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== Early life == == Early life ==
Stevenson was born on March 3, 1999 in ], Alberta.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Clay Stevenson |url=https://www.nhl.com/player/clay-stevenson-8483532 |access-date=December 20, 2024 |website=]}}</ref> His mother, Holly Stevenson, was a ]; after years of mental health struggles, she killed herself in September 2019. He credited his mother for pushing him to train as a child and called her his inspiration to play in the NHL. Stevenson has a younger sister named Brie.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Miller |first=Andrew |date=March 2, 2023 |title=SC Stingrays goalie Clay Stevenson has overcome personal tragedy to thrive in rookie season |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307081934/https://www.postandcourier.com/sports/minor_leagues/sc-stingrays-goalie-clay-stevenson-has-overcome-personal-tragedy-to-thrive-in-rookie-season/article_bf93b93e-b92a-11ed-8857-0b5b849770db.html |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> On his ], Stevenson generally has his nickname, "Mud", on the front, and a ] on the back as an homage to his mother.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=El-Bashir |first=Tarik |date=January 26, 2024 |title=Capitals prospect Clay Stevenson having record-breaking season |url=https://www.monumentalsportsnetwork.com/article/capitals-prospect-clay-stevenson-is-having-record-breaking-season-for-ahl-hershey |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> Stevenson was born on March 3, 1999, in ], Alberta.<ref name="nhl.com">{{Cite web |title=Clay Stevenson |url=https://www.nhl.com/player/clay-stevenson-8483532 |access-date=December 20, 2024 |website=]}}</ref> He has one older and one younger sister.<ref name="tricitynews"/> His parents separated when he was young; he moved to ], British Columbia, with his mother, ] Holly Stevenson, when he was 16.<ref name="tricitynews">{{Cite news |last=Bartel |first=Mario |date=December 22, 2019 |title=Despite personal loss, Clay keeps winning |url=https://www.tricitynews.com/local-sports/despite-personal-loss-clay-keeps-winning-3113495 |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> After years of mental health struggles, Holly killed herself in September 2019. Stevenson credited his mother for supporting his hockey career and pushing him to train as a child, calling her his inspiration to play in the NHL.<ref name="tricitynews"/><ref name="archive">{{Cite news |last=Miller |first=Andrew |date=March 2, 2023 |title=SC Stingrays goalie Clay Stevenson has overcome personal tragedy to thrive in rookie season |url=https://www.postandcourier.com/sports/minor_leagues/sc-stingrays-goalie-clay-stevenson-has-overcome-personal-tragedy-to-thrive-in-rookie-season/article_bf93b93e-b92a-11ed-8857-0b5b849770db.html |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307081934/https://www.postandcourier.com/sports/minor_leagues/sc-stingrays-goalie-clay-stevenson-has-overcome-personal-tragedy-to-thrive-in-rookie-season/article_bf93b93e-b92a-11ed-8857-0b5b849770db.html |archive-date=7 March 2023 }}</ref> On his ], he has his nickname, "Mud", on the front, and a ] on the back as an homage to his mother.<ref name="monumentalsportsnetwork">{{Cite news |last=El-Bashir |first=Tarik |date=January 26, 2024 |title=Capitals prospect Clay Stevenson having record-breaking season |url=https://www.monumentalsportsnetwork.com/article/capitals-prospect-clay-stevenson-is-having-record-breaking-season-for-ahl-hershey |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref>


== Playing career == == Playing career ==


=== Youth === === Youth ===
Stevenson played U15 hockey for the Brazeau Parkland Selects before moving to the ] and playing for the ]. In 25 games with the Wranglers, he posted a 3.12 ] (GAA) and a .907 ] (SV%).<ref name=":0" /> He played in the KIJHL's Top Prospect's Game.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Clay Stevenson |url=https://dartmouthsports.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey/roster/clay-stevenson/34327 |access-date=December 20, 2024 |website=]}}</ref> Stevenson played U15 hockey for the Brazeau Parkland Selects before moving to the ] and playing for the ]. In 25 games with the Wranglers, he posted a 3.12 ] (GAA) and a .907 ] (SV%).<ref name="nhl.com"/> He played in the KIJHL's Top Prospect's Game.<ref name="dartmouthsports">{{Cite web |title=Clay Stevenson |url=https://dartmouthsports.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey/roster/clay-stevenson/34327 |access-date=December 20, 2024 |website=]}}</ref>


For the ], Stevenson moved to the ], where he played three seasons with the ]. In his first season, he won just 4 games and lost 16 while recording a 3.89 GAA and a .885 SV%. In the ], he improved his record to 14–11, lowering his GAA to 3.36.<ref name=":0" /> Stevenson had a breakout season in ], posting a record of 30–2 and leading the Express to the Ron Boileau Memorial Trophy, the BCHL's regular season championship. He led the league in GAA with 1.77 and SV% with .936. He was also named a First Team All-Star, Top Goaltender, and one of the BCHL's Top Goaltending Duo.<ref name=":2" /> He was not allowed to participate in the playoffs that year due to an ] eligibility rule; in order to maintain his eligibility, he could not play ] after turning 21. Without Stevenson, the Express defeated the ] before the ] forced the end of the playoffs.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bartel |first=Mario |date=December 29, 2023 |title=Tale of two Coquitlam goalies: Express alum signs new NHL contract, another plays for Canada |url=https://www.tricitynews.com/local-news/tale-of-two-coquitlam-goalies-express-alum-signs-new-nhl-contract-another-plays-for-canada-8039347 |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> For the ], Stevenson moved to the ], where he played three seasons with the ]. In his first season, he won just 4 games and lost 16 while recording a 3.89 GAA and a .885 SV%. In the ], he improved his record to 14–11 and lowered his GAA to 3.36.<ref name="nhl.com"/> Stevenson had a breakout season in ], posting a record of 30–2 and leading the Express to the Ron Boileau Memorial Trophy, the BCHL's regular season championship. He led the league in GAA with 1.77 and SV% with .936. He was also named a First Team All-Star, Top Goaltender, and one of the BCHL's Top Goaltending Duo.<ref name="dartmouthsports"/> He was not allowed to participate in the playoffs that year due to an ] eligibility rule; in order to maintain his eligibility, he could not play ] after turning 21. Without Stevenson, the Express defeated the ] before the ] forced the end of the playoffs.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bartel |first=Mario |date=December 29, 2023 |title=Tale of two Coquitlam goalies: Express alum signs new NHL contract, another plays for Canada |url=https://www.tricitynews.com/local-news/tale-of-two-coquitlam-goalies-express-alum-signs-new-nhl-contract-another-plays-for-canada-8039347 |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref>


=== College === === College ===
After leaving the Express, Stevenson went to ] for the ]. He did not appear in any games as a freshman due to COVID-19. He made his collegiate debut in the ] against ] on October 30, saving 34 out of 36 shots in a 1–4 loss. His first win came seven days later against ], winning 3–2 after saving 29 shots. He stopped 37 shots in his first ] in a game against ] on February 12. He finished his lone collegiate hockey season with a losing record of 6–14, but a GAA of 2.70 and a SV% of .922. He was named to the All-] First Team and the All-] Hockey Third Team, and was also named Dartmouth's team MVP.<ref name=":2" /> After leaving the Express, Stevenson went to ] for the ]. He did not appear in any games as a freshman due to COVID-19. He made his collegiate debut in the ] against ] on October 30, saving 34 out of 36 shots in a 1–4 loss. His first win came seven days later against ], winning 3–2 after saving 29 shots. He stopped 37 shots in his first ] in a game against ] on February 12. He finished his lone collegiate hockey season with a losing record of 6–14, but a GAA of 2.70 and a SV% of .922. He was named to the All-] First Team and the All-] Hockey Third Team, and was also named Dartmouth's team MVP.<ref name="dartmouthsports"/>


=== Professional === === Professional ===
After Stevenson's sophomore season, the ] offered him a contract. Following months of deliberation with his coaches at Dartmouth and his agent, he decided to accept the offer and leave college, signing a two-year ] worth $1.85 million on March 28, 2022.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=December 12, 2023 |title=Capitals Re-sign Clay Stevenson |url=https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/capitals-re-sign-clay-stevenson |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> He spent most of the 2022–23 in the ] with the ], a Capitals minor league associate, which he believed was beneficial for his development.<ref name=":1" /> Stevenson made his ECHL debut on November 5, 2022, stopping 38 of 40 shots in a 4–2 victory against the ]. His first ECHL shutout came on December 3 against the ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Clay Stevenson |url=https://echl.com/players/9595/clay-stevenson |access-date=December 20, 2024 |website=]}}</ref> Stevenson was named ECHL Goaltender of the Week for the week of November 28–December 4, recording 2 wins, a 0.50 GAA, and a SV% of .984 during that stretch.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 6, 2024 |title=Clay Stevenson Named ECHL Goaltender of the Week |url=https://stingrayshockey.com/news/2022/12/clay-stevenson-named-echl-goaltender-of-the-week |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> He finished the season 19–12–3 with a 2.54 GAA and a .916 SV%.<ref name=":0" /> He played in five playoff games, where he had a 2-1-2 record with a 2.11 GAA and a .926 SV%.<ref name=":3" /> That season, he also made three appearances for the Capitals' ] associate, the ], posting a 3–0 record with a 1.96 GAA and a .924 SV%.<ref name=":0" /> After Stevenson's sophomore season, the ] offered him a contract. Following months of deliberation with his coaches at Dartmouth and his agent, he decided to accept the offer and leave college, signing a two-year ] worth $1.85&nbsp;million on March 28, 2022.<ref name="archive"/><ref name="nhl.com2">{{Cite news |date=December 12, 2023 |title=Capitals Re-sign Clay Stevenson |url=https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/capitals-re-sign-clay-stevenson |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> He spent most of the 2022–23 in the ] with the ], a Capitals minor league associate, which he believed was beneficial for his development.<ref name="archive"/> Stevenson made his ECHL debut on November 5, 2022, stopping 38 of 40 shots in a 4–2 victory against the ]. His first ECHL shutout came on December 3 against the ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Clay Stevenson |url=https://echl.com/players/9595/clay-stevenson |access-date=December 20, 2024 |website=]}}</ref> Stevenson was named ECHL Goaltender of the Week for the week of November 28 – December 4, recording 2 wins, a 0.50 GAA, and a SV% of .984 during that stretch.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 6, 2024 |title=Clay Stevenson Named ECHL Goaltender of the Week |url=https://stingrayshockey.com/news/2022/12/clay-stevenson-named-echl-goaltender-of-the-week |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> He finished the season 19–12–3 with a 2.54 GAA and a .916 SV%.<ref name="nhl.com"/> He played in five playoff games, where he had a 2-1-2 record with a 2.11 GAA and a .926 SV%.<ref name="nhl.com2"/> That season, he also made three appearances for the Capitals' ] associate, the ], posting a 3–0 record with a 1.96 GAA and a .924 SV%.<ref name="nhl.com"/>


The Capitals called Stevenson up to the NHL for opening night in October 2023, as starter ] and AHL starter Hunter Shepard were both unavailable.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=October 13, 2023 |title=Capitals Recall Clay Stevenson |url=https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/capitals-recall-clay-stevenson |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> He did not play in an NHL game, however, and played his first full-time AHL season with the Bears in ].<ref name=":0" /> The Capitals resigned him with a 3-year contract worth $2.325 million in December 2023.<ref name=":3" /> Backing up ] for the Hershey Bears, Stevenson finished with a record of 24–10–2, a GAA of 2.06, which was second only to Shepard in the AHL, and a SV% of .922.<ref name=":5">{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Patrick |date=October 11, 2024 |title=AHL Season Preview: Yaroslav Askarov And Other Top Goaltenders To Watch |url=https://www.flohockey.tv/articles/12894408-ahl-season-preview-yaroslav-askarov-and-other-top-goaltenders-to-watch |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=FloHockey}}</ref> He tied the Bears' franchise record for shutouts and set the Bears rookie record for shutouts with seven,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Harris |first=Faith |date=March 3, 2024 |title=Clay Stevenson ties franchise record for shutouts in Hershey’s 1-0 shootout loss to Lehigh Valley |url=https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2024/03/03/clay-stevenson-ties-franchise-record-for-shutouts-in-hersheys-1-0-shootout-loss-to-lehigh-valley/ |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Collins |first=Dillon |date=January 21, 2024 |title=Is Clay Stevenson the Hottest Goalie in the AHL? 24-Year-Old Picks Up League Leading Sixth Shutout, Sets Hershey Record |url=https://thehockeynews.com/ahl/latest-news/is-clay-stevenson-the-hottest-goalie-in-the-ahl-24-year-old-picks-up-league-leading-sixth-shutout-sets-hershey-record |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> which also led all AHL goalies.<ref name=":5" /> He also took the Bears' record for GAA, surpassing Pheonix Copley's 2.17 GAA from the ].<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 16, 2024 |title=Weekly Release: Bears Wrap Up 2023-24 Regular Season |url=https://www.hersheybears.com/news/weekly-release-bears-wrap-up-2023-24-regular-season/ |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> He was named AHL Goaltender of the Month in December 2023<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 2, 2024 |title=Clay Stevenson Named AHL Goalie of Month for December |url=https://www.hersheybears.com/news/clay-stevenson-named-ahl-goalie-of-month-for-december/ |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> and joined fellow Bears players ] and ] at the 2024 ] in February 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Silber |first=Sammi |date=January 10, 2024 |title=Capitals' Ethen Frank Will Get Chance To Re-Break Fastest Skater Record As He, Stevenson & McIlrath Punch Tickets To AHL All-Star Classic |url=https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/news/washington-capitals-frank-stevenson-mcilrath-hershey-bears-ahl-all-star |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> Stevenson and Shepard combined for 11 shutouts during the season, a Hershey Bears record,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Collins |first=Dillon |date=March 24, 2024 |title=Hunter Shepard and Clay Stevenson Set New Franchise Record for the Hershey Bears |url=https://thehockeynews.com/ahl/latest-news/hunter-shepard-and-clay-stevenson-set-new-franchise-record-for-the-hershey-bears |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> and received the ] as the pair that allowed the lowest GAA of the season.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Charnoff |first=Amber |date=April 22, 2024 |title=Hershey Bears goalies win Harry “Hap” Holmes Memorial Award |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/hershey-bears-goalies-win-harry-205305334.html |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> During ] that year, Stevenson mainly acted as a backup for Shepard, playing in just 2 games and recording 9 saves out of 10 as the Hershey Bears went on to win their second consecutive ].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":5" /> The Capitals called Stevenson up to the NHL for opening night in October 2023, as starter ] and AHL starter Hunter Shepard were both unavailable.<ref name="monumentalsportsnetwork"/><ref>{{Cite news |date=October 13, 2023 |title=Capitals Recall Clay Stevenson |url=https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/capitals-recall-clay-stevenson |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> He did not play in an NHL game, however, and played his first full-time AHL season with the Bears in ].<ref name="nhl.com"/> The Capitals resigned him with a 3-year contract worth $2.325&nbsp;million in December 2023.<ref name="nhl.com2"/> Backing up ] for the Hershey Bears, Stevenson finished with a record of 24–10–2, a GAA of 2.06, which was second only to Shepard in the AHL, and a SV% of .922.<ref name="flohockey">{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Patrick |date=October 11, 2024 |title=AHL Season Preview: Yaroslav Askarov And Other Top Goaltenders To Watch |url=https://www.flohockey.tv/articles/12894408-ahl-season-preview-yaroslav-askarov-and-other-top-goaltenders-to-watch |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=FloHockey}}</ref> He tied the Bears' franchise record for shutouts<ref>{{Cite news |last=Charnoff |first=Amber |date=March 4, 2024 |title=Clay Stevenson ties Hershey Bears record for shutouts on 25th birthday |url=https://www.abc27.com/sports/hershey-bears/clay-stevenson-ties-hershey-bears-record-for-shutouts-on-25th-birthday/ |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> and set the Bears rookie record for shutouts with seven,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Collins |first=Dillon |date=January 21, 2024 |title=Is Clay Stevenson the Hottest Goalie in the AHL? 24-Year-Old Picks Up League Leading Sixth Shutout, Sets Hershey Record |url=https://thehockeynews.com/ahl/latest-news/is-clay-stevenson-the-hottest-goalie-in-the-ahl-24-year-old-picks-up-league-leading-sixth-shutout-sets-hershey-record |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> which also led all AHL goalies.<ref name="flohockey"/> He also set the Bears' record for GAA, surpassing ]'s 2.17 GAA from the ].<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 16, 2024 |title=Weekly Release: Bears Wrap Up 2023-24 Regular Season |url=https://www.hersheybears.com/news/weekly-release-bears-wrap-up-2023-24-regular-season/ |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> He was named AHL Goaltender of the Month in December 2023<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 2, 2024 |title=Clay Stevenson Named AHL Goalie of Month for December |url=https://www.hersheybears.com/news/clay-stevenson-named-ahl-goalie-of-month-for-december/ |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> and joined fellow Bears players ] and ] at the 2024 ] in February 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Silber |first=Sammi |date=January 10, 2024 |title=Capitals' Ethen Frank Will Get Chance To Re-Break Fastest Skater Record As He, Stevenson & McIlrath Punch Tickets To AHL All-Star Classic |url=https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/news/washington-capitals-frank-stevenson-mcilrath-hershey-bears-ahl-all-star |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> Stevenson and Shepard combined for 11 shutouts during the season, a Hershey Bears record,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Collins |first=Dillon |date=March 24, 2024 |title=Hunter Shepard and Clay Stevenson Set New Franchise Record for the Hershey Bears |url=https://thehockeynews.com/ahl/latest-news/hunter-shepard-and-clay-stevenson-set-new-franchise-record-for-the-hershey-bears |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> and received the ] as the pair that allowed the lowest GAA of the season.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Charnoff |first=Amber |date=April 22, 2024 |title=Hershey Bears goalies win Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/hershey-bears-goalies-win-harry-205305334.html |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> During ] that year, Stevenson mainly acted as a backup for Shepard, playing in just 2 games and recording 9 saves out of 10 as the Hershey Bears went on to win their second consecutive ].<ref name="nhl.com"/><ref name="flohockey"/>


== Career statistics == == Career statistics ==
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== References == == References ==
{{Reflist}} {{Reflist}}

== External links == == External links ==
*Biographical information and career statistics from and *Biographical information and career statistics from and

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stevenson, Clay}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Stevenson, Clay}}
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Latest revision as of 22:44, 20 December 2024

American ice hockey player (born 1999) Ice hockey player
Clay Stevenson
Stevenson with the Hershey Bears in 2024
Born (1999-03-03) March 3, 1999 (age 25)
Drayton Valley, Alberta, Canada
Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Goaltender
Catches Left
NHL team (P)
Cur. team
Washington Capitals
Hershey Bears (AHL)
Playing career 2022–present

Clay Stevenson (born March 3, 1999) is a Canadian ice hockey goaltender currently playing with the Hershey Bears in the AHL while under contract to the Washington Capitals of the NHL. After a 30-win season with the BCHL's Coquitlam Express, Stevenson attended Dartmouth College, where, in his sophomore season, he was named to the All-Ivy First Team and as Dartmouth's team MVP. He then signed with the Washington Capitals and debuted for their ECHL associate, the South Carolina Stingrays, in 2022. The following season, he debuted with the Bears; that season, he recorded an AHL-leading and franchise rookie record 7 shutouts, appeared at the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic, was named Goaltender of the Month in December, and was a co-recipient of the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award.

Early life

Stevenson was born on March 3, 1999, in Drayton Valley, Alberta. He has one older and one younger sister. His parents separated when he was young; he moved to Chilliwack, British Columbia, with his mother, paramedic Holly Stevenson, when he was 16. After years of mental health struggles, Holly killed herself in September 2019. Stevenson credited his mother for supporting his hockey career and pushing him to train as a child, calling her his inspiration to play in the NHL. On his goalie mask, he has his nickname, "Mud", on the front, and a Star of Life on the back as an homage to his mother.

Playing career

Youth

Stevenson played U15 hockey for the Brazeau Parkland Selects before moving to the KIJHL and playing for the 100 Mile House Wranglers. In 25 games with the Wranglers, he posted a 3.12 goals against average (GAA) and a .907 save percentage (SV%). He played in the KIJHL's Top Prospect's Game.

For the 2017–18 season, Stevenson moved to the BCHL, where he played three seasons with the Coquitlam Express. In his first season, he won just 4 games and lost 16 while recording a 3.89 GAA and a .885 SV%. In the 2018–19 season, he improved his record to 14–11 and lowered his GAA to 3.36. Stevenson had a breakout season in 2019–20, posting a record of 30–2 and leading the Express to the Ron Boileau Memorial Trophy, the BCHL's regular season championship. He led the league in GAA with 1.77 and SV% with .936. He was also named a First Team All-Star, Top Goaltender, and one of the BCHL's Top Goaltending Duo. He was not allowed to participate in the playoffs that year due to an NCAA eligibility rule; in order to maintain his eligibility, he could not play junior hockey after turning 21. Without Stevenson, the Express defeated the Langley Rivermen before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the end of the playoffs.

College

After leaving the Express, Stevenson went to Dartmouth for the 2020–21 season. He did not appear in any games as a freshman due to COVID-19. He made his collegiate debut in the 2021–22 season against UConn on October 30, saving 34 out of 36 shots in a 1–4 loss. His first win came seven days later against Colgate, winning 3–2 after saving 29 shots. He stopped 37 shots in his first shutout in a game against Yale on February 12. He finished his lone collegiate hockey season with a losing record of 6–14, but a GAA of 2.70 and a SV% of .922. He was named to the All-Ivy First Team and the All-ECAC Hockey Third Team, and was also named Dartmouth's team MVP.

Professional

After Stevenson's sophomore season, the Washington Capitals offered him a contract. Following months of deliberation with his coaches at Dartmouth and his agent, he decided to accept the offer and leave college, signing a two-year entry level contract worth $1.85 million on March 28, 2022. He spent most of the 2022–23 in the ECHL with the South Carolina Stingrays, a Capitals minor league associate, which he believed was beneficial for his development. Stevenson made his ECHL debut on November 5, 2022, stopping 38 of 40 shots in a 4–2 victory against the Atlanta Gladiators. His first ECHL shutout came on December 3 against the Savannah Ghost Pirates. Stevenson was named ECHL Goaltender of the Week for the week of November 28 – December 4, recording 2 wins, a 0.50 GAA, and a SV% of .984 during that stretch. He finished the season 19–12–3 with a 2.54 GAA and a .916 SV%. He played in five playoff games, where he had a 2-1-2 record with a 2.11 GAA and a .926 SV%. That season, he also made three appearances for the Capitals' AHL associate, the Hershey Bears, posting a 3–0 record with a 1.96 GAA and a .924 SV%.

The Capitals called Stevenson up to the NHL for opening night in October 2023, as starter Darcy Kuemper and AHL starter Hunter Shepard were both unavailable. He did not play in an NHL game, however, and played his first full-time AHL season with the Bears in 2023–24. The Capitals resigned him with a 3-year contract worth $2.325 million in December 2023. Backing up Hunter Shepard for the Hershey Bears, Stevenson finished with a record of 24–10–2, a GAA of 2.06, which was second only to Shepard in the AHL, and a SV% of .922. He tied the Bears' franchise record for shutouts and set the Bears rookie record for shutouts with seven, which also led all AHL goalies. He also set the Bears' record for GAA, surpassing Pheonix Copley's 2.17 GAA from the 2014–15 season. He was named AHL Goaltender of the Month in December 2023 and joined fellow Bears players Ethen Frank and Dylan McIlrath at the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic in February 2024. Stevenson and Shepard combined for 11 shutouts during the season, a Hershey Bears record, and received the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award as the pair that allowed the lowest GAA of the season. During the playoffs that year, Stevenson mainly acted as a backup for Shepard, playing in just 2 games and recording 9 saves out of 10 as the Hershey Bears went on to win their second consecutive Calder Cup.

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP W L OT MIN GA SO GAA SV% GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV%
2012–13 Brazeau Parkland Selects U15 AA NAHL U15 10 7.41 .846
2013–14 Brazeau Parkland Selects U15 AA NAHL U15 15 5.02 .900
2015–16 Chilliwack Chiefs U18 A1 U18 A1
2016–17 100 Mile House Wranglers KIJHL 25 3.12 .907
2017–18 Coquitlam Express BCHL 23 4 16 0 1219 79 0 3.89 .885 3 0 1 91 3 0 1.99 .961
2018–19 Coquitlam Express BCHL 27 14 11 1 1608 90 2 3.36 .889 3 1 2 178 7 1 2.36 .929
2019–20 Coquitlam Express BCHL 35 30 2 2 2067 61 4 1.77 .936
2021–22 Dartmouth College NCAA 23 6 14 2 1334 60 2 2.70 .922
2022–23 South Carolina Stingrays ECHL 36 19 12 3 2056 87 3 2.54 .916 5 2 3 312 11 1 2.11 .926
2022–23 Hershey Bears AHL 3 3 0 0 183 6 0 1.96 .924
2023–24 Hershey Bears AHL 36 24 10 2 2159 74 7 2.06 .922 2 0 0 32 1 0 1.86 .900

References

  1. ^ "Clay Stevenson". NHL. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  2. ^ Bartel, Mario (December 22, 2019). "Despite personal loss, Clay keeps winning". Tri-City News. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  3. ^ Miller, Andrew (March 2, 2023). "SC Stingrays goalie Clay Stevenson has overcome personal tragedy to thrive in rookie season". The Post and Courier. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  4. ^ El-Bashir, Tarik (January 26, 2024). "Capitals prospect Clay Stevenson having record-breaking season". Monumental Sports Network. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  5. ^ "Clay Stevenson". Dartmouth Sports. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  6. Bartel, Mario (December 29, 2023). "Tale of two Coquitlam goalies: Express alum signs new NHL contract, another plays for Canada". Tri-City News. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  7. ^ "Capitals Re-sign Clay Stevenson". Washington Capitals. December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  8. "Clay Stevenson". ECHL. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  9. "Clay Stevenson Named ECHL Goaltender of the Week". South Carolina Stingrays. December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  10. "Capitals Recall Clay Stevenson". Washington Capitals. October 13, 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  11. ^ Williams, Patrick (October 11, 2024). "AHL Season Preview: Yaroslav Askarov And Other Top Goaltenders To Watch". FloHockey. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  12. Charnoff, Amber (March 4, 2024). "Clay Stevenson ties Hershey Bears record for shutouts on 25th birthday". WHTM. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  13. Collins, Dillon (January 21, 2024). "Is Clay Stevenson the Hottest Goalie in the AHL? 24-Year-Old Picks Up League Leading Sixth Shutout, Sets Hershey Record". The Hockey News. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  14. "Weekly Release: Bears Wrap Up 2023-24 Regular Season". Hershey Bears. April 16, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  15. "Clay Stevenson Named AHL Goalie of Month for December". Hershey Bears. January 2, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  16. Silber, Sammi (January 10, 2024). "Capitals' Ethen Frank Will Get Chance To Re-Break Fastest Skater Record As He, Stevenson & McIlrath Punch Tickets To AHL All-Star Classic". The Hockey News. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  17. Collins, Dillon (March 24, 2024). "Hunter Shepard and Clay Stevenson Set New Franchise Record for the Hershey Bears". The Hockey News. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  18. Charnoff, Amber (April 22, 2024). "Hershey Bears goalies win Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved December 20, 2024.

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