| Carter Slaggert | NTDP U18 | USHL | L | F | 5’10” | 174 | Notre Dame | 2024 | South Bend, IN | 2005 | 2022-2023: C |
U18: NTDP vs Finland, February 8, 2023: Slaggert totaled 12:13 in ice time including 1:54 while shorthanded. He did not play on the power play. Slaggert is a high energy left wing with high end straight line speed and a powerful cross-under that allows him to be explosive out of power turns or stops. His attention to detail, active stick, coachability and team first attitude were on full display while killing penalties. We absolutely loved how he got big low to eat multiple pucks including a one-timer that he took a knee to eat from about 25′ away. It showed real courage and a commitment to winning. As a real key penalty killer for Team USA one thing we found interesting was that he was not on the ice for any defensive zone face-offs while shorthanded. Maybe he’s got a bad thumb from eating puck last weekend versus Madison, but in our opinion it is something worth noting. During the second period he used his speed during offensive transition to generate a 1on1 that turned into a high quality shot from a short angle. On the play we like how he recognized that the Finnish defender was caught flat footed and rather than foolishly skating into him to try a dangle Slaggert utilized a hard forehand-backhand fake and then drove through the dot lane for the opportunity. He finished the game even with 0 points, 1 shot, 2 PIMs for on an offensive zone hook, 0/1 on face-offs, 1 hit and had 1 shot blocked.
USHL: BioSteel Game, January 16, 2023: Slaggert totaled 13:54 in ice time including 0:45 while on the power play and 1:49 while shorthanded. His skating base is powerful with a flat edge return leg and an explosive toe snap to end his stride. He gets up to top speed in two quick steps and showed real explosiveness when changing direction by utilizing a full outside edge cross-under and thrust. The puck does not slow him down and it looked like his speed and effort were the attributes he was trying to impress the scouts with. He was a constant net front presence who took the goalie’s eyes away and he showed anticipation and a quick stick when pouncing on rebounds. On line rushes he understood how to fill the appropriate lanes and he fearlessly drove the net looking for a rebound or downhill tip when he was the in the center lane. As a forechecking F1 we loved how aggressive plus the intensity he brought to each shift and it did not appear as though he was looking to make friends as he finished checks whenever possible. He finished the game +2 with 0 points, 1 shot, 2 grade “A” opportunities, 1/3 on face-offs, 2 hits, received 2 hard body checks, had 1 shot blocked, 4 giveaways, 2 takeaways and 33% of his 3 puck battles.
NCAA: U18 NTDP vs North Dakota, December 31, 2022: Slaggert totaled 10:43 in ice time including 0:42 while on the power play and 0:31 while shorthanded. On his first shift he started the game out earning a minus on a goal that originated on an offensive zone face-off. It’s hard to blame the minus on him, but earlier in the season we noted that as the F2 or F3 that he was getting trapped below the intended passing target and the same thing happened on this goal as he was below North Dakota’s weakside winger on the their breakout. Skating wise he looked powerful and very quick, but overall this was a pretty nondescript game for Slaggert as he finished -1 with 0 points, 0 shots, 0 PIMs, 0 hits, 6 giveaways, 0 takeaways and he won 100% of his 2 puck battles.
USHL: U18 NTDP vs Youngstown, November 23, 2022: Slaggert totaled 10:04 in ice time including 0:30 while on the power play and 1:58 while shorthanded. He finished the game even with 0 points, 2 shots, 1 grade “A” opportunity, 2 PIMs, 0/4 on face-offs, 0 hits and received 2 hard body checks.
NTDP: U18 NTDP vs Lake Superior State, October 7, 2022: Slaggert totaled 15:17 in ice time including 1:15 while on the power play and 1:11 while shorthanded. During 5on5 play Slaggert played his normal aggressive style. As an F1 on the forecheck he went into the corner with the mindset to be disruptive and cause chaos. As an F2 or F3 there were a few times when he was a little too aggressive and got caught below the eventual pass receiver, but this was because he was looking to jump passing lanes and make plays. Offensively Slaggert was a real catalyst as he led the game with seven shots, six grade “A” opportunities finishing with two goals. On the night he had 4 giveaways, 5 takeaways and he won 25% of his 4 puck battles.
USHL: USHL Showcase Report, November 15, 2022: Slaggert is only 5’10’ 170 lbs but plays like he’s 6’4′ 220 lbs; tough high compete high-motor who plays a complete 200 ft game. He doesn’t take a shift off he doesn’t back down in the corners against bigger stronger competition and sacrificed his body to block shots and take hits to make plays. Carter played on the fourth line wing so he didn’t have a ton of offensive zone time or even playing time for that matter but he was disruptive on the penalty kill showed good speed and energy. Having seen Slaggert for the past 4 season; he’s got plenty of skill and he’s gotten stronger here and more disciplined two-way game. A prospect to keep an eye on and may end up being the best of the brothers (which is saying a lot). Grade: B
USHL: U17 NTDP vs Madison, January 24, 2022: Slaggert is an average size forward who exhibits above-average all-around skills and can play in all situations. Slaggert showed good energy and competed throughout all three zones. He is a decent skater but occasionally lacks balance. He scored USA’s 1st goal on the power play with a quick release from the low slot. Slaggert received a quick pass from below the goal line and got the wrist shot off in one motion thus not allowing the goalie to get set and beating him top-shelf far glove side. Grade: B
NTDP Evaluation Camp. May 23, 2021: Slaggert is a hockey player; it’s the best way to describe his game. He showed every aspect that a coach wants in his players; he competes, he blocks shots, he is first guy in on the forecheck but does so in a calculated, not reckless way. He stops on pucks, he’s detailed defensively with his stick placement and how he plays the point or net front and he was excellent on the penalty kill getting to pucks and taking away time and space from defenders. He has a versatile skill set and it was best shown on 3v2’s where one case he carried wide with speed and passed across slot; another time he was high guy and caught a back diagonal made a move and dished it back for give and go and another time he crashed the net without the puck to make it a 2v1 and open space for the puck carrier. He can do it all and he’s fearless in his approach going to the net, digging pucks out of corners and defending in his end. He’s got a great burst and can separate and has enough savvy to change speeds and manipulate gaps to create time and space for himself on the rush. He has a bullet release and elusive puck handling to get around defenders 1v1. He scored a brilliant snipe short side top corner just over the goalies shoulder which showed he can pick corners and doesn’t just rely on his release or power to score. Slaggert had a great assist here which showed his skill set; he flew in behind the net on a forecheck, won a 50/50 puck with effort and then made a quick move to one side of the net and feathered a sauce into the slot for a one-touch goal showing he’s a worker who can make you miss and create scoring chances. Rare skill set. Grade: B+ The case for: You can put Slaggert at any position on the ice; he can play center, he can play wing, he can be a first liner and play the half wall on the power play or he can be a fourth line energy forward who can kill penalties and wear the “C.” He’s a little undersized at this point but there are no noticeable holes in his game and he’s got the pace and burst, the skill and hockey sense to play junior hockey even before he’s physically ready. More than his physical tools is his compete level and leadership; Slaggert plays the right way, he’s a great teammate and he plays a high percentage winning style of hockey which is desperately needed with this team. He also is the son of a coach and the third brother to go through the program so he know what to expect and will have some great resources in his corner to get the best out of him. The case against: Tough to make an argument here because of his versatility but he’s not big or strong at this point and relies on his speed and his puck skill to make plays and he’ll need to get bigger and stronger to be able to pull off the kind of offensive moves he is accustomed to competing at the U15 level. He’s also been inconsistent; the motor is always going but he had stretches here where he was quiet and then would have a few great offensive shifts and then disappear again and at the junior level consistency is paramount to gain trust from your coaches.
U15: USA Hockey Nationals, May 18, 2021: Slaggert is the third brother of the Slaggert clan and has several similarities to his older brothers in that he’s a dog on a bone, he works hard every shift and has a detailed, selfless approach. The difference however is that he has more finesse and wiggle to his game at this age and his combination of explosiveness and puck skill make him dangerous in open ice and he created a lot of scoring chances in transition, from turnovers and on line rushes. He’s first guy in on the forecheck, he backchecks with purpose and finishes checks making the Mission a harder team to play against. He’s best at pace where he shows his hockey sense and competitiveness, he shoots with his head up looking to score and he creates space of his linemates. He has great instincts in the offensive zone, he understands where pressure is coming from and can lure defenders towards him and then push pucks to the open space. Slaggert had 3 goals and an assist here and was all over the ice; he scored big goals to tie the Avalanche 2-2 and late in the semi-finals to cut the opponents lead to 1 with 2:28 remaining. His versatility, his selflessness and his speed are all going to translate at the next level and he’s got all the attributes NTDP will want on their roster. Grade: A
U15 HPHL: Chicago Mission vs Bolts, February 4, 2021: Good skills, good skater, quick, patient and high hockey IQ. Carter works his tail off and competes hard each shift. Game 1 wasn’t his best I have seen him play, was losing his balance and getting knocked off the puck. Game 2 and 3 Carter played great defensively and helped shut down top players on the Bolts. Grade B+
U15 HPHL: Chicago Mission vs Detroit Compuware, January 29, 2021: Good skills, good skater, quick, patience and high hockey IQ. Carter plays a smart, relaxed game. Sometimes he can go unnoticed for not being flashy and not putting up a ton of offensive points. Carter is a true hockey player, competes hard, high hockey IQ and does whatever his coach asks him to do. There are times in the game you are watching Carter he is in a good position, working hard, finding seams, then he shows another gear. An example is his breakaway goal in Game 1, this kid knows when to shift gears and when not to. Carter would fake a shot and deke to his forehand for the goal. Grade A-
U15: Chicago Mission vs Pittsburgh Penguins Elite, January 17, 2021: Carter not flashy, goes out every shift and just competes. High-end player that thinks and sees the game. Stays out of traffic and has knack to be in the right place at the right time. Carter has a great stick defensively and picks off passes. Creative with the puck, finding seams and anticipating movements from teammates. Another special player to keep an eye on from this Mission ’05 group. Grade A-
U15: CCM South Bend Shootout, January 15, 2021: Carter is a skilled player with great edges and slick stickhandling skills. He is strong on the puck as he scored a goal top shelf as he fought off the defender. He anticipates the play before it happens and gets open to transition to offence quickly. He has great vision and will make no look passes to his teammates for scoring opportunities. He makes the game look easy with his fluent skating stride and slick hands. He works hard in the defensive zone to retrieve pucks. Grade A
U15: Chicago Mission vs Detroit Little Caesars, December 22, 2020: Carter plays a very smart game. He knows when to burst into open ice and when to slow down. Creates separation when he changes speeds. Sees the ice very well and can anticipate. Plays in all situations and is calm and relaxed. Grade A-
U15: 15O High Performance Hockey League Detroit, November 5, 2020: Carter is a gifted player who plays with grit and competes on every shift. He will drive to the net using his speed as he will dangle defenders or will find the open player. He scored a beautiful goal in the crease area as he flipped the puck to the side of the goalie and whacked the puck while it was in the air and knocked the puck in the net. He scored another goal as he used his speed to beat the defender to the net as he scored a tap in goal. He added another goal for an empty netter to record a hattrick for the game. He has great vision with the ability to set up his teammates especially on the power play as he uses his patience. He set up his teammate for a long pass and he scored on a breakaway. He is an elite skater who makes the game look easy. Grade A
2005s: 2020 International Silver Stick, May 24, 2020: Another Slaggert brother from South Bend and Carter may be the most skilled of them all. We knew he would play the right way and he did. High energy, effort, good body language and smart positioning in every zone. We noted all of that and also that he is a smooth skater with decent size and great balance. Slaggert then took a chip pass and whacked it into the top corner of the net at full speed. It was a “wow” moment. He played the middle on the power play. He won faceoffs. He skated through contact. He tapped in goals with a prepared stick and bumped passes to smart spots. He scored a goal with one hand. He slowed down to add depth to line rushes or drove hard to the net; always at the correct time. His head was always up, even as he shot the puck. He played penalty kill and angled to his help in puck pursuit and when he had possession entered the zone, then came out and ragged the puck to kill time. He outworked everyone. He took faceoffs at the end of games in 6v4 situations. He was the best player on the team that won the whole event. He was named MVP. Really high ceiling as he has an extremely high IQ, high compete and lots of skill. Grade: A
U14: HPHL Playoffs, February 13, 2020: Carter has very good edges as he skates with ease. He is a smart player with good vision and has the ability to stick handle in tight areas. He is patient with the puck with the ability to make accurate passes to his teammates. He will drive to the net and beat the defender wide using his speed as he scored a rebound goal. He missed a golden opportunity in the semi final game as he was robbed on a nice move on the break away. He is very effective on the cycle as he cuts back and changes speed to beat the defender as he uses his quick hands.
STX 68 Combine, September 3, 2019: Slaggert was without question one of the top players on the ice all weekend. He checks all the boxes and brings it every shift, every game. Fierce competitiveness to go along with game-breaking speed and skill. He seemed like a man amongst boys in this showcase.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images