Indian Time - A Voice from the Eastern Door

By Kaniethonkie.

NHL draft eligible Erie Otters center Carey Terrance returned home from Switzerland with a gold medal yesterday. Terrance earned the gold medal playing on Team USA U18 2023 IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship.

Team USA won against Sweden 3-2 in overtime on Sunday. It was Terrance who scored the tying goal to send it into overtime, earning Team USA a perfect 7-0 record. This is Team USA 11th gold medal at the Under-18 Worlds, with Terrance recording two goals, four assists and six points in seven games.

Terrance was listed as NHL Central Scouting's 38th-ranked North American skater on their final rankings released on April 18th. The 17-year-old led the Otters with 30 goals and 47 points in his sophomore OHL season. He was originally chosen by Erie with the 10th overall pick of the 2021 OHL Priority Selection.

Terrance is as successful on the ice, as he is in the classroom – the OHL announced winners of the Bobby Smith Trophy on April 17th with Terrance finishing second for this illustrious award. The Bobby Smith Trophy is awarded annually to the Ontario Hockey League Scholastic Player of the Year, who best combines high standards of play and academic excellence. Named for former Ottawa 67's player Bobby Smith, it is symbolic of the high standard of excellence that Smith displayed on the ice, as well as in the classroom, during his outstanding junior career.

Academics are cornerstones of the Erie Otters player development programs – especially as young student-athletes grow into professionals on and off the ice.

Erie Otters academic advisor Leigh Kostis spoke highly of the forward, and his academic achievement.

Terrance was escorted by the Hogansburg – Akwesasne Volunteer Fire Department, the SMRT Police.

"Carey Terrance completed both in person and online classes over the past two years where he averaged 89 percent in seven courses. His teachers at Fairview High School reported him to be an exceptional student who cooperated well with his peers, completed assignments in spite of a challenging schedule, and maintained a high average." said Kostis, "Carey is conscientious, polite, well-mannered, and a pleasure to have in the classroom."

"I'm thankful to be acknowledged for the Bobby Smith Trophy. Academics have always been important to me." said Terrance, "I consider my education essential to my development as a person on and off the ice."

Tripling his goal-scoring output from season one to two, Terrance would nearly double his offensive production while leading the entire Otters team in scoring. Terrance would do such while also representing the organization and league in the CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game in Langley, B.C. in January, being ranked a top 40 prospect in the upcoming NHL Draft for North American Skaters and bringing home a gold medal with Team USA at the 2023 IIHF World U18 Tournament.

The Erie Otters and the community of Akwesasne congratulate Carey on this terrific achievement.