He played junior hockey with the Barrie Colts and the Mississauga IceDogs from 2001 to 2004. That was when he got his reputation as an enforcer. Undrafted by any NHL team, Stokes joined the Pensacola Ice Pilots for the 2004-05 season. That got him signed as a free agent by the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League. Stokes spent most of the 2009-10 season with the Toledo Walleye. He played 29 games for the Toronto Marlies under a try-out contract.