:
“It’s pro now, and it’s a whole level of hockey,” Bear said this week at the Wings’ development camp. “It’s different than junior. It’s faster and you have to be smarter and stronger. I just have to work on my game, that’s what Detroit wants me to focus on and I trust Detroit on whatever their best development is for me. I trust them with that and it’ll all work out.”
Bear suffered a torn Achilles tendon in March 2025, but was able to be ready for Wings’ training camp, where he impressed with his competitiveness, intelligence on the ice and ability to score.
After a slow start, Bear heated up the second half of the season in Everett and finished with 36 goals and 41 assists (77 points) with a plus-45 rating in 53 games. Bear was outstanding in the playoffs, helping Everett to the WHL championship and trip to the Memorial Cup, with 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) in 18 games, with a plus-22 rating.
“I don’t really like to put any excuse on it,” Bear said of the average start. “I just started playing and (the injury) went away from my mind and started feeling normal. It’s all healthy now, for sure.”
Red Wings director of player development Dan Cleary told Kulfan that Bear, who turns 20 this November, does need to improve in several categories:
“Carter had a long season, that went to the Memorial Cup, so that training aspect when you go on a late run, you may lose some of the gym time,” Cleary said. “But he’ll be back in a week (back to Detroit) and he’ll be here all summer, which is great. He needs work on a lot of things. He has to get stronger, quicker. But he has a good mind and he’s ready for the challenge.”
Bear feels strength, but also his skating, are areas he’s going to concentrate on this summer.
“My skating, that’s one big thing and just the strength,” Bear said. “Strength in the gym, off the ice, all that stuff, that’s a big focus I want to work on for sure.”
Continued (paywall); Kulfan reports that Bear’s up to 186 pounds, up from an EliteProspects-listed 179, which is good to hear. Bear’s not big at a square 6 feet, but he’s tremendously competitive and very serious about his profession.
