Logan Stankoven has emerged as one of the NHL’s premier young stars amid 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 out of the preseason and was buried in the American Hockey League (AHL) for most of the season due to Dallas’ immense forward depth. Since his NHL debut on Feb. 24, he has dominated, showcasing his potential for becoming a superstar.
How Did Stankoven Get Here?
Heading into the 2021 NHL Draft, Stankoven was regarded as one of the most skilled draft prospects. He is an elite skater who is unafraid to drive towards the net. His hands are amongst the best in hockey and he uses them to make ridiculous passes and score from impossible angles. As a draft-eligible prospect, there was one characteristic that held him back; his size.
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Stankoven is just 5-foot-8, a cause for concern for many teams. This is a mistake that teams have continuously made in recent seasons with prospects such as Cole Caufield, Alex DeBrincat, and Johnny Gaudreau. While Stankoven’s size is noticeable, it does not hinder his play. He is strong with the puck and plays a physical game, looking stronger than the majority of NHL players. He is a player who improves each game and plays each shift as if it is his last.
In a Perfect Situation
After spending his first two seasons in the Stars organization as captain of the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL), Stankoven joined Dallas’ AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars. This was attributed to prioritizing development at the professional level and a lack of space for him in the NHL. Dallas’ management wanted him to get acclimated to the more physically demanding style of hockey in the NHL while also making sure he would get plenty of ice time to learn and develop. Early on in his AHL stint, it became clear that he was ready for the NHL.
When developing prospects, it is important to prioritize putting them in an environment where they can learn how to fight adversity without getting punished for their mistakes. This is typically on non-competitive teams since sending out a player who makes a lot of errors for 25 or more shifts a game is not a recipe for success. However, this was not the case for Stankoven who earned a prominent role in Texas’ top six and powerplay. Texas was one of the better teams in the AHL before his call-up, allowing him to see what it was like to be on a competitive team while also maintaining a prominent role. Now in the NHL, he is using his experience to his advantage.
Stankoven’s NHL Journey
During Stankoven’s 24 regular season NHL games, he scored six goals and 14 points, playing just under 15 minutes a game. This is more than what 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. To have players like Jamie Benn, Matt Duchene, and Tyler Seguin frequenting a third line is utterly ridiculous, creating a situation where Stankoven would be playing with elite talent regardless of his spot in the lineup. As well, Dallas has relied on Stankoven without mismanaging his development, allowing him to ease his way into the NHL.
Moving forward, Stankoven will remain a lineup regular in Dallas’ playoff run but also maintain rookie eligibility status for the 2023-24 season since he played just 24 regular season games this past season. He will also get a full training camp and preseason to gain chemistry with the NHL team, and likely earn a concrete role in the top-six and powerplay while playing alongside young, elite-level talent such as Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston. The situation for Stankoven is perfect, and the stars have aligned to create a pathway of limitless potential for the rising star.
