Stankoven's Spark Comes At The Right Time For Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. - Seven months ago, Logan Stankoven was simply "excited about the opportunity" ahead of him.

Set to make the full-time switch to center for the first time in his pro career as the Carolina Hurricanes opened training camp, the then-22-year-old knew diligent work would be needed to fulfill his potential as a pivot. Still, he was eager to return to the role in which he found so much success as an amateur.

Stankoven's confidence, as expected, was tested throughout the 82-game campaign. There were stretches where he couldn't buy a goal, going as many as 14 games without lighting the lamp. But a look beyond the box score revealed that was starting to find his stride, particularly at even strength.

By the end of the regular season, more power-play opportunities and a bit more puck luck had Stankoven on a heater. Seven goals and 11 points in his final eight regular-season games preceded a franchise first in the playoffs: goals in each of the first four games of a postseason, as he and his line served as the main offensive catalysts of a first-round sweep for the Canes.

"There's [been] a couple spurts where things weren't going in. I was having the chances, but the puck just wasn't going in. Now, it's nice to see that they are going in," said Stankoven. "I think it's just [a result of] learning the game and growing as a player. There's ups and downs, but I think I've been able to stick with it. Kudos to my teammates for making great plays as well, we're just kind of all meshing well right now."

“That’s how he’s played all year," echoed Head Coach Rod Brind'Amour. The puck wasn’t going in there for a long stretch, but it was chance after chance. Now, the law of averages is working in his favor here. It’s the right time to be having that happen.”

Many of those aforementioned "great plays" have come off the stick of linemate Taylor Hall, who leads the team with seven points in the playoffs thus far. Hall, a 16-year veteran and former NHL MVP, has just 20 more playoff games under his belt than Stankoven, but still knows from experience that the little things are what dictate wins and losses in the postseason.

Reviewing the performance of the man in the middle of his line with Jackson Blake, it's telling that Hall is quick to praise the details of Stankoven's game. 

"(Stankoven's) been awesome. I think, if you look back at how he played the last 10, 15 games of the regular season, our line was clicking pretty well. He had so many chances all year long, and when you start to see some pucks go in, it just makes you feel better," said Hall.

"But it's the other stuff, too. We weren't on for a goal against all series, and he's our centerman; he's the guy down low doing the work. So it's not just the goals, it's a 200-foot game that him and our line has done pretty well."

Whether he's forcing turnovers in his own end or opening the scoring in three straight playoff contests at the other — a feat no NHLer had achieved to start a postseason since the league was comprised of just six teams — Stankoven is beginning to blossom into the player the Canes foresaw when they inked him to an eight-year extension after just 34 games with the club.

"The last time I talked to (the media) was after the trade deadline, when I got asked if we were comfortable with him. I described then, we felt like that line had been controlling play all year long, he was producing a lot at 5-on-5, he just wasn't getting a lot of power-play time, so the overall point total hadn't shown up," said Hurricanes General Manager Eric Tulsky after Game 2 of the series. "Since then, he's gotten more power-play time, and we've seen more shots go in because sometimes that happens. You knew this was in him."

Part of the knock against Stankoven, at least from those who haven't watched him play, is his size. Listed at 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds, he lacks the traditional build of a star NHL center. But it doesn't take long to see that his game boasts more heart and energy than many of those six inches taller or 60 pounds heavier.

"People worry a lot about his height, but in the end, it's about how hard you fight, and he wins as many puck battles as anyone," continued Tulsky. "He's been great for us; he drags a lot of people into the fight and makes us harder to play against."

Naturally, Stankoven has had to defy doubters at every step of his hockey journey. After being selected in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft, he went on to win both the WHL and CHL Player of the Year Awards in 2021-22. Turning pro two seasons later, he captured the AHL's Rookie of the Year title in 2023-24 before becoming a full-time NHLer the following year.

Of course, none of that happens without a tireless dedication to expanding his skill set. Regularly one of the last to leave the ice after practice, Stankoven's work ethic is the backbone of his success and has endeared him to his teammates in the NHL.

"He's a little pitbull," said defenseman Sean Walker. "The way he gets after the puck, chases it down, works his ass off, and then his skill takes over, too. I don't know if you want to say he's mature beyond his years because he is young. He loves the game, and he works so hard, he's got a motor that never stops. Obviously, he's been really huge for us this series, and we're going to look to lean on him the rest of the playoffs."

Parallels can be drawn between Stankoven's ongoing development and that of Sebastian Aho, who similarly switched to center early in his career under Brind'Amour's tutelage. In the nearly 10 years since Aho's move to the middle, the Finn has become one of the standout two-way players in the NHL, a perennial leading scorer on his team while still being relied upon in crucial defensive scenarios.

That journey, however, will not always take a smooth path, something Stankoven certainly knows after his first full season at the position. But after putting one foot in front of the other since September, the last month has been a welcome boon for the work he's put in behind the scenes.

"It always takes time. That's the one thing I've known because I've been around this for a long time. When you put a guy in that position, it's going to take time. If they have that willingness to do it and stick with it, they'll get it. Sebastian did, and I think Logan will too," said Brind'Amour, noting that Stankoven's biggest learning curve has been picking up the nuances of faceoffs at the NHL level.

"It's hard, when you've never really been taught it, and you're thrown to the wolves," he continued. "But if you have a willingness to do it, and both of those guys do, you'll be alright."

With Round 1 in the rearview, Stankoven and Co. are hoping their sweep of the Ottawa Senators is just the beginning of a lifelong memory. Twelve more wins stand between the group and the elusive Stanley Cup, and the work only gets harder from here.

But hard work has never scared the kid from Kamloops, and if his first-round performance is any indicator, this step into the spotlight won't be his last.

"I think a lot of it is just confidence," said Stankoven following Saturday's series-clincher. "When you feel good about your preparation and what you've done to get to where I am today, it's a great feeling, and it goes to show that hard work pays off."