The Carolina Hurricanes took a big swing in January by trying to make Mikko Rantanen fit in Raleigh. It didn't go as planned. Instead of sitting on him and making him play out the rest of his contract in an unhappy situation, the Canes shipped him to Dallas at the trade deadline. Out of it, they got four draft picks and a young star. But you already knew all of that.
Logan Stankoven, by all accounts, had 1st-round talent in 2021, but he lacked size. His stature is likely the only reason he fell outside of the Top 32, landing with the Stars at 47th overall. The Canes passed on him twice. However, Stankoven worked through the Stars' system to earn some playing time in Dallas late in the 2023-24 season and throughout the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Last season: 14-24-38 in 78 games (w/ Dallas & Carolina)/5-3-8 in the playoffs
Stankoven started the 2024-25 season on fire. He recorded three assists in the Stars' opener in Nashville and had 14 points through Dallas' first 15 games. Over his next 44 games with the Stars, he had almost as many points (15), though he sprinkled in a two-goal, three-point effort against the Maple Leafs in mid-January and a multi-goal night against the Kings in February.
Following his arrival in Raleigh, Stankoven fit like a glove. He scored in his Canes debut after the trade deadline, using his body to redirect a shot on the power play against Winnipeg. Stankoven finished the regular season with nine points in 19 games, but it was his work ethic and motor that made him an immediate favorite amongst the Caniacs.
He was built for the playoffs because he seemed to be in the middle of everything in all three series. Stankoven scored twice in Game 1 against New Jersey, added a big game-tying goal in Game 1 against Washington, and was one of the few Hurricanes to show up against Florida, scoring a goal in Game 4 to help keep the Canes' season alive before their eventual elimination.
For the second season in a row, Stankoven led all rookies in playoff scoring with eight points, the same amount he scored with the Stars in 2024. He finished sixth in rookie scoring during the regular season, earning him a 7th place finish in Calder Trophy voting. It also helped him earn a sweet eight-year extension, which begins next season.
Bold Prediction: Stankoven scores his 1st hat trick before the Olympic break
I could predict that Stankoven is going to score 30 goals this season or try to predict a benchmark for him to surpass, but I've been doing that for several other players. At this rate, I'm expecting the Hurricanes to be the best offensive team in the league, which likely won't be the case. Instead, I'm rolling with a personal achievement, and one of my favorite things to see happen.
During his short time in the NHL, Stankoven has had a few two-goal games, but he has never made hats rain onto the ice. I think that changes this season. The Canes had three hat tricks last season, with Jordan Staal, Taylor Hall, and Andrei Svechnikov each completing a trifecta.
It would be fitting for it to come in either game against Dallas. The Canes visit the Stars to conclude their State Fair road trip in late October before welcoming them to Raleigh in early January. To place a time constraint on it, I'm aiming for him to complete this before the league breaks for the Winter Olympics in early February.
As I stated with Jackson Blake, this is a big season for Logan Stankoven to establish his place on this team. He's set to enjoy the start of a new contract next season, giving him a one-season buffer to step his game up and become one of the team's most reliable forwards. He was built to be in Rod Brind'Amour's system, so this should be a natural fit.