Kamloops native Logan Stankoven has been traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in an NHL trade deadline day deal involving star winger Mikko Rantanen.
“Something that kind of came out of the blue. Didn’t really expect it at all,” said Stankoven, in conversation with Radio NL shortly after learning of his trade to Carolina. “There wasn’t really any rumblings about it. Last 12 hours, it kind of came to fruition.”
Stankoven was the roster player moved to Carolina as part of the package which took Rantanen over to Dallas.
The Stars also gave up a pair of first-round picks in 2026 and 2027 to solidify the deal to get Rantanen.
Stankoven was drafted by Dallas in the 2nd round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, 47th overall by the Stars.
He suggests it was somewhat tough to hear his name being floated around at the trade deadline.
“When your name’s out there, you want to know what’s going on,” said Stankoven. “Then once you get that official call, kind of the whole situation sets in.”
Adding to the shock of the situation is a game coming up on Sunday between Dallas and Vancouver, where as many as three to four-hundred fans from Kamloops are — or had been — preparing to head down to cheer Stankoven on as he played at Rogers Arena against the Canucks.
“Yeah, it’s heartbreaking when everyone was excited to come down and see me there in Vancouver,” said Stankoven. “A few weeks later, they’re going to come down to Seattle as well for a couple games. Obviously, huge change in plans.”
While disappointed to leave the team that drafted him, Stankoven says he’s looking forward to an opportunity with the Hurricanes.
He says members of his new Carolina team were quick to reach out after hearing word he was headed to Raleigh.
“Seth Jarvis, he gave me a quick phone call and just kind of welcomed me and told me how excited they were to have me,” Stankoven told Radio NL’s Jon Keen. “It was really nice of him. I’ve kind of known him a little bit through training during the summers. That was good to hear from a guy like that.”
Stankoven is officially in his rookie season, after playing 24 regular season games with the Stars at the end of last season — one game short of being slotted in as a full-time NHL player, even though he would log 19 playoff games with Dallas during last year’s playoff run.
Stankoven was brought up by Dallas after dominating the AHL in scoring with the Texas Stars earlier in the season, with 57 points in 47 games, earning him the AHL’s Dudley (Red) Garrett Award as the most outstanding rookie, as voted for by the players, coaches and media in the league.
The 22-year old joins a Carolina team that is in the same relative position in the Eastern Conference as Dallas is in the West.
Carolina sits 2nd in the Metropolitan Division behind only the Washington Capitals, while Dallas is 2nd in the Central Division behind Winnipeg.
The ‘Canes aren’t in action until Sunday, giving Stankoven time to link up with his new team, though it’s not clear at this point what plans head coach Rod Brind’Amour has for the Kamloops native.
Stankoven says he hopes to be able to contribute to his new team right away.
“A bit of hunger to prove to Dallas [that] I can be an impact player someday, and kind of try and prove them wrong,” said Stankoven. “So, yeah, excited to get to Carolina and have a positive impact.”
