Welcome back to Top Shelf Prospects, the daily column that brings you the next crop of professional hockey players. Each day I will bring you a new player profile or topical article in the lead-up to the 2021 NHL Draft. Be sure to bookmark the site, follow me on Twitter, and spread the word for the site that will bring you analytical and critical profiles and scouting reports! Last Word On Hockey Prospects is your new headquarters for everything “NHL Draft”! We have a complete listing of our draft articles here. Today we bring you our Logan Stankoven Scouting Report.
Undersized forward Logan Stankoven was the fifth overall pick by the Kamloops Blazers in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft. He had an excellent rookie season in 2019-20, scoring 29 goals and 19 assists for 48 points in 59 games before the season was stopped due to the COVID Pandemic. Stankoven also played for Team Canada Red at the Under-17 World Hockey Challenge. He scored four goals in five tournament games.
This season was limited once again due to the pandemic. Stankoven made the most of it though. He impressed scouts with seven goals and 10 points in six WHL games. He also helped Team Canada to a gold medal at the IIHF Under-20 World Championships. Stankoven put up four goals and eight points in seven tournament games.
In 2018-19 Stankoven played for Team BC at the Canada Winter Games. He was dominant in the tournament, scoring six goals and 13 points in seven games. He was also the BC Under-18 Player of the Year, scoring 49 goals and 101 points in 38 games for the Thompson Blazers U18 squad. In seven WHL games, he picked up one assist. In six playoff games, he had a goal and two points.
Logan Stankoven Scouting Report
Center/Right Wing — shoots Right
Born February 26th, 2003 — Kamloops, British Columbia
Height 5’8″ — Weight 170 [173 cm/77 kg]
Skating
Stankoven makes up for his lack of size by being a very good skater. He is very quick and his top-end speed is very good. He can beat defenders wide and go to the net. Stankoven also gets in quickly on the forecheck. However, his stride can sometimes be a little short and choppy. This suggests that there is even more room to improve if he can improve his technique and stride length. His agility and edgework are also high-end. Stankoven accelerates out of turns and changes directions with ease. This makes him difficult to contain, both with and without the puck. Stankoven has a low centre of gravity. This helps his balance and makes him difficult to knock off the puck.
Offensive Game
Stankoven has an outstanding wrist shot and a very quick release. He is amongst the best shooters in this draft class. His shot is powerful and accurate. He also has excellent hands. Stankoven can do a quick toe drag before shooting, leading to a change in release point that really drives goalies nuts. A pure goal scorer, he has a real knack for finding open space without the puck. He will sneak in and avoid the defence in the high slot or near the faceoff circles. His one-timer is also very effective. Stankoven can get it off even if the pass isn’t perfect, quickly adjusting his feet and getting himself into shooting position. He loves to shoot and will shoot from anywhere on the ice. Stankoven is also not afraid to drive the net and his quick hands can score in close.
Stankoven shows flashes of being a good playmaker but is very much a shoot-first type of player. When he does make passes, he can get the puck through tight areas and can saucer passes over the opponent’s sticks. He is a hard worker, relentlessly chasing down loose pucks. Stankoven is an effective forechecker. While not the most physical player, he gets in quickly on the defence and forces them to move the puck quickly, often leading to mistakes. He is also good in the transition game, using his speed and stickhandling ability to gain the offensive zone and set up the attack.
Defensive Game
Stankoven is a very good defensive player. He works hard down low, supporting the defence against the cycle game. He does a good job of using his skating ability to keep himself between his opponent and the net. Stankoven also uses his stick well to cut down passing lanes. He forces opponents to the outside and into bad shooting positions. He is very smart, anticipating what his opponents are thinking and cutting down passes. Stankoven is also very good at starting the transition game, making smart passes or skating the puck out as necessary. He quickly transitions from offence to defence. However, due to a lack of size, Stankoven will need to continue to add strength to his frame to be able to play this game at the pro level.
Projection and Comparison
Stankoven has a ton of skill and could develop into an effective two-way centre who scores goals and excels on the penalty kill if he reaches his potential. He will need to improve his playmaking ability to remain at centre though as without that, there will be a tendency to want to move him to the wing. Stankoven is likely a couple of years away from making a pro impact and should be back in the WHL next season. He will also get the chance to compete for a spot on Team Canada for the World Juniors. His game is comparable to Jonathan Marchessault but this is a stylistic comparison only and not one based on skill and ability.
Highlights
The following is a compilation of some of the highlight packages and features of Logan Stankoven that are available on youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHsDu9TDTgs&list=PLOgBIUfkk2BMCLrkxdoL9wCV_4M9tYRhM
Check back tomorrow for our latest NHL Draft Article.
Logan Stankoven Scouting Report Main Photo:
KELOWNA, BC – JANUARY 11: Logan Stankoven #11 of the Kamloops Blazers skates against the Kelowna Rockets at Prospera Place on January 11, 2020, in Kelowna, Canada. (Photo by Marissa Baecker/Getty Images)
