Hoyt Stanley is perfect in the high school classroom and will take a 4.0 grade-point average to the Ivy League and Cornell next fall. He’s been not too bad on the ice, either, for the Victoria Grizzlies of the B.C. Hockey League and is the 77th ranked North American skater for the 2023 NHL draft on Cental Scouting’s mid-season list released Friday. That would put Stanley in third-round range.
The six-foot-two, 200-pound, two-way blue-liner goes into Saturday night’s game against the Langley Rivermen at The Q Centre with a goal and 20 assists in 32 games.
“Hoyt has such great speed and moves well for a big defenceman,” said Grizzlies GM and head coach Rylan Ferster. “He moves the puck so quickly and keeps it out of trouble.”
Stanley is among eight current or former BCHL players, including heady No. 8-ranked former Grizzlies forward Matthew Wood, who are ranked by Central Scouting for the 2023 NHL draft. Wood is currently in the NCAA with the University of Connecticut Huskies.
Another three players on Central Scouting’s ranking list are committed to the BCHL for next season, with the trio all headed to the annual powerhouse Penticton Vees.
“This is a good league,” said Ferster.
Meanwhile, Ferster is not too concerned about the recent dip the Grizzlies (15-12-5) experienced in coming out of the Christmas break with a loss to the lowly Cowichan Valley Capitals and overtime loss to the Coastal Conference-leading Nanaimo Clippers. That followed an 8-1-1 run heading into the Christmas break.
“I thought we played well enough to win both games last weekend. I see no major tweaks that need to be made and we have prepared well this week,” said Ferster.
“We have no real issues but would like to score more.”
The defence-minded Grizzlies are seventh in the nine-team Western Conference and 15th in the 18-team BCHL in scoring but are best in the conference and third in the league in goals allowed.
The Grizzlies, meanwhile, are 2-0 this season against the Rivermen (10-19-3 heading into Friday night’s game in Alberni Valley) with one of those games decided in overtime.
ICE CHIPS: Former NHLers Geoff Courtnall, who played for the Cowichan Valley Capitals, Scott Niedermayer, Kyle Turris, Brendan Morrison, and Garry Valk will play in the outdoor BCHL Alumni and Friends Game on Jan. 21 in Penticton as part of the 60th anniversary all-star weekend. Also playing in the game are former Juan de Fuca Whalers player Bruce Courtnall; Pat Hodgins, fourth all-time in BCHL assists with 215 and ninth all-time with 151 goals in a career from 1986 to 1991 with Nanaimo, Cowichan Valley and the Victoria Warriors; and Mike Di Stefano, the all-time BCHL leader in games played with 297 in a career from 2000 to 2005 with the Burnaby/Alberni Valley Bulldogs, Powell River Kings, Quesnel Millionaires and Chilliwack Chiefs.
cdheensaw@timescolonist.com
