Cornell men’s hockey junior defenseman Hoyt Stanley has been named one of three finalists for the 2026 ECAC Hockey Best Defensive Defenseman award, according to a March 17 announcement.
Stanley is joined by Quinnipiac’s Elliott Groenewold and Dartmouth’s Eric Charpentier as finalists for the honor. The recognition highlights Stanley’s role in anchoring Cornell’s defensive unit during the 2025-26 regular season, where the team posted the nation’s top scoring defense with an average of 1.93 goals allowed per game.
Throughout the season, Stanley appeared in all 29 regular-season games and averaged nearly 23 minutes of ice time per game, which was second on the team behind his defensive partner Xavier Veilleux. He also contributed significantly to shot blocking, totaling 35 blocked shots—one of only three Cornell players to surpass 30 blocks this season.
In addition to his defensive contributions, Stanley recorded 14 points with three goals and eleven assists, achieving a plus-7 rating. Two of his goals were game-winners, tying him for second-most in ECAC Hockey during the regular season.
The winner of the ECAC Hockey Best Defensive Defenseman award will be announced Thursday evening in Lake Placid ahead of the semifinal round of the championship. Cornell, ranked eighth nationally and seeded third in the tournament with a record of 22-9-1, will play fourth-seeded Princeton at Herb Brooks Arena on Friday night. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
