Hard work and an up-and-down path led men’s hockey forward Hayden Hulton to an opportunity with the Carleton Ravens back in 2014.
“It’s been a long and hard road for me,” Hulton said. “I didn’t take the easy way anywhere.”
His hockey journey reads like many others. Growing up a hockey crazy kid, on a horse farm outside of Kingston, Ont.
“I can’t remember it, but I was told that as soon as I could walk, I was put on skates and on the ice,” Hulton said. “I was always going to the rink either to watch my dad play or my brother play, or other family members. I instantly fell in love with the game and am still in love with the game.”
Things started for the 25-year-old in Kingston with the Greater Kingston Frontenacs at the triple A level before a year in junior C with the Amherstview Jets before finally landing with the Brockville Braves of the Central Canadian Hockey League (CCHL). He spent three seasons with the Braves and was named captain in his final year.
During his last season with the Braves, his future was up in the air. Hulton said he was focused on trying to play in the NCAA until he was met by Ryan Medel, the assistant coach of Carleton’s men’s hockey team at the time, after a game in Kanata.
“Ryan Medel came down to the dressing room and talked to me,” Hulton said. “He said that him and (former head coach Marty Johnson) were looking at me. They thought I was going to be a bit of a project and wouldn’t step in right away and play. They thought I had potential to be an impact player eventually for Carleton.”
Hulton made the decision to join the Ravens, knowing that nothing was going to be guaranteed.
“I was very happy to join Carleton. It’s close to home. I knew the reputation of the coaching staff and the program and the school. I thought it would be a great fit for me personally and for my hockey career as well,” he said.
Hulton said he came into the first year not really knowing what to expect and found the level of play to be eye-opening.
“I probably wasn’t ready coming in, but the coaching staff spent extra time with me to help me with my skills,” Hulton said on his first year. “When I had the opportunity to show the coaching staff what I had they fell in love with my work ethic, my attitude, and all the little things I do right.”
Though he wasn’t guaranteed a spot on the team or ice time in his first season, Hulton ended up playing in 21 games and registering five points.
In the next two seasons, he put up 14 points and six goals, but after scoring a goal against the UQTR Patriotes on February 18, 2017, he started a goal drought that would last until February 24, 2019 where he scored an important goal in a 4-3 overtime win over McGill University.
“Mentally, it got a little tough knowing I hadn’t scored in so long,” Hulton said on the drought. “As long as we are winning games I’m not concerned about my own stats. It’s always nice to be the hero and contribute offensively as much as you can.”
After beating McGill and advancing in the playoffs to play Queen’s University in the next round, things took a rough turn for Hulton. He injured his ankle early in game one. Not thinking it was that bad, he played through and finished the game.
The next day, the swelling had gone up to the point that he could barely walk. Hulton hobbled his way into the coach’s office to say he was good to go for game two.
“They kind of looked at me like I had two heads, but they gave me the opportunity,” Hulton said.
Hulton took the ice for warm-up for game two against Queen’s but realized playing wasn’t going to be possible.
“After I came off from warmup and took off all my gear, the emotions really hit me. My career is over at Carleton. I felt like I was letting my teammates down.” Hulton said.
He was forced to sit out and watch as his team rallied through the rest of the playoffs to an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Bronze medal.
But, despite his initial feelings, Hulton knew he had to find a way to help his team off the ice.
“I just tried to stay positive,” he said. “I just had to switch my mentality from caring and being upset about my injury to what else can I do to help the team while I’m not on the ice. I started focusing on watching the game from the stands and helping guys from the stands and talking to the coaching staff about things I saw.”
Hulton leaves Carleton after five years and hopes to follow in the footsteps of former men’s hockey captains Joey West, Damian Cross, Michael McNamee and Brett Welychka, and play pro hockey next year whether it be in Europe or in North America.
“Nothing set in stone yet,” he said. “Wherever the road takes me. I’d love to stay involved. I have put so much effort into the game and it’s such a big part of my life.”
Photo by Tim Austen
