Syracuse Men's Hockey Hall of Fame
Carter Hansen was the middle child of three hockey playing boys that got into the sport at a very young age. Growing up in the Aspen, CO hockey community, Hansen excelled by leading his teams in goals and points each season throughout his career which helped him gain state recognition along the way. Carter was named to Colorado’ All-state teams, Rocky Mountain District Team, and Team Colorado. He also led Aspen High School to the State championship in his senior year. During his high school years, Hansen had the privilege to play with both his older and younger brothers on different teams. He and his younger brother, Reid, played on the same line – members of a trio that became one of the highest scoring lines in the state. The state and local news media celebrated the success of the scoring duo by dubbing them “The Hansen Brothers” - a homage to the hockey classic film “Slap Shot”.
Coming out of high school Hansen considered the possibilities of playing NCAA Division I hockey, but it was SU that offered what he was seeking academically, socially, and gave him the ability to explore both hockey and soccer. He quickly realized that the hockey team was where he would commit himself for the next four years.
During his freshman year, Hansen, a forward, was put on a line with Syracuse Hall of Famer Jeremy Bovay and never looked back. Hansen led the team in goals and points in three of his four years at Syracuse. Even with some incomplete statistics from 2001-2005 there is agreement among Hansen’s teammates to his ability. ”Carter was the best offensive player (center) on the team.” says Charlie Garnsey. “He was a strong, skilled player who played bigger than his small frame.”
Sean Conaway added “Carter was our top scorer for multiple seasons, putting up huge numbers. He was a ball of energy”.
Andrew Miller and Nick Toth succinctly described Hansen respectively as “a hell of a player” and “a strong forward that scored a lot.”
Fellow Hansen Brother, Reid, joined Carter at Syracuse for his final two seasons, reigniting their unstoppable on-ice connection. Hansen took the second semester off to travel abroad. Upon returning, even with missing the bulk of the season, he continued to lead the team in goals and was second on the team in points – only behind linemate Pete Bollman who edged Hansen out by one point in the final game of the season.
Hansen quickly found himself joining the club’s leadership group as a sophomore. Helping with off ice administration responsibilities and eventually rising to team Captain in 2003-04. “He pushed us to take the team more seriously and to get us to the next level. Carter led by example and with his voice” one teammate recalled.
During May-June of 2004 Hansen was part of the only SU squad that has traveled to Europe. There the team competed against Russian, Estonian, and Finnish collegiate and semi-pro teams and represented America in the Collegiate Games in Finland.
Upon graduating from SU with a degree in International Relations, Hansen headed for Los Angeles where there is already a strong contingent of former SU hockey players. He continued playing hockey in LA for the next 14 years. Professionally Hansen now serves as the CMO for Step, a FinTech company working to improve the financial future of the next generation. Prior to Step, he worked in the film and television industry, producing movies and TV shows such as The To Do List, Blue Mountain State, Wild Hogs, Meet Dave, Sonny With A Chance, and A Thousand Words. He was also part of the founding team of AwesomenessTV, the first digital media company in Hollywood. Hansen is married to Vanessa, and the proud Dad to three children – Peyton, Keaton, and Presley.
