In the modern NHL, it isn’t uncommon for high draft picks to be given favourable chances in training camp to prove what they can do at the highest level.
It’s understandable. Organizations want these picks to succeed because failed development breeds criticism for management. Criticism creates pressure and eventually costs people jobs.
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For a 21-year-old fourth-round pick who only has six games of professional experience under his belt, it is almost unheard of.
Senators defenseman Hoyt Stanley spoke on Monday about keeping his confidence high throughout camp (Senators/YouTube).
Yet, this is the reality Hoyt Stanley is living right now.
The defenceman was the Senators’ first pick, but a fourth-round selection (108th overall) from the 2023 NHL Draft. After three seasons at Cornell University, the 6’3″, 203 lb right-shot defenceman was enjoying his first main NHL training camp.
Early in camp, the Senators paired him with a third-year pro and regular, Tyler Kleven.
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What was immediately noticeable in camp was Stanley’s blend of size and skating ability, and how he uses it effectively to disrupt offensive rushes. This combination has been a calling card for the Senators’ amateur scouts in recent years, but what separates Stanley from his prospect peers within the organization is how he limits mistakes.
For a prospect who has not played many professional games, it has been impressive to watch the simplicity and effectiveness of his game. And when he is handling the puck, there have been very few unforced errors.
Those traits have certainly caught the attention of the veteran defencemen on the team.
Following the Senators’ final split-squad game against the Montreal Canadiens, Thomas Chabot was asked about the quality performances of the young defencemen.
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“The younger guys coming up, it’s awesome to see (their development),” Chabot said enthusiastically. “You guys saw it last year. We had to use so many defencemen, unfortunately, but to see that there are so many guys down the pipeline who can come in and have a great impact and play good hockey, it makes everybody feel better.
“There are learning curves for everybody, but to see them go through training camp, step up and get the job done like that, all credit to them. The way Hoyt’s been playing, everybody notices, and it’s good for him. It won’t be long before we see him (in the NHL).”
We might even see it sooner than we expected.
Stanley was named to the Senators’ 23-man opening night roster on Monday.
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When asked about the fact that he was still participating this late in training camp, Stanley still was not completely sure whether he was sticking with the club. Despite messages from friends, family and former teammates asking for clarity on his situation, Stanley admitted he was trying to take everything one day at a time.
“Yeah, definitely didn’t know what to expect,” Stanley said while reflecting on his first training camp. “Coming into my first training camp, I don’t want to say I’m super surprised, but I’m definitely grateful.
“I just put the work in all summer and wanted to work as hard as I could every day at camp and show what I could do, and control what I could control. I’m just grateful they’ve taken notice and that I’m still here. I’m just continuing to try to learn as much as I can for as long as I stick around.”
As grateful as Stanley is, he has the confidence to compete with the best players in the world.
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“You want to have self-belief and believe that you can compete with the best players,” he explained. “In the summer, I’m working my tail off with some of the best players in the world too.
“Knowing that you can compete with these guys (helped), but also at the same time, I’m grateful. A lot of people probably wouldn’t think that I would be at this point. So I’m happy to be here still.”
Injuries to Warren Foegele, Kurtis MacDermid and Artem Zub meant that the players were designated as injured, non-roster players. The Zub injury in particular helped open the door for Stanley to break camp with the team.
In two preseason games with the Senators, Stanley recorded a beautiful goal, two penalty minutes and two shots on goal. He finished the preseason with an even plus/minus rating. When Stanley was on the ice at five-on-five, the Senators generated 45.83 percent of the shots (CF%), 47.83 percent of the shots on goal (SF%), 50.00 percent of the total goals (GF%), and 43.93 percent of the expected goals (xGF%) per Natural Stat Trick. These numbers may seem unflattering, but the sample size is small and, relative to his peers, they were still among the better marks on the team.
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Stanley is one of eight defencemen on the roster, but with Zub being out of the lineup for the immediate future, he’ll likely be competing with Carter Yakemchuk for those third-pairing minutes. It creates an interesting dynamic: on one hand, you have Stanley; on the other, Yakemchuk, who has the pedigree, offensive aptitude, and more professional experience, but also has defensive warts that will hopefully lessen with time and experience.
What helps Stanley is a belief that as the talent and competition around him improves, he has found ways to elevate his game as well.
“I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself, but it’s definitely it’s cool to take in,” he explained. “I’ve always thought that as the game gets faster and the players are elevated, that I also seem to rise to the occasion and play better with better players. I’m just fortunate that’s the way my game’s been since I was younger. I believe a lot in myself and the work I’ve put in.”
How it will unfold will be intriguing, but Stanley wants to make the most of this opportunity.
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“Since I was a kid, like everyone else, I dreamed of playing in the NHL and playing my first game,” he stated. “If I got the opportunity, just going to try to make the most of it and show what I can do.”
By Graeme Nichols
The Hockey News
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