During the 1986–87 season, he played on the Hounds midget team that placed second at the 1987 Air Canada Cup in Gloucester, Ontario.
[5] In the team's first season, Herter scored 38 points in 54 games as the Hounds won the Credential Cup as SJHL champions.
[5] There, Herter scored two points in five tournament games—including one goal in a 9–7 victory over the Thunder Bay Flyers—as the Hounds defeated the Halifax Lions 3–2 in the final game to win the national Junior A championship.
[11] He also had the option of joining the Saskatoon Blades, the team that held Western Hockey League rights, but chose North Dakota because the Canucks had five other prospects playing there.
[8] At the completion of his sophomore season, Herter chose once again not to sign a professional contract and returned to North Dakota for his junior year.
[15][16][17] Herter then joined the Canucks for his first professional training camp and played in five pre-season games before being assigned to the Milwaukee Admirals, Vancouver's International Hockey League (IHL) affiliate.
[22] He also assisted on Zigmund Palffy's second goal of the game and was partnered on defence with NHL All-Star Mathieu Schneider.
[24][25] Herter finished the tournament with one assist in seven games as Canada achieved a 5–1–1 record to win the gold medal.
[26] In July and August 1990, Herter was a member of the Canadian team at the 1990 Goodwill Games in Seattle, Washington.