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Kamloops native Logan Stankoven drafted 47th overall by Dallas Stars in 2021 NHL Draft

Victor Kaisar
Jul 24, 2021 | 9:23 AM


Kamloops native Logan Stankoven drafted 47th overall by Dallas Stars in 2021 NHL Draft

Photo via Dallas Stars

It took longer than he would have liked but Kamloops native Logan Stankoven will be a part of the Dallas Stars organization after he was drafted 47th overall in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft.

A potential late-first round pick, Stankoven had to wait until day two of the draft to hear his name called by the Stars, a team that is owned by Blazers majority co-owner Tom Gaglardi.

“I think a lot of kids dream of some day playing in the NHL, but obviously that doesn’t happen for every kid, but for me, I just wanted to stay focused and make sure I was doing something to better my game,” Stankoven said, in an interview with the NHL Network.

“Being able to play in Kamloops, in my hometown, has been pretty special and to now fast forward a few years, I guess, and to now be drafted by Dallas, its been a pretty cool experience so far.”

In ten games with the Blazers this past season, Stankoven put up seven goals and three assists for 10 points – giving him a total of 59 points (36 goals, 23 assists) in 73 career WHL games.

His 29 goals during the 2019-20 season tied the Blazers record for most goals in a season by a 16-year-old, sharing that honour with Rob Brown, who did so in 1984-85. It also saw Stankoven being named the runner-up for the 2019-20 WHL Rookie of the Year award.

Stankoven also scored four goals and four assists in seven games – including the game winning goal in the gold medal game – at the 2021 U-18 World Championships in Texas. He was recently invited to his first National Junior Team summer development camp in Calgary later this month, with an eye towards cracking the 2022 World Juniors roster.

“Being a smaller guy, I think every aspect of my game has [to be raised],” Stankoven added. “For me, its my shot and my hockey IQ that I see as my strongest strengths.”

“It feels good [to hear my name called]. I know this is just a stepping stone in a process, and I guess the work starts now for me and the other draftees.”

Heading into the draft, Stankoven was ranked 31st among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings.

“Honestly I’m not too satisfied [with the ranking] but everyone has their own opinion,” Stankoven told NL Sports back in May. “I thought I showed pretty well. I can only control what I can control. I’m just lucky and thankful that I’m on that list.”

“Central Scouting hasn’t really warmed up to me. Maybe it has something to do with my size but at the end of the day I just have to go out and perform and do my thing.”

Overall, it was a big day for Kamloops hockey with Blazers forwards Caedan Bankier (third round, 86th overall) and Josh Pillar (fourth round, 127th overall) both being drafted by the Minnesota Wild.

Kamloops native Tyson Galloway was a fifth round selection of the St. Louis Blues, while Blazers prospect Josh Doan, son of Blazers legend and minority co-owner Shane Doan, was a second round pick of the Arizona Coyotes – taken 37th overall.

The 18-year-old Stankoven was hoping to become the first Kamloops born player taken in the first round of the NHL draft in 46 years. It would have also made it two straight years when a member of the Blazers was taken in the first round – after Connor Zary was a 24th overall pick of the Calgary Flames in 2020.

There have been just two Kamloops-born players taken in the first round of an NHL draft. Don Ashby went sixth overall in 1975 to the Toronto Maple Leafs while Rick Boh was taken ninth overall by the Minnesota North Stars in the 1987 Supplemental Draft.

Riley Nash, who played his minor hockey in Kamloops, was a first round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2007, though he was born in Consort, Alberta.

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