Since 1923, Davos has hosted the annual Spengler Cup Hockey Tournament, a showcase of international hockey talent. Today, it is one of the most prestigious sporting events in Europe.
The 2025 Spengler Cup was the first to invite a Collegiate Selects team from the United States. The roster consisted of 25 all-star players from 14 NCAA Division I men’s programs across the country. This year, the Big Green’s own Hayden Stavroff ’28 was one of the first six roster picks for the tournament.
Stavroff led the country in goals last season with 22 and earned several titles, including Eastern College Athletic Conference Hockey Player of the Year and Ivy League Ice Hockey Player of the Year. His long list of accolades made his selection for the Cup no surprise.
In an interview with The Dartmouth, Stavroff expressed his excitement at being selected to play in the tournament.
“It feels good to be selected. I’ve never really represented the U.S. or anything like that, so it’s nice to get the nod,” he said.
Stavroff attributed his successful hockey career so far to making “a lot of sacrifices” and “consistently buying in and getting better” his personal training. He added that the Dartmouth coaches “do a good job preparing us for anything that comes at us.”
“I think it [the Spengler Cup] will be good,” Stavroff said.
Big Green defensemen and senior captain CJ Foley ’27, who played hockey with Stavroff five years ago on Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the British Columbia Hockey League before the pair reunited at Dartmouth, described Stavroff as “one of the best players in the country.”
“He has developed so much,” Foley said. “Hayden is a presence in the locker room and on the ice…the boys rally behind him.” He also highlighted Stavroff’s unique shot and release as a key part of his skill.
Head coach Reid Cashman, who coached at Division I Quinnipiac University and the Washington Capitals of the NHL prior to coming to Dartmouth, said he looks to “bring in kids who have high character, high competition, and high hockey IQ” when recruiting. Stavroff fits right into this mold, he explained.
“It’s been fun to coach Stavroff. He’s a great personality to be around in the rink and has a really high hockey IQ,” Cashman said.
Cashman also emphasized the differences between coaching professional and collegiate players.
“We want to win and find success, but there’s also a massive development component to [collegiate hockey players] both on and off the ice, and I really enjoy that part of my job,” Cashman said.
As for his hopes going into the tournament, Stavroff said he is going into it with the same mentality he always does. The U.S. Collegiate Selects Team were runner ups at the tournament last season. Winning this year is “always the goal,” Stavroff said.
