Estero, Fla.—The Florida Jr. Blades are proud to announce the return of goaltender Jake Carter. Entering his third season with the Jr. Blades, Carter is known for his athletic style of goaltending and impressive performances.

A member of the 2013-14 USPHL-Empire division championship team, Carter has been an integral part of the Jr. Blades lineup and development process. Working in tandem with Eric Sugrue for the past two seasons, Carter now looks to take on the veteran leadership role. “I’ve worked very hard the last two seasons developing my physical and mental game,” said Carter. “I’m excited to be able to help some of our new comers and to have a great season with the Jr. Blades.” Standing at 6-foot-4 Carter uses his frame to fill the crease. “The trend has been for taller goaltenders. With Carter you get size and quickness that make him very difficult to score on,” said head coach Todd Pococke. “We’ve been impressed with Jake for the last two seasons and we’re looking forward to what he brings to the team, both on the ice and off.” Carter completed the 2013-14 season with a 1.64 GAA and .94 save percentage, placing him amongst the elite goaltenders in the USPHL- Empire division.

“Carter has the ability to steal games for you,” said Pococke. “You never want your goaltender to have to steal a game for you, but it gives confidence to the players in front of him that if they make a mistake he’s got their backs.” Known for his character, drive and athletic ability Carter is one of the favorites for a breakout season. “I’m looking forward to the start of training camp,” said Carter. “It’s the first test for us as a team and the opportunity for us to start gelling as a team and as a family.”