SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – The state of South Dakota’s hockey evolution hit another major milestone on Saturday during the final day of the 2025 NHL Draft.
Pierre native and former Oahe Capital Carter Sanderson became the first South Dakotan ever to hear his name called in the NHL Draft when the Pittsburgh Penguins took the 17-year old forward in the sixth round with the 169th overall pick.
Sanderson began his prep hockey career with the Oahe Caps in 2021-22, scoring 26 goals and 13 assists in 20 regular season games with a goal and two more assists in three State Tournament games.
From there he’d go on to play prep hockey in Minnesota as well as for the Sioux Falls Power 16U team.
Last season he played his first year of junior hockey in the USHL with the Muskegon Lumberjacks, scoring five goals and six assists in 48 games. He played in 13 games and tallied one assist in helping Muskegon win the Clark Cup.
Sanderson has committed to play college hockey at the University of North Dakota.
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