Logan Stankoven has emerged as one of the NHL's best young stars amidst his recent success. Heading into the season, he was a highly touted prospect who was expected to make an immediate impact on the Dallas Stars roster. However, he failed to make the NHL roster from the preseason and was buried in the American Hockey League (AHL) for most of the season due to the size of the Dallas forward. Since his NHL debut on February 24th, he has been dominant and has shown he has the potential to become a superstar.
How did Stankoven get here?
Heading into the 2021 NHL Draft, Stankoven was considered one of the most skilled draft prospects. He is an elite skater and runs towards the net without fear. His hands are some of the best in hockey, and he uses them to make outrageous passes and score from impossible angles. He had one characteristic that held him back as a draft candidate. his size.
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Stankoven is only 5 feet 8 inches tall, which is a concern for many teams. It's a mistake that prospects like Cole Caufield, Alex DeBrincat and Johnny Gaudreau have made repeatedly over the past few seasons. Stankoven's size is noticeable, but not so much that it interferes with his play. He's strong with the puck, plays a physical game, and looks stronger than the majority of his NHL players. He's a guy who gets better every game and plays each shift like it's his last.
in perfect circumstances
After spending his first two seasons in the Stars organization as captain of the Kamloops Blazers in the Western Hockey League (WHL), Stankoven joined Dallas' AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars. This is attributed to prioritizing his development at the professional level and the lack of space for him in the NHL. Dallas management wanted to allow him to acclimate to the NHL's more physically demanding style of hockey while also allowing him enough ice time for his learning and development. Early on in his AHL stint it became clear that he was ready for his NHL.
When prospecting, it's important to prioritize putting them in an environment where they can learn how to fight adversity without being blamed for their mistakes. This is usually done in non-competitive teams. Because sending a player who makes a lot of mistakes to more than 25 shifts is not the recipe for success. But that wasn't the case for Stankoven, who played a key role in Texas' top six and power play. The Texans were one of the better teams in the AHL prior to his call-up, and he was able to see what it's like to be on a competitive team while maintaining an important role. Now he's using his experience in the NHL.
Stankoven's NHL journey
Stankoven appeared in 24 NHL regular season games, scoring six goals and 14 points in just under 15 minutes per game. That's more than most young NHL forwards get in their rookie season, but it was clear he could play more. However, his limited role was a result of Dallas' elite forward core. Having players like Jamie Benn, Matt Duchene, and Tyler Seguin so often on the third line is completely ridiculous and creates a situation where Stankoven plays with elite talent regardless of their position in the lineup. ing. Similarly, Dallas had the confidence in Stankoven's management of his development to ease his path to the NHL.
Stankoven will remain a regular in Dallas' playoff games going forward, but he will also maintain rookie eligibility for the 2023-24 season since he played in just 24 regular-season games last season. He also had a solid training camp and preseason to improve his chemistry with NHL teams, playing alongside young, elite-level talent like Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston while also earning a spot in the top six. He is likely to get a specific role on the power play. The situation was perfect for Stankoven, with the stars aligning to create a pathway to limitless potential for the rising star.
