Holding a clipboard on the bench at the Tampa Bay Lightning prospects development camp isn’t what David Carle envisioned this summer, but it is something that he’s grateful for nonetheless.
When Carle learned that he has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) - a thickening of the heart that has been linked to sudden death for athletes - and that he may never be able to play hockey again, he did what anyone would do: he broke down and shed a few tears.
“I first heard about it June 6th at the NHL Central Scouting Combine,” said Carle as he watched his fellow Lightning prospects from the stands at Lightning prospects camp in Victoria, British Columbia. “They came and told me that they noticed some abnormalities in my EKG so they suggested I get further testing done.”
Carle went through a series of tests at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. On June 19th – the eve of the NHL Entry Draft - Carle first learned that he would likely never be able to play hockey again, and at that point he notified all thirty teams.
While Carle’s disappointment was justifiably immense, his character was superior, enabling him to create a positive perspective on the situation.
“I took a step back and started to look at it from a different angle, and tried to focus on the positives,” said Carle – a native of Anchorage, Alaska. “I really am quite fortunate that we were able to find it and that I was blessed with the skills and work ethic to make it to the combine.”
Despite his grave condition, the Tampa Bay Lightning still decided to use their 7th round pick to select Carle, helping him realize his dream of being drafted in the National Hockey League. It was something that Carle didn’t expect, but something that he was very excited about even so.......
