Logan Stankoven: From Blazers Superstar to NHL Rising Talent
By Colton Davies – Follow Colton on X
Logan Stankoven was dealt in a blockbuster trade on Friday, with the Dallas Stars sending him to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Mikko Rantanen. Stankoven called the move “shocking, but that’s part of the business.” Soon after the trade, new linemate and fellow WHL alum Seth Jarvis gave him a call to welcome him to Raleighwood.
Just 48 hours before the trade, I spoke with Stankoven over the phone as we reminisced about his time in Kamloops and the days when he donned the Blazers’ blue and orange.
Looking back on his “welcome to the WHL moment,” Stankoven recalled a tiebreaker game between the Blazers and the Kelowna Rockets. “I think the tiebreaker game was pretty surreal. That was a pretty exciting game to be a part of and to experience. Those don’t happen too often,” he said. At the time, Stankoven was just 16, and Kamloops won that game, sending them to the WHL Playoffs against the Victoria Royals.
When I spoke to Dallas Stars Director of Amateur Scouting Joe McDonnell for an article for Daily Faceoff in 2022, he said, “Stankoven’s like a pit bull. At that size, you have to have something that stands out and he had two things that made him stand out and one was elite skill level, and the compete level.”
Well, Stankoven’s years in Kamloops were filled with glory, especially the season following COVID, where he scored 45 goals and tallied 104 points in 55 games. “I felt like that was the year I took the biggest step,” Stankoven said. “During COVID, I put in a lot of work to improve certain areas of my game, and I really noticed it that year. Post-draft was when I started putting all the pieces together.” Stankoven earned him WHL and CHL Player of the Year honours that campaign.
One of his favourite moments from the 2023 Memorial Cup was a game against the Peterborough Petes. “The way that game went, we came out with lots of energy, were physical, and got the fans into it early with a few quick goals. It was our only win of the tournament, but I’m sure that was a highlight for a lot of us.”
Reflecting on the Memorial Cup, he appreciated what it meant for Kamloops. “Kamloops isn’t a huge town and usually doesn’t get much media attention, but with a big event like that, with TSN covering it and all the games on TV, it was pretty surreal,” Stankoven said. “Honestly, I wish I could go back and experience it again. It was nothing but fun for me.” Stankoven still keeps in contact with plenty of players on that roster, he said.
The former Blazer is also a proud Canadian, calling his back-to-back World Junior gold medals one of his greatest honours. “Just getting to represent the country twice and winning gold twice, that doesn’t happen often.” Stankoven was also named a top player on the roster in both tournaments.
When discussing his season in Dallas at the time, Stankoven acknowledged the challenges he was facing. “I was scratched a few games ago, so there have been a lot of ups and downs. I’m just trying to learn, grow, and be a sponge—taking everything in, listening to what the coaches say, and working on being a more consistent player.” In Dallas, he had racked up nine goals and 20 assists for 29 points in 59 games.
One player he leaned on for advice in Dallas was veteran Matt Duchene. “A guy who constantly shares advice is Duchene,” Stankoven said. “He’s so gifted offensively and a really fun player to watch. He possesses the puck so well.”
Despite his busy NHL schedule, Stankoven still follows the Blazers closely though. “Yeah, I’ve been following along pretty closely through the WHL App. They’re just a few points out of the playoffs, so it’d be great to see them track those teams down and squeak in.” Kamloops has just seven games remaining on the season.
While Stankoven’s time in Kamloops has ended, his connection to the city as a hometown product remains strong. For now, his focus shifts to Raleigh, where he is set to make his Hurricanes debut on Sunday against the Winnipeg Jets.
