WHL Alumni Spotlight: A series of NHL firsts for Stankoven and Rempe conclude month of February

With over 100 graduates currently featured on NHL rosters, the Western Hockey League prides itself as one of the finest development leagues in the World.

By way of the WHL Alumni Spotlight, we aim to highlight notable achievements set by our alumni at the highest level of professional hockey on a week-to-week basis.

This is what our WHL Alumni were up to over the last week.

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Blazers alumni Stankoven celebrates 21st birthday with first NHL goal

What a week it’s been for Kamloops’ very own, Logan Stankoven.

From making his highly-anticipated NHL debut with the Dallas Stars on February 24 to celebrating his birthday by recording his first NHL goal and multi-point night on February 26, the former Kamloops Blazers captain has made the most of his time in the National League. 

FROM WYATT JOHNSTON TO LOGAN STANKOVEN FOR HIS FIRST OF SO MANY @NHL GOALS TO COME! 🚨

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LOGAN STANKOVEN! 🥳 pic.twitter.com/KOuSaAFtk3

— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) February 27, 2024

And, having recently tasted success at the NHL level, Stankoven wasn’t done. The newly minted 21-year-old also recorded his second career goal a mere 24 hours after netting his first. 

It's @LoganStankoven again!

This kid is having a tremendous start to his career. 🌟

📺: @ESPNPlus ➡️ https://t.co/FmPv8M6v1l pic.twitter.com/YxMvvscJSa

— NHL (@NHL) February 28, 2024

Although impressive, none of this comes as a surprise. It’s in Stankoven’s nature to find immediate results no matter the level. After all, it took less than one game in the WHL before Stankoven recorded his first career point. 

Drafted fifth overall by his hometown Kamloops Blazers at the 2019 WHL Prospects Draft, Stankoven soon became a fan-favourite in the Okanagan. In his five-season tenure as a member of the Blazers, Stankoven recorded 260 points (115 goals—145 assists) in 180 regular season games. During his 2021-22 campaign, the homegrown product also recorded his career high in points, collecting 104 (45 goals—59 assists). The century-level feat also led to him being named the WHL’s and CHL’s Player of the Year for the 2021-22 season. Stankoven is also a Brad Hornung Trophy and Doug Wickenheiser Trophy recipient as the WHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player and Humanitarian of the Year, respectively.

Stankoven was selected in the second round, 47th overall by Dallas at the 2021 NHL Draft.

Connor Zary’s youthful exuberance gives Flames edge in Battle of Alberta

At 22 years old, Connor Zary is already leaving his mark on the Calgary Flames. No, he isn’t scoring on a nightly basis yet. But, he’s provided something even more valuable to the club. A good dose of youthful exuberance. 

With two primary assists against the Edmonton Oilers on February 24, Zary paved the way for his club, as the Flames prevailed in the latest rendition of the Battle of Alberta. Zary now has three points (three assists) in his last three appearances.

That pass tho 👀 pic.twitter.com/NTkgAtiNqZ

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) February 25, 2024

Feats like this have been no stranger to the Saskatoon, Sask., native, however. Since his NHL debut with the Flames in November, Zary has consistently energized his teammates with some much-needed sparks as they continue to plug through the regular season. Although in his rookie year, the Kamloops Blazers’ alumni is producing like an NHL regular. In his 48 career starts, Zary has nabbed 29 points (12 goals—17 assists), sits tied for ninth in points among all Flames, and is fifth among all NHL rookies in points.

Before joining the Flames, Zary spent four seasons in Thompson Country as a member of the Blazers, recording 208 points (80 goals—128 assists) in 204 regular season games. Zary was drafted in the first round, 24th overall by the Flames at the 2020 NHL Draft.

Rempe’s first NHL goal helps Rangers tie franchise record

Standing tall at 6-foot-7 and 241 pounds, it’s hard not to notice when New York Rangers’ rookie, Matt Rempe, takes to the ice. Yet, it isn’t just the centre’s size that makes him a frequent talking point in the hockey community. Since making his NHL  debut at the 2024 Stadium Series on February 18, Rempe has continued to find himself in the Rangers’ starting lineup through his hard-nosed, rough-and-tumble style of play. In only five outings with the Rangers, Rempe has already logged his first three fights, including his most recent entry — an instant classic with Philadelphia Flyers’ forward, Nicolas Deslauriers. 

But, Rempe doesn’t just excel at his obvious flair for fisticuffs. Under a tough exterior sits a crafty player capable of taking over key moments in a game. This was evident during his meeting with the Flyers on February 24. With the Rangers’ on the cusp of their record-tying, 10th-straight victory, Rempe stepped up and netted his first career NHL goal, and the eventual game-winner for his club.

No fight this time, just Matt Rempe's first NHL goal 💥 pic.twitter.com/681JeO1Cvf

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 24, 2024

“Probably the ugliest first goal in NHL history, but I’ll take it…”

Matt Rempe is a beauty 🤣

(🎥: @espn) pic.twitter.com/esVHnV9wuq

— BarDown (@BarDown) February 24, 2024

During his time with the Seattle Thunderbirds, Rempe was an invaluable player on an already talented roster. Recording 23 points (17 goals—six assists) in 56 regular season games during his final season, Rempe helped the Thunderbirds reach the 2022 WHL Championship Series. In his 24 post-season appearances, the Calgary, Alta., native collected 12 points (eight goals—four assists).

Going undrafted in the WHL Prospects Draft, Rempe was selected in the sixth round, 165th overall to the New York Rangers at the 2020 NHL Draft.

Former ICE teammates Benson and Krebs finding chemistry in Buffalo

For the Buffalo Sabres, chemistry among their budding stars is key for the future of their franchise. 

For WHL alumni and teammates Peyton Krebs and Zach Benson, chemistry is also key for early success in their careers. 

Lucky for both parties, chemistry is exactly what Benson and Krebs found when they were reunited as linemates on the Sabres’ middle-six forward pairings in mid-February. Looking for additional ways to bolster the team’s offensive output, Sabres head coach Don Granato hoped to ignite a spark by pairing the ICE graduates on the same line — and it worked. In their first four games as Sabres’ linemates, 18-year-old Benson has recorded three points (one goal—two assists), while 23-year-old Krebs recorded his first point (one assist) after going pointless in his previous five games. The Sabres have also posted a record of 3-1 since pairing the duo together. 

ZACH BENSON, YOU BEAUTY pic.twitter.com/IOGXe8zmIl

— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) February 14, 2024

Benson, who spent three seasons as a member of the Winnipeg ICE, has spent the entirety of the 2023-24 season with the Sabres and is just one of two WHL alumni (Connor Bedard / Chicago Blackhawks) who made the jump to the NHL after being selected at the 2023 NHL Draft in June. In his rookie season in Buffalo, Benson has already recorded 18 points (six goals—12 assists) in 47 games and is in the top 20 in points among all NHL rookies. At the WHL level, Benson played in 142 regular season games with the ICE, recording 181 points (71 goals—110 assists). 

Much like his Sabres teammate, Peyton Krebs also spent parts of five seasons with the ICE. During this, Krebs collected 231 points (62 goals—169 assists) in 199 appearances. Following the 2020-21 WHL Season, Krebs was awarded the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as the WHL’s Player of the Year and the Bobby Clarke Trophy for most WHL points, with 43 (13 goals—30 assists).