Logan Stankoven, who scored 29 goals in his rookie season, is set to commit to the USHL (Image Credit: Allen Douglas / Kamloops Blazers)

By Chad Klassen

PLAYING DOWN SOUTH

Blazers’ Stankoven likely joining other junior players in the U.S. Hockey League

Jan 7, 2021 | 3:29 PM

KAMLOOPS — Logan Stankoven’s junior hockey career started with a bang, and with his hometown team no less. Not only a goal in the first game of his rookie season last year, but another 28 tallies in a shortened season thanks to COVID-19.

The virus has his career on hold — with no word yet on the Western Hockey League season — but the Kamloops native is leaning towards heading south to the U.S. Hockey League (USHL), the top junior league in the country.

“I know nothing’s been confirmed yet, but I’ve talked to Fargo Force from down in the States,” said Stankoven. “I think they’re pretty interested in me, maybe having me come down, but obviously nothing’s set in stone.”

The deadline for Canadian players to transfer to the U.S. is Sunday. Once a player commits, they can’t come back to the WHL until their USHL season is over. The USHL regular season ends April 24. However, Stankoven doesn’t want to risk not playing at all.

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“As much as I don’t want to head down to the States and play for a whole different team and in a whole different country, things got to be done,” he said. “It’s part of our development and players need to play hockey. It’s our life. As much as people say it’s not our job, it’s part of our job. It’s our careers.”

It’s an idea his Blazer teammate Dylan Garand, who’s just returned from the World Juniors, has contemplated.

“I think there’s some complexities and some rules regarding that, so I’m not really sure how much of an option that’s going to be,” said Garand, speaking to CFJC Today via Zoom. “Honestly, the big thing is I just want to play. That is an option. You look at a couple other things.”

Garand feels like he just finished a hockey season after spending two months with Team Canada and will take the next couple days to think it over.

“That’s pretty much the only option. I could possibly go to the American League [New York Rangers affiliate] to practice, but none of these are high percentage of actually happening at all.” If Stankoven and others go south, it puts many teams, including the Blazers, in a precarious situation if the season restarts.

“It’d be tough we don’t want to see any of our players leave,” said Blazers GM Matt Bardsley. “We understand how much they want to play and even practice, so that’s our main focus right now. That’s what they’re trying to work, but it’d be a challenge to lose those players and that’s not what we want to happen and I don’t think that’s what they want to do either.”

High-profile Winnipeg Ice forward Matthew Savoie, the top pick in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft, has decided to play in the USHL, announcing his intentions on Wednesday.

Playing in the USHL is a last resort for Stankoven, who would like no more than to suit up against for his hometown Blazers.

“My main focus is trying to get a season going in Kamloops with the Blazers. Obviously, it’s good to have a Plan B, but I’m always focused on playing here in town and getting things going here. That’s my first priority and always will be.”

With Dr. Bonnie Henry saying Thursday that all restrictions, including sports activities and travel, will remain in place until Feb. 5, it’s most likely Stankoven and many others will be heading to play hockey in the U.S.

The WHL Board of Governors are scheduled to meet on Friday and will likely discuss the future course of the league.