Hoyt Stanley has already made a name for himself — just maybe not in the way you’d expect. The 21-year-old defenseman, selected 108th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2023 NHL Draft, is gearing up to make the jump to professional hockey this fall after an eventful three years at Cornell University. But before he hits the ice as a pro, Stanley became an unlikely fan favorite on one of Barstool Sports' biggest shows, The Yak.
The Viral Moment
In April 2024, months after the draft, Stanley was sitting in a microeconomics class at Cornell when his phone suddenly blew up. Opening Instagram, he found hundreds of interactions on his recent photos, with every account commenting the same word: “HOYT.” Initially suspecting a prank by teammates or friends from Vancouver, Stanley soon realized the commenters were real people — not bots. Unbeknownst to him, he had become a sensation on The Yak, a daily Barstool podcast where co-host Nick Turani has a running bit about his desire to befriend people named Hoyt.
Joining the Show
The next day, Stanley agreed to appear on the show for what he described as the weirdest interview of his young career. “My entire life I’ve wanted a Hoyt in my crew,” Turani said during the video call. “I’ve wanted multiple Hoyts in my crew. I have none. And I was wondering, if you wanted to, completely up to you, do you want to be my first Hoyt?” Stanley, surrounded by teammates in a study room, obliged. The interview had nothing to do with hockey; it was purely about his name.
The Origin of 'Hoyt'
The story behind Stanley’s given name is remarkable. According to family legend, over a century ago, his great-great-grandfather entered a poker game where the loser had to name his son after the victor. The winner was Judge Hoyt. Stanley’s father, Graham, is particularly fond of retelling the tale “after a few drinks.”
On-Ice Evolution
While his podcast appearance brought unexpected fame, Stanley is determined to be known for his hockey skills. He is currently finishing a business degree at Cornell and will turn pro in the fall. His game has evolved significantly since his mid-teens. Originally a forward idolizing Sidney Crosby and Patrick Kane, he switched to defense in junior hockey, where he became an offensive blueliner, quarterbacking the power play and tallying 38 points in 53 games with the Victoria Grizzlies in 2022-23.
At Cornell, Stanley faced a new challenge as a true freshman, adapting to a defensive role under longtime coach Mike Schafer. “He just kind of really wanted me to emphasize defence as part of my role and get more physical,” Stanley said. “I’m a bigger guy, so being able to use my body a little bit more. He definitely taught me a lot, helped me transition. The first couple months on campus he was just grilling me and all the new guys about details and defending our net, so I think I just took pride in it over time.”
Now, with his college career behind him, Stanley is focused on making an impact in the professional ranks, hoping his on-ice performance will soon overshadow his brief moment of internet fame.
