Carter Sanderson, a sixth round pick of the Penguins in 2025, is a victim of the numbers game to not merit inclusion in our ongoing Pensburgh Top 25 Under 25 series this year. Sanderson is still 18 years old, had OK but unremarkable production in the USHL (was fifth on his team with 34 points in 54 games) and far off the radar for now.
That might be changing in the World Junior Summer Showcase. Sanderson has been one of the USA’s most visible players in the summer event. He scored a hat trick against
Sweden on Sunday for the USA’s blue team and added an empty net goal in the second and final game.
Sanderson (6-1, 196), who played with center Brooks Rogowski (Vancouver Canucks) and right wing Casey Mutryn (Seattle Kraken), helped drive a line that combined for seven points (four goals, three assists).
“It’s honestly been a while since I’ve had (a hat trick),” Sanderson said. “Being able to do it in the first game of this camp will set an impression. Obviously the job’s not done yet and I’ve got to keep working to earn my spot.”
Sanderson’s goals came the way he likes them: around the net, in traffic, where size, timing and toughness matter. He said that’s always been central to his game.
“I model my game around the net,” he said. “That’s where I find the most success. I had two goals right around the net, using my skill in the small areas while also using my size.”
There was help, too. Sanderson credited Wyatt Cullen, Mutryn and Rogowski for setting up his three goals, adding that the 11-forward rotation gave him a chance to show he could fit with different players.
Sanderson used his strengths of compete and going to the net, plus as mentioned some higher drafted players doing the heavy lifting to score his goals.
#29 Carter Sanderson, LW (Pittsburgh Penguins): It’s hard to beat a three-goal game. Sanderson is far from a lock to make the final roster, but he made as good of a first impression as you could ask for. Sanderson spent a ton of time buzzing around the net, looking for loose pucks and rebounds to generate offense. We’ll see if he makes it on the main team in an energy role, but this today was an excellent start.
Sanderson will upgrade this year going from the USHL to WHL Calgary. Eventually he is committed to the University of North Dakota for the 2027-28 season, showing just how far his road to the pros will take. It will be years until the long-range prospect comes of age, but for now he will keep plugging away at his latest mission to make waves and be a candidate for the USA’s World Junior team this upcoming December. Unfortunately he will age out of the U20 event and not be eligible for it in December 2027.
Sanderson hasn’t yet progressed to the point where he was on the radar of being a top young player within the organization this year, but his emergence at an international event speaks to the depth and quality of the Pens’ system and a function of the amount of draft picks they’ve made recently. For now most of that progress will be quiet and on the very fringes of the hockey world, like summer warmup events, but Sanderson’s performance this week should open some eyes to his game and make following his future as important as any other long-term prospect in the organization.
