Logan Stankoven has been preparing for the NHL Draft ever since his hockey season ended at the U18 world championships in May (Image Credit: Allen Douglas / Kamloops Blazers)

By Chad Klassen

NHL DRAFT

Stankoven’s focus remains on training as NHL Draft nears next Friday

Jul 14, 2021 | 5:25 PM

KAMLOOPS — From his early days in Kamloops minor hockey, there were some questions about how far Logan Stankoven could go with his size, or a lack thereof.

However, from being selected by the Blazers fifth overall in 2018 to winning gold with the U18 team this spring, the 18 year old has proven a lot of people wrong.

“I’ve always been a smaller player growing up, and I don’t hear it too much, but maybe there’s a few comments here and there that I may be too small for the pro leagues, or I’m too small to play junior, or that small kid’s going to get crushed,” said Stankoven.

“Honestly, it just gives me that hunger and makes me want to work harder, gives me that motivation to prove people wrong. Like you said, I’m not the person to shove it in someone’s face or be rude about it because I’m never like that and it’s not the way I’ve been brought up and taught how to act, so I’m never going to be like that, but it definitely gives you that motivation when people doubt me.”

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In his rookie campaign with the Blazers, he scored 29 goals and added 19 assists in 59 games, he just missed out on the WHL Rookie of the Year. In the shortened season, only playing six games before joining Team Canada, Stankoven was nearly a two-point-per-game player with seven goals and three assists.

Now, he’s on the verge of being drafted into the NHL with the Entry Draft taking place next Friday (July 23).

“It’s definitely been in the back of my mind in terms of how intense I am in my training and on ice,” said Stankoven, who has been training in Vancouver this week. “But I’m just focused on what I can do in the gym and on the ice right now to be prepared for whatever training camp or whatever team may potentially draft me.”

In his first year of eligibility, Stankoven is 31st among North American skaters. On Monday, he landed in the 46th spot on Craig Button’s final draft list. Button also wouldn’t be surprised if Stankoven is taken in the first round.

“I believe from pick 20 to pick 50, they’re all in the same area,” Button told CFJC Today. “Just because you’re 46 doesn’t mean you can’t be 28. You try to go through the different areas of a player’s game via other players that you’re considering, but Logan’s a quality offensive player that has a very good, strong chance of being a good NHL player.”

WATCH: Full Interview with TSN’s Craig Button

Button says when he first saw Stankoven at the U17 Team Canada camp in Calgary two years ago, he knew he would be a player to watch — someone who always had the puck. He only elevated his draft stock with a great U18 tournament, scoring four goals and four assists — Canada’s fifth best scorer in the tournament.

“I think what he showed at the U18s with his whole group of players in this age group, this 2003-born age group, is not only could he hold his own but he was a really good player,” said Button.

However, Button says Stankoven, like many draft prospects were hurt by the pandemic, not playing a full season and not receiving as much exposure from NHL scouts.

It likely won’t impact where he lands in the draft, but Button says the Kamloops native needs to find “a half a step of quickness” to fulfill his offensive potential at the next level.

“He’s really smart, he’s really competitive, he understands the game. If he finds that half a step of quickness, he can be a really good [NHL] player.”

Stankoven knows he needs to get a little quicker and he’ll work as hard as he can to do it, as he’s done to this point in earning the opportunity to be drafted into the NHL.