For Carter Newpower, hockey wasn't always a constant for him, despite growing up in the state of hockey right between the Twin Cities, where it is impossible to take two steps without hearing a mention of it. Despite all this, Carter's heart was set on baseball early on. What changed his mind was the influence of his two brothers [Ryan and Brady Newpower] around the rink, standing next to his Dad as he talked the game through with them. "I guess just watching them play hockey made me want to play hockey." What started as tagging along turned into a career that now has him in his senior season as a forward for the Cardinals, and a quiet competitor learning to use his voice.

That development began in Mason City, Iowa. Carter arrived eager to put his name among the Toros; however, he admitted, "I really had no idea what I was getting myself into," and what he found was a stage built for growth. He stayed in Mason City for three years, working with the same coaching staff, who pushed him to play his game and stop dwelling on mistakes and what could happen. "Just worry about the good things," he says. Once Carter did, he became an undeniable force for the Toros, netting 37 of his own goals while also assisting for another 54. With all this success, he kept rolling and eventually was named MVP of the league as well as "Forward of the Year". What Carter took away from this season beyond the metrics was much simpler, though: he found his confidence. 

The confidence did not come to a halt, though; it carried him into Winona, Minnesota. Carter took his first visit to campus before the start of his third year in the NA3HL, after talking with Coach Ryan Egan, his vision for after juniors seemed to be clearing up perfectly for him. Familiar faces made the choice easier. Former Mason City teammates Jack Campion and Cal Nauss were already here, and "it just felt normal to come here and join them." The town felt familiar too, a smaller place much like Mason City, and exactly the change from the Cities he was looking for. "It was just a beautiful atmosphere and just a good place to live for four years," he says.

Hockey at the college level didn't hand him anything, though. After playing 20-plus minutes a night in juniors, Carter found himself bouncing around the lineup and, in a few games, sitting out entirely. "I'm not just going to slot in wherever I can or wherever I want," he says, calling it a wake-up call. The lesson was to adapt to whoever he was playing with and find his game. Looking back, it's what he's proudest of, not the points or the awards, but simply his willingness to keep going. "There have been times when it's just kind of been hard and wondering if I wanted to keep playing or if I wanted to just hang them up," he admits. A big part of what kept him going is his dad, his role model and the voice at every game. His dad never got to play college hockey, and "playing for him, that's kind of always been in the back of my head."

That perseverance paid off last season. Carter put up 15 goals and 18 assists for 33 points in 26 games and earned all-conference recognition, an honor that had slipped away in high school, where he was an honorable mention in both his junior and senior years. "It was something that I took to heart," he says. He's quick to share the credit, pointing to linemates Joona Juntunen and Jack Campion for making scoring "really easy" and for being fun to play with. Beyond the line combinations, his approach was simple: play relaxed, don't worry about the outcome, and take it one shift at a time.

Now the role is changing. Carter has always led by example, a self-described "quiet leader," but a senior season brings a new responsibility. He remembers being a freshman and wanting more from the group, so his focus is on making the newcomers feel comfortable and confident in the systems. "They feel good coming to the rink every day, and hopefully they can build their confidence one day at a time," he says. The team has to replace key pieces like Colin Tushie, but he likes what the sophomores and juniors can bring, and with Juntunen back, the Cardinals have the pieces to be dangerous. The biggest focus is the start of the season; slow starts, in his words, have been "kind of our kryptonite" during his time here. The goal is a banner, something that hasn't been hung for a regular season title since the 1987-88 season, and something he says would give the group something to "bond with those guys over for years to come."

Away from the ice, Carter's path points somewhere else entirely. He studies public relations and digital media, with his eyes on sports broadcasting and videography, and he's leaned on his connection with Dean Beckman, the voice of Cardinal Athletics, as he looks toward life after hockey. Family stays close, too: one of his cousins plays at St. John's, which makes for friendly rivalry and bragging rights every Christmas. When his time at Saint Mary's ends, he wants to be remembered simply as a good leader and a good person, "just exemplifying what being a Cardinal is and just having that Cardinal pride on and off the ice." With the season opening Friday and Saturday, he has one request for the fans: show up. "It's awesome when the students show up. It really makes the experience way better for us." Carter Newpower never needed to see the whole road ahead, from a freshman fighting for a lineup spot to a senior leader with a banner in sight; he only ever needed the next shift. For the quiet kid from Cottage Grove who once only wanted to play baseball, it has always been one shift at a time.