Image credit: cfjctoday

By Earl Seitz

Logan Stankoven

Blazers Stankoven looking to make an impact in his rookie season

Aug 23, 2019 | 6:30 PM

KAMLOOPS —-Blazers training camp continues through the weekend at the Sandman Centre with practice and scrimmage games.

With 16 players back from last years team, there will only be five or six spots available to rookies or free agent newcomers on the final roster.

One of those will likely to to the Blazers latest import draft, defenceman Inaki Baragano.

Another is a clinch to to go the teams first pick in the 2018 bantam draft.

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Kamloops native Logan Stankoven was the Blazers first pick, fifth overall in the first round.

It’s been a busy summer for the Grade 11 Stankoven, who will be attending Valleyview Secondary this school term.

“Its been busy with lots of ice.” says Stankoven. “I went to the U-17 development camp in July. That was a grind of a camp, but it was lots of fun. Met some new guys. I’ve just been preparing for this camp and hopefully staying on the team this season as a 16 year old.”

That’s a guarantee.

Last season playing with the Thompson Blazers Stankoven set a B.C. Major Midget Hockey League goal scoring record with 45 in 38 games and with 101 points became only the third player in league history to break the 100 point mark in a season.

He made his Blazers debut last October and went on to play seven regular season games.

And had one assist.

Stankoven joined them on their late season magical run to make the playoffs, and in six playoff games against Victoria, had one goal and one assist.

“It was a pretty special run they had there.” says Stankoven. “I ended up joining them for the tie breaker game and playoffs — it was a very special moment for me. I was very luck and fortunate — probably take that momentum. And even though we did’nt make it past the first round, you can always build on things for the coming year.”

An elite skater and puck handler who plays a cerebral game, its scoring that the Blazers hope he can bring to them —- maybe not so much in his rookie season, but as he becomes a league veteran.

Stankoven has the potential to become the face of the franchise for four or five years.

“That’s the stamp that he’s worked his butt off to get to.” says associate coach Darryl Sydor. “Now it’s just about about managing it. There’s a lot of hype and there was a lot of hype last year when Logan was going to be in our lineup. That’s where we will work with him. He is still just a young kid. He’s going to have some ups and downs — some good experiences and bad experiences, and that’s just the learning process. There is that big stamp on him, and we just kind of have to, not squash it, but he is just a kid, there’s going to take some time, but he has the opportunity and potential to be a really good player.

“There’s always ups and downs.” says Stankoven. “No matter if you’re the best player in the world, they always have ups and downs. It’s going to be tough coming in as a 16 and 17 year old —- those are going to be tough seasons. You just gotta go through it, put the work in. I don’t expect much out of myself —- you just have to take it day by day, learn from the veterans and when I get to be a veteran, to help the younger guys, the rookies, and show them the right way.”