ITHACA, N.Y. — Cornell men's hockey junior defenseman Hoyt Stanley has been named one of three finalists for the 2026 ECAC Hockey Best Defensive Defenseman award, it was announced Tuesday afternoon (March 17).

Joining Stanley as finalists are Quinnipiac's Elliott Groenewold and Dartmouth's Eric Charpentier.

A steady and reliable presence on the blue line, Stanley has played a key role in anchoring Cornell's defensive unit, helping the Big Red post the nation's top scoring defense during the 2025-26 regular season (1.93).

Stanley appeared in all 29 regular-season games, logging heavy minutes in all situations while consistently matching up against opponents' top offensive lines. He averaged 22:58 of ice time per game, the second-highest mark on the team behind his defensive pairmate Xavier Veilleux (24:06).

The West Vancouver, British Columbia, native totaled 35 blocked shots on the year, one of three players to block 30-plus shots this season, joined by junior forward Jonathan Castagna (32) and fellow junior rearguard George Fegaras (31).

Stanley also contributed offensively, recording 14 points (3-11—14) while posting a plus-7 rating. Two of his three goals were game-winners, tied for the second-most in ECAC Hockey during the regular season and trailing only Groenewold's three.

The ECAC Hockey Best Defensive Defenseman award winner will be announced Thursday evening in Lake Placid, N.Y., ahead of the semifinal round of the 2026 ECAC Hockey Championship. The eighth-ranked and third-seeded Big Red (22-9-1) will face fourth-seeded Princeton (17-12-3) at 7 p.m. Friday at the 1980 Rink — Herb Brooks Arena. Game action will be streamed live on ESPN+.

2026 ECAC HOCKEY DEFENSIVE DEFENSEMAN OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Elliott Groenewold, Quinnipiac
Eric Charpentier, Dartmouth
Hoyt Stanley, Cornell