In his junior year, Carle was named Denver's captain and ended the season tied third in the WCHA conference in scoring and led all defencemen. He won the Hobey Baker Award in 2006 emblematic of America's top college hockey player as the only player in University of Denver history to win the award. He was also the first player in WCHA history to be named both Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year within the same season. Carle was also again named a First Team All-American.