Swift Current's Carter Moen put pen to paper this morning on a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement with his hometown team.

The 5-foot-11 forward was selected by the Swift Current Broncos earlier this month during the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft in the first round, 17th overall.

"Pretty exciting (to sign)," he said. "It's my hometown too, it's always been my dream since I was a kid, so it's very exciting."

Moen was at home with his family watching the draft on May 9 and as the Broncos pick at 17 came up, he had a good feeling about it.

"I had thought about it, I was kind of hoping too because I wouldn't have to move away," he said. 

The 15-year-old skated in 25 regular season games with the Swift Current Pure Chem U15 AA Broncos this past year and scored 28 goals, 21 assists, and 49 points. He followed it up with seven goals, and seven assists, in seven playoff games.

Moen, who's been a big fan of the Broncos since 2017, said he tries to model his game after his father Travis who played in the NHL for 12 seasons.

"He played very physically, and I like the physical play," he said. "I didn't watch a lot of his games when I was younger... but I watched some clips back and watched his playing style."

Broncos General Manager Chad Leslie said the team had Carter on its scouting radar for a few years now. The easy access this past winter to watching him in person helped Leslie finalize his thoughts.

"Carter is just a tremendous 200-foot player and high character, high compete, and (reaching) just the tip of the spear in regards to his offensive upside and individual skill," Leslie said. "He kind of checked all the boxes for us. It certainly wasn't a hometown pick, it was the guy we were hoping to get. When he fell to us there, we were really excited and really happy to be able to take him."

Carter played two games with the Swift Current Home Hardware U18 AAA Legionnaires last season and will make the jump to playing for them full-time this upcoming season.

"It's terrific because we can have him up with the team and practice with the team and get in his games and be around as much as possible," he said. "It's going to be a benefit for Carter as well because he's going to be able to step in at 16 and have that experience and comfort level with our group and our coaching staff."

The power forward became the first local player to be selected by the Swift Current Broncos in the first round since the draft started in 1990. 

"You can't overreach and extend yourself a couple of rounds to take a guy because he is local, you have to make sure you're getting him in the right spot, and he is someone that can contribute and be a Bronco," Leslie said. "We're not always going to get it right but for this one, it's a slam dunk."

Swift Current also selected Gull Lake's Jamie Kirwan in the ninth round of the draft. The duo joins Shaunavon's Mason Fauser, Swift Current's Parker Rondeau, Gull Lake's Berney Weston, and Chaplin's Wesley Olson as other prospects within the Broncos pipeline. 

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