Carter Sanderson, former Oahe Capital and Pittsburgh Penguins draft pick, will have a new home this winter and play in a new league as he signed with the Calgary Hitmen Monday and will play in the WHL, part of the CHL.
Up until the last couple of years, Sanderson would not be able to sign with the Hitmen or play for any CHL team and still head to play college hockey. But the rule has changed and Sanderson gets the opportunity to head up to Canada and still be eligible to play for the University of North Dakota. Sanderson has a rare opportunity to win a Clark Cup, which he did with the Muskegon Lumberjacks in his first year with the team and then win the WHL and play in the Memorial Cup potentially winning the two biggest trophies in junior hockey, although it’s a lot of work to reach the peak of either junior hockey league. Since the inception of the Hitmen in the 1995, backed by professional wrestler, Brett “The Hitman” Hart, Calgary has made the Memorial Cup just twice and last year lost in the WHL semifinals after going 31-28-9. The Hitmen have made the playoffs in back-to-back to seasons.
Sanderson leaves Muskegon scoring 22 goals and having 23 assists in two seasons with the Lumberjacks and being named the captain in January of this past year. He had four goals and four assists in the two playoffs winning the Clark Cup in his rookie season and making the Clark Cup championship series in his second season.
The Calgary Hitmen play in the Scotiabank Saddledome, home of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, albeit this is the last season at the Saddledome. Games for the WHL are available to stream for free at Victory+. The 68 game season has the home opener on Friday, September 18.
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