Clay Stevenson

Lore & Background

Stevenson played youth hockey for the Brazeau Parkland Selects and later the 100 Mile House Wranglers of the KIJHL. He moved to the BCHL's Coquitlam Express for three seasons, culminating in a 30–2 record in 2019–20, leading the league in goals against average (1.77) and save percentage (.936). He was named a First Team All-Star and Top Goaltender. Due to NCAA eligibility rules, he could not play in the playoffs that year. He then attended Dartmouth College, where his freshman season was canceled due to COVID-19. In his sophomore season, he posted a 6–14 record but a .922 save percentage, earning All-Ivy First Team and team MVP honors. He signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Washington Capitals in March 2022. He spent most of the 2022–23 season with the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays, posting a 19–12–3 record, before making three appearances for the Hershey Bears. In 2023–24, he played full-time for the Bears, recording a 24–10–2 record, a 2.06 GAA, and a .922 save percentage. He tied the Bears' franchise record for shutouts and set the rookie record with seven, leading the AHL. He was named AHL Goaltender of the Month in December 2023 and appeared at the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic. He and Hunter Shepard shared the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award for lowest team GAA. He made his NHL debut on April 17, 2025, allowing five goals on 38 shots in a loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Reader's Guide

Clay Stevenson's significance lies in his rapid ascent through the Capitals' minor league system, highlighted by a record-setting 2023–24 AHL season. His seven shutouts as a rookie tied a Hershey Bears franchise record and led all AHL goaltenders, while his 2.06 GAA was second only to his teammate Hunter Shepard. The pair's combined 11 shutouts set a Bears record, earning them the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award. Stevenson's performance earned him AHL Goaltender of the Month honors and an All-Star selection. His development path included a season in the ECHL, which he credited as beneficial. Off the ice, his personal story—including his mother's suicide in 2019 and his tribute to her via a Star of Life on his goalie mask—adds depth to his profile. His NHL debut in April 2025, though a loss, was described by the Capitals head coach as "fantastic." Stevenson's trajectory from junior hockey through college to professional success underscores his resilience and potential as a future NHL goaltender.

Did You Know?

• Stevenson's mother, Holly, was a paramedic; he has a Star of Life on his goalie mask in her memory.
• He led the BCHL in goals against average (1.77) and save percentage (.936) in 2019–20.
• He set a Hershey Bears rookie record with seven shutouts in the 2023–24 season.

Early Life & Personal Tragedy

Clay Stevenson was born on March 3, 1999, in Drayton Valley, Alberta, the middle child between an older and younger sister. His parents separated when he was still young, and at age sixteen he relocated to Chilliwack, British Columbia, to live with his mother, Holly Stevenson, who worked as a paramedic. Holly was the driving force behind his early hockey development, pushing him to train as a child and championing his path toward the NHL. That bond was tragically severed in September 2019, when Holly, after years of mental health struggles, took her own life. Stevenson has credited his mother with supporting his hockey career and called her his inspiration to play in the NHL. The loss is permanently visible on his equipment: his goalie mask bears his nickname "Mud" on the front and a Star of Life symbol on the back, a quiet tribute to the mother who pushed him to train and supported his hockey dreams from the very start.

Junior & College Development

Stevenson's junior career began in the KIJHL with the 100 Mile House Wranglers, where in 25 games he posted a 3.12 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage, earning a spot in the league's Top Prospects Game. He then moved to the BCHL's Coquitlam Express for three seasons. After a rough first year (4-16, 3.89 GAA) and a solid second (14-11, 3.36 GAA), his 2019-20 campaign was a breakout: a 30-2 record, league-leading 1.77 GAA and .936 save percentage, First Team All-Star honors, and the Ron Boileau Memorial Trophy for the regular-season championship. He was barred from the playoffs by an NCAA eligibility rule tied to his age. Stevenson then enrolled at Dartmouth College, where a pandemic-shortened freshman year meant no games. His lone collegiate season in 2021-22 saw him post a 6-14 record but a 2.70 GAA and .922 save percentage, earning All-Ivy First Team, All-ECAC Third Team, and Dartmouth's team MVP honors.

Professional Breakthrough in Hershey

After months of deliberation with his Dartmouth coaches and agent, Stevenson signed a two-year entry-level contract worth $1.85 million with the Washington Capitals on March 28, 2022. He spent the 2022-23 season primarily with the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays, finishing 19-12-3 with a 2.54 GAA, before making three appearances for the AHL's Hershey Bears to a 3-0 record. The 2023-24 season was his true breakout. Backing up Hunter Shepard, he posted a 24-10-2 record with a 2.06 GAA—second only to Shepard in the entire AHL—and a .922 save percentage. He tied the Bears' franchise record and set their rookie mark with seven shutouts, which also led all AHL goaltenders. He surpassed Pheonix Copley's 2014-15 franchise GAA mark. Named AHL Goaltender of the Month in December and selected for the 2024 All-Star Classic, he and Shepard shared the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award for the league's lowest combined GAA. In the Calder Cup playoffs, he played two games, saving nine of ten shots as Hershey won their second consecutive championship.

NHL Debut & Current Chapter

Stevenson was first called up to the NHL roster for opening night in October 2023, when both Darcy Kuemper and Hunter Shepard were unavailable, though he did not see game action. His actual NHL debut came on April 17, 2025, against the Pittsburgh Penguins. In that start, he allowed five goals on 38 shots in a 2-5 loss, yet Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery still described his performance as "fantastic." The Capitals had already committed to his development by re-signing him to a three-year, $2.325 million deal in December 2023. On February 11, 2026, Stevenson was sent back down to the Hershey Bears. Then, on September 28, 2026, the Winnipeg Jets claimed him off waivers, marking a new chapter in his professional journey. From a small-town kid in Drayton Valley to an NHL goaltender with a Star of Life on his mask, Stevenson's path has been defined as much by personal loss as by athletic excellence.

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