Birmingham’s Hayden Stewart named Warrior Hockey SPHL Player of the Week

HUNTERSVILLE, NC (February 24, 2026) – The SPHL announced today that Hayden Stewart of the Birmingham Bulls has been named Warrior Hockey SPHL Player of the Week for February 16-22.

Stewart went 3-0-0 for the Bulls, posting a 1.00 goals against average, a 0.968 save percentage, and one shutout in helping the Bulls move to 5-0-1 in their last six games by sweeping Huntsville and Knoxville last week.

In their Presidents Day matchup against the Havoc on Monday, Stewart recorded his 12th career SPHL shutout by stopping all 38 Huntsville shots in the Bulls’ 2-0 win. On Friday, Stewart made 24 of 25 Knoxville shots in leading Birmingham to a 5-1 win. Stewart closed out his week by making 28 saves in a 5-2 win over the Ice Bears. With the win, Birmingham extended their record to a league-best 7-2-1 over their last 10 games.

Now in his eighth professional season and sixth with Birmingham, the Rockford, IL native became the first goaltender in SPHL history to score a goal when he shot the puck into the empty net in the Bulls’ 3-0 win over Evansville on March 18, 2023. With his 24 appearances this season, Stewart has moved into third place in career games by a goaltender, trailing only Peter di Salvo and Austyn Roudebush.

Honorable Mention: Quad City’s Devin Sanders, who became the seventh player in SPHL history to score five goals in a game. Sanders tied the record and added an assist in an 8-1 win over Roanoke on Saturday.

Other nominees for Warrior Hockey Player of the Week: Trey Fechko, Fayetteville (3 gp, 2g, 2a), Josh Kestner, Huntsville (3 gp, 1g, 2a), Josh Boyko, Macon (2-0-0, 2.00 gaa, 0.952 save%), Sam Rhodes, Pensacola (2 gp, 2g), Nick Latinovich, Peoria (0-2-0, 2.57 gaa, 0.912 save%), and Matt Dorsey, Roanoke (3 gp, 3g, 1a, hat trick)