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Carolina Hurricanes: 3 Potential 2021 NHL Entry Draft First Round Targets

By Matthew Nidiffer

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - JUNE 21: Don Waddell of the Carolina Hurricanes attends the 2019 NHL Draft at the Rogers Arena on June 21, 2019 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - JUNE 21: Don Waddell of the Carolina Hurricanes attends the 2019 NHL Draft at the Rogers Arena on June 21, 2019 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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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)
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) /

3. Logan Stankoven

Kicking off my list, I present to you Logan Stankoven.

Stankoven, currently playing for the Kamloops Blazers in the WHL, is a dominant centerman. The kid was named the WHL Western Conference Rookie of the Year during the 2019-20 season (the WHL Rookie of the Year award went to Edmonton Oil King’s Dylan Guenther), and has been compared to recent draft pick Lucas Raymond (2020, 4th overall).

Stankoven’s rookie year with Kamloops saw him register 29 goals and 19 assists for a total of 48 points in 59 games played. These numbers are not bad at all, especially for a rookie; Stankoven will only progress further in the WHL, and could be about 2-3 years from NHL readiness on his current trajectory.

Stankoven’s drop passing and saucer pass are both phenomenal, but his shot and release are even better. As of right now, he is ranked 25th by Elite Prospects, 21st by Dobber Prospects, and 27th by Future Considerations.

As you can see from the video showing Stankoven’s 4 goal performance against the Victoria Royals earlier this year above, the kid knows how to score, and how to score often. Surely this kind of offensive talent, if allowed to slip into the mid-to-low 20’s-30’s (where the Carolina Hurricanes will hopefully be), Tulsky would urge Don Waddell and Co. to make the call and snag him.

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