Ryan Stanton is a man on a mission in his third season in the American Hockey League.
The assistant captain with the Rockford IceHogs is enjoying a career campaign in his contract year as a rock-solid defenceman with the Chicago Blackhawks’ farm team.
“Obviously it’s a pretty big year. Hopefully I will be able to sign a deal after the season but it all depends on my play and what the organization wants,” Stanton told the Gazette on Christmas Eve while visiting family and friends in St. Albert. “Obviously there is 29 other NHL teams and right now I’m getting a lot of exposure. There is lots of NHL GMs and coaches at each game so there is no nights to be taking off.”
Going into the holiday break the former bantam AAA Sabre and midget AAA Raider was Rockford’s leading plus-minus defenceman at plus-seven, was tied for third among blueliners on the team in points with nine assists in 30 games and compliled a robust 58 penalty minutes.
“I think I’m improving as the year has gone on. It’s my third year in the league now so I’ve got more confidence,” Stanton said. “I’m playing lots. I’m kind of playing that shutdown role. I’m probably playing 20-plus minutes a night. I’m playing against the other team’s top lines and lots of penalty kill so I can’t complain.”
Stanton, 23, signed a three-year entry-level contract with Blackhawks as a free agent after four Western Hockey League seasons with the Moose Jaw Warriors.
The St. Albert Catholic High School graduate made his Rockford debut in 2010 after Moose Jaw lost its opening playoff round and saw action in two regular season games, where he picked up an assist, and dressed for two playoff games.
Since then, Stanton has been a mainstay on the Rockford defence and hasn’t missed a game since Feb. 26, 2011, an ironman streak of 128 games.
“It went pretty smoothly from junior but there is always quite a bit of change from even the off-ice stuff – living on your own, cooking for yourself, doing laundry, paying bills, stuff like that. It was a big change,” Stanton said. “On the ice it’s definitely different playing against guys who are 35 years old and guys who are bigger, stronger type of thing. It’s all a matter of a confidence. If you believe in your ability I think pretty much any guy in that league is going to be pretty successful.”
Stanton was recognized as Rockford’s most improved player in 2011 and its top defenceman last season. In 181 games, the six-foot-two, 210-pound rearguard registered six goals, 38 assists and 264 penalty minutes.
“I started playing more and more as each year has gone on,” said Stanton, who was bypassed in the WHL bantam draft and NHL entry draft. “I came in and I kind of had to develop a role for myself. In junior, my last year there, I put up more points (10 goals, 30 assists in 59 games), but I realized at the next level my role was probably going to have to change a bit, blocking shots and hard to play against for the other teams, and I’ve had a similar role all three years.”
The NHL lockout didn’t stop Stanton from raising his game to new heights.
“It was definitely weird leaving so late and not going to Chicago’s camp. You’re geared up for Chicago’s camp, but obviously we didn’t have it, but Rockford had a camp right away and that was competitive,” Stanton said. “It’s tough not knowing if there is no NHL but the American league is great and it’s done nothing but help my game out. It’s been good and I’ve just got to keep improving as the year goes on.”
The calibre of competition in the American league is higher than ever.
“The lockout has been good for the league. It’s real competitive, there is more fans and there has been a little bit more exposure for each team,” Stanton said. “It’s definitely a skilled league this year. There is no bad game and no easy game. It’s interesting but it’s making it fun.
“Realistically, almost any guy on each team could play in the NHL or will eventually play in the NHL or has played in the NHL before. There is NHL skill in the league for sure. Obviously there is not the superstars like the Crosbys but some of the third and fourth liners who are playing in the NHL could easily be guys on the first and second lines down in the American league,” Stanton added. “It’s just a matter of getting an opportunity. You’ve got to start somewhere type thing as a young guy. Lots of guys just got to put a lot of work in the American league and hopefully one day make it to the NHL.”
Rockford (15-13-1-1), located on both banks of the Rock River in northern Illinois and in close driving range of the bright lights of Chicago, is thriving during the NHL lockout. Prior to Christmas, Rockford was ranked second in the western conference’s midwest division.
“We’re one of the youngest teams in the league but it’s definitely probably the most skilled team of the three years I’ve been there,” Stanton said. “Obviously with the NHL lockout there is four or five guys who quite possibly could be up in the NHL this year.”
Rockford was two points behind the first-place Grand Rapids Griffins (16-9-1-1) in a five-team division where six points separated the top and bottom clubs.
“We’re right there points-wise. It’s a real tight division we’re in and it’s just a matter of putting together a streak here and hopefully jump ahead of the pack and give ourselves a good shot to make playoffs. Hopefully we finish in a spot where we can have some home ice advantage in playoffs,” Stanton said.
One of his season highlights was being named an assistant captain.
“It’s definitely cool. There is lots of leaders on the team so it’s definitely an honour to be wearing it for the team,” said the power hitter for the St. Albert Brew Jays in the St. Albert Men’s Slowpitch Association.
Another noteworthy event was winning a Dec. 15 fight with Zach Stortini of the Hamilton Bulldogs. He had issues with the former Edmonton Oilers’ enforcer, stemming from a bench-clearing brawl April 1 with the Milwaukee Admirals.
Away from the rink, Stanton talks every day to his brother Ty, a lanky defenceman in his first WHL season with the Medicine Hat Tigers. Both were 17-year-olds when they broke into the WHL.
“He’s pretty good, probably better than me,” said the proud older brother.
