The Fredericton Red Wings have announced that forward Carter McCluskey has committed to the UPEI Panthers for 2024-25.
The 20-year-old from Grand Bay-Westfield, N.B. was selected by the South Shore Lumberjacks in the 4th Round, 65th overall, of the 2019 MHL Entry Draft. McCluskey was traded to Grand Falls at the trade deadline on January 10th, 2020. He played four games for the Rapids that month.
In 2020-21, McCluskey had nine goals and eight assists in twelve games for Grand Falls while also appearing in five games with the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs. He was named an honourable mention for the MHL’s Top Rookie in November 2020 and was named to the Eastlink North Team of the Week once. McCluskey would remain in the QMJHL for the 2021-22 season, collecting five goals and four assists in nineteen games before a trade to Cape Breton. With the Eagles, he had eight goals and three assists in 36 games.
The day before the 2022-23 MHL season started, McCluskey was dealt from Grand Falls to Truro. In 32 games with the Bearcats, he had 26 goals and 27 assists to finish tied for second in team scoring with defenseman Brendan Bays. In the Metalfab MHL Cup Playoffs, McCluskey had five goals and two assists in seven games. He was named to the Eastlink South Team of the Week three times.
He began the 2023-24 season with the Bearcats before being dealt to Fredericton just before the trade deadline. At the time of the trade on January 9th, McCluskey led the league with 29 goals in 32 games and his 61 points was just one behind Félix Bédard for the league lead. After arriving in Fredericton, his points per game average increased from 1.91 to 2.14 as he had eighteen goals and 27 assists in 21 games with the Red Wings. McCluskey finished with 106 points, becoming the first player since the 2019-20 season to top the 100-point mark. He also led the MHL in goals with 47 and assists with 59. McCluskey was one of four players to collect six game-winning goals in 2023-24, four back of West Kent’s Alexis Daniel for the MHL lead. He was named to the Team of the Week nine times. McCluskey had two goals and one assist in four playoff games for Fredericton.
The MHL congratulates McCluskey on his post-secondary commitment.