Carle played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers and Nashville Predators.

During the 2005–06 season, he also received the Hobey Baker Award as the top National Collegiate Athletic Association men's ice hockey player.

[3] While a freshman at the University of Denver, Carle was named to the United States roster for the 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where he won gold.

Carle became the first United States born player to win a gold medal at the World Junior and the NCAA Championship within the same season.

[6] 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.

[9] On July 4, 2008, Carle was traded, along with Ty Wishart and a first- and fourth-draft pick in 2009 and 2010, respectively, to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for defensemen Dan Boyle and Brad Lukowich.

[11] Playing the majority of the year paired with Braydon Coburn, Carle scored four goals and 20 assists and finished with a +2 plus-minus in 64 games for the Flyers.

[15] With his offensive output dwindling and role reduced with the Lightning, on June 30, 2016, after his fourth season in Tampa Bay, Carle was bought out of the remaining two-year of his contract, making him an unrestricted free agent.

In 2012, Carle appeared in the film This Is 40 alongside then-Philadelphia Flyers teammates Scott Hartnell, James van Riemsdyk and Ian Laperrière.