Logan Stankoven had his first on-ice session back in Kamloops on Wednesday (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

STANKY IS BACK!

Stankoven gives Blazers boost with return from Dallas

Oct 12, 2022 | 4:03 PM

KAMLOOPS — Logan Stankoven’s presence on the ice, albeit at a practice at Memorial Arena on Wednesday, was felt. You couldn’t miss the 19 year old buzzing around the ice making plays.

Deep down, though, he’s incredibly disappointed to be the final cut by the Dallas Stars, but also feeling fortunate to be back home.

“It’s an awesome feeling,” Stankoven told CFJC Today. “It would’ve been nice to stay in Dallas and stick around for a few more games, but at the end of the day I’ve got to come back here, get stronger, quicker, faster, a little bit heavier, and almost prepare myself for hopefully making that next jump at next year’s training camp.”

After his performance at Stars camp, it’s undoubtedly his final year of junior. Stankoven had one assist in five games with Dallas in the preseason, but it wasn’t enough to beat out fellow 19-year-old Wyatt Johnston, the Stars’ first-round pick in 2021 — taken just ahead of Stankoven.

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“Yeah it’s frustrating. Obviously every kid dreams about playing in the NHL and obviously making the big bucks and living the life of private jets and steak meals and everything like that,” he said. “At the end of the day, I didn’t do enough to prove to them that I should stay, so for me it’s creating that hunger within myself.”

Hunger the Blazers will happily feed on, getting their best player back for the most important season in 28 years.

“It’s really important,” said Blazers head coach Shaun Clouston. “He’s a great player. He’s got great energy. The energy’s really important. He’s very driven. He sets the bar high in practices, he sets the bar high in the workouts, he sets the bar high in the games. Not only is he a great player, but he really drives our team.”

Forward Caeden Bankier added, “Sometimes it’s just so fun to watch him. Just the stuff he’s able to do. You’re in awe sometimes. When you’re playing against him, it’s not like that. It’s like ‘Oh my goodness, I’ve got to keep going out there against him,’ but yeah it’s awesome we’re on the same team now.”

Coach Clouston knows after his NHL experience, he’s getting an even better Logan Stankoven, which is pretty scary for other teams.

“I think for him personally, an understanding about how challenging it is to create to score at the highest level,” he said. “The feedback was he had an excellent camp. He was really close to making the team. He was probably one player away. He knows the quick enough, he knows he’s strong enough, I think he knows he can get up and down the ice and play with those guys.”

At his first on-ice session, Stankoven was on a line with Daylan Kuefler, who recently returned from New York Islanders camp, and Connor Levis.

“It’s always good to experiment with different guys, right? Try and find players that can kind of play a skilled game, but a grittier game as well,” he noted.

The excellent camp in Dallas has taken a bit of pressure of Stankoven, whose focus now is just on winning Kamloops the Memorial Cup.

“Come back here, and in a sense I don’t really have anything to prove. Just go out there and have fun, put a smile on my face. Obviously we want to win a Memorial Cup and go as deep as we can in playoffs.”