Anchorage’s Carter Morris has racked up 76 points in 47 games at Shattuck St. Mary’s in Minnesota.

The hockey world appears to think quite highly of Anchorage’s Carter Morris, and he’s only a high school sophomore.

Wednesday morning, Morris was one of 45 American players (2010 birth year) invited to next week’s USA Hockey National Team Development Program (USNTDP) evaluation camp in Plymouth, Mich. Camp results will likely assist USA Hockey in naming the 2026-27 U.S. National Under-17 Team.

The son of former UAA standout and Anchorage Wolverines general manager Keith, Carter Morris, 16, is currently filling up the scoresheet at Shattuck St. Mary’s (Minn.). As part of the prep school’s 16U AAA squad, the 5-foot-10, 165-pound forward has totaled 76 points in 47 games (35-41—76). He scored 111 points in 56 games last season as a freshman.

“Morris is one of the best 2010s in America,” Minnesota-based scout Whittaker Heart shared after attending one of Morris’ games earlier this season. “(He) created multiple chances on nearly every shift. He manipulated coverages with incredible poise, pulling sticks and bodies out of lanes he hoped to exploit with deception.”

USA Hockey

National Team Development Program
All-Time Alaskans
Steve Belanger, Anchorage (1999-2000)
Matt Carle, Anchorage (2000-02)*
Joey Crabb, Anchorage (1999-01)*
Erik Felde, Anchorage (2003-04)
Landon Hafele, Fairbanks (2023-25)
Barrett Heisten, Anchorage (1997-98)*
Joey Hope, Anchorage (1998-00)
Mike Lee, Anchorage (1997-98)
Will Magnuson, Anchorage (1997-98)
Adam Murray, Anchorage (2006-09)
Jordan Pence, Anchorage (2002-04)
Wylie Rogers, Fairbanks (2002-03)
Jason Ryznar, Anchorage (1999-01)*
Billy Smith, Sterling (2002-03)
Hunter Strand, Anchorage (2018-20)
Tim Wallace, Anchorage (2000-02)*
William Wrenn, Anchorage (2007-09)
Austin Wuthrich, Anchorage (2009-11)
*Played in the NHL

USNTDP is considered the nation’s premier destination for amateur players. It annually selects a U17 and a U18 team to train in a highly competitive environment. The 17U team plays a majority of its 62-game schedule in the Tier I United States Hockey League, considered the nation’s top junior circuit, versus opponents aged 17-20. USNTDP teams also play in age-specific international events against other countries’ best.

If Morris were eventually named to the U17 squad, he’d be the 19th Alaska player to earn the prestigious honor and the first since Fairbanks’ Landon Hafele (2023-25). A NCAA Division I Arizona State commit, Hafele has 35 points in 42 games for USHL Green Bay.

Five of Alaska’s 14 NHLers – Matt Carle, Joey Crabb, Barrett Heisten, Jason Ryznar and Tim Wallace – skated for USNTDP in the early portion of their respective careers.

Morris is one of five current Shattuck players invited to next week’s camp. For the evaluation, the 45 invitees will be split into two teams, Team McAvoy and Team Larkin. The teams are named after former USNTDP and current NHL stars Charlie McAvoy (Boston) and Dylan Larkin (Detroit). Both McAvoy and Larkin were part of Team USA men’s Olympic gold-medal championship last month.

 

ONE-TIMERS

UAA (5-25-1) is set to play the first United Collegiate Hockey Cup tournament game Thursday morning in Missouri against Stonehill (10-21-2). Those two DI independents are joined in the field by UAF (14-15-2), host Lindenwood (14-14-0) and Long Island (12-17-1). The UCHC is considered a major step forward for the independents, providing a postseason championship experience and a national spotlight. The playoff appearance will be UAA’s first since it dropped a WCHA series to Minnesota State-Mankato in 2020.

Speaking of DI indies stepping forward, LIU on Tuesday announced a $3 million campaign to improve its home venue, the Northwest Health Ice Center. An interesting development, eh UAA and Anchorage?
Anchorage’s Jeremy Swayman earned his first Boston Bruins victory since the Olympic break in sparkling fashion Tuesday night. He recorded 34 saves in Boston’s 2-1 home win over Pittsburgh. The former South High Wolverines is 23-13-3 with a 2.85 goals-against average and .905 save percentage this season, and 8-2-1 in his last 11 starts.
Now’s the time of year Alaska’s plethora of USA Hockey comp teams compete for state and district championship, and a chance to represent at nationals spread throughout the country later this month. To name just a few, we offer a congratulatory stick salute to the Team Alaska Tier I 18U boys and 16U girls as well as the Alaska Oilers Tier II boys for advancing on.