University of Nebraska Omaha freshman defenseman Carter Sotheran is playing college hockey while managing Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a heart condition that can trigger episodes of fast heartbeats. He takes medication for the condition.
Sotheran was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a congenital condition that can trigger episodes of fast heartbeats, according to the Omaha World-Herald. The disorder is rare but not unheard of, estimated to affect between 1 and 3 per 1,000 people worldwide, or roughly 0.1% to 0.3% of the population, according to a report in PMC. A 2023 meta-analysis cited in the same PMC report found radiofrequency catheter ablation succeeds in 94.1% of Wolff-Parkinson-White cases, with a 6.2% recurrence rate and a 1.0% complication rate.
The Philadelphia Flyers selected Sotheran in the fifth round of the 2023 NHL Draft, per Metro Philadelphia.
A Setback That Cost Him His NHL Shot
Sotheran missed Flyers training camp in 2024, and the organization cut ties with him in June 2025. Philadelphia did not sign him by June 1, 2025, and his rights expired, making him an unrestricted free agent, per DobberProspects. Sotheran takes medication for his heart condition.
Despite the medical setbacks, Sotheran kept producing on the ice. He played 237 regular-season games in the Western Hockey League, a run capped by a January trade that sent him from the Portland Winterhawks to the Edmonton Oil Kings in exchange for defenseman Niko Tsakumis and two draft picks, including a 2027 first-rounder, according to the MavPuck Blog. The trade reflected just how much value Sotheran still carried as a junior defenseman even after his NHL path collapsed.
That value showed up again in February, when Sotheran notched a career-high three goals and two assists in his 250th WHL game, becoming just the second defenseman in Oil Kings franchise history to record a hat trick. The performance earned him WHL Player of the Week honors, the blog's report states. The Oil Kings went on to clinch a 2026 WHL playoff berth by mid-February with a 35-13-3-2 record, according to The Hockey News.
From the Backyard Rink to Omaha
The Omaha World-Herald reported that Sotheran was drawn to hockey from an early age and had a backyard rink. His career has taken him from home to junior hockey and, now, Omaha.
Carter Sotheran and Marcus Nguyen are both listed on UNO’s roster. The move was made possible by a November 2024 NCAA Division I Council vote that made Canadian Hockey League veterans eligible for Division I hockey starting in the 2025–26 academic year, reversing a decades-old amateurism rule that had barred major junior players, according to NHL.com.
How the NCAA Eligibility Rule Changed
A change to NCAA Division I rules made Sotheran’s move from major junior hockey to college possible. NHL.com reported that players with experience in the Canadian Hockey League’s three leagues became eligible to play Division I hockey beginning Aug. 1, 2025, as long as their prior compensation did not exceed actual and necessary expenses.
UNO played an exhibition against Manitoba on October 7. Sotheran has played 266 straight games. UNO’s next event and regular-season opener is against Augustana.
Still Weighing Another Procedure
For now, Sotheran is managing his condition with medication.
