Stankoven battles a scoring slump, but his strong underlying play and past resilience offer hope for brighter offensive days ahead.
After a strong start to the season, Logan Stankoven has found himself in a funk.
The 22-year-old centerman has just one goal and four points in 16 games since the end of October, a month in which he put up four goals and seven points.
"Obviously it's frustrating," Stankoven told The Hockey News. "When you get chances and the pucks aren't going in, it is definitely frustrating. Obviously the production isn't great and it's tough seeing some other younger guys around the league doing well. Not in the spot I want to be, but it is what it is. Just have to put your head down and keep working."
For the young forward though, it isn't the first time he's hit some lulls in his young NHL career.
Last season with Dallas, the Kamloops native was nearly a point-per-game to start the year with four goals and 14 points in the first 15 games.
He then proceeded to score just five more goals and 15 more points in the next 44 games before he was dealt to Carolina.
"I went through something similar to this last year, so I know what it feels like and there's always a light at the end of the tunnel," Stankoven said. "Who knows when, but hopefully if you keep working on the little things in practice and keep sticking to the game plan, hopefully a puck will bounce in. Just have to be connected as a line and work together. That's the only way we're going to get out of a funk like this."
While the production hasn't been there, Stankoven has still been one of the team's best players when it comes to tilting the ice.
At 5v5, the center is controlling 62% of the scoring chances and he's controlled over 60% of both high-danger chances and expected goals. So his overall play has been strong even while finishing has escaped him.
"We're in this business where everybody measures your success rate by how many points you have," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour. "Whether you're playing good or bad, that's sometimes not the case. I don't really look at that and that's not how we look at things. ... All those guys, they try so hard and they care so much. Yeah, it's eating them up a little, but they're still getting their opportunities and they're very, very impactful in the game."
It hasn't just been Stankoven who's snakebitten either as linemate Jackson Blake has gone pointless in his last six outings as well.
The trio of Stankoven, Blake and Nikolaj Ehlers showed a lot of promise early, but as of late, the three look like they're trying to do too much when they're out on the ice.
"I think there's times [when the chemistry is there],' Stankoven said on his line. "Friday night, I thought we did have some really good moments, good shifts, but there are some games where we just need to be on the same page. We can't be swinging all over the place. We need to play more north-south and just keep it simple sometimes. But I think when we are on the same page, we create good chances."
For Stankoven, this year has even more of an added burden as it's also the first time he's played center at the NHL level.
The last time Stankoven fully played center was back in juniors, where he played parts of five seasons with his hometown Kamloops Blazers.
In that time, Stankoven totaled 179 games of action in the middle, putting up 115 goals and 260 points.
Not only was Stankoven a strong scorer, but he was also reliable in the dot, winning 1,502 draws over his time in the WHL, which according to him, was about a 55-60% winning percentage.
So the Canes are banking on that history at the position to come to fruition for the 22 year old today, but that's still a tall challenge, especially for a player with Stankoven's stature.
"I think he's fit in," Brind'Amour said." I would have expected that to take a little longer or have a little more hiccups. There's no real hiccups. Still a learning curve and he's getting better and feeling more comfortable. I think he's done a really good job."
"It's been fine, I think,' Stankoven said on his stretch back at center. "I wouldn't say it's been great, but like I said, you just keep working on the little things. You never know when your time is going to come. I think you do what you can in the position you're in and do to the best of your abilities and then go from there. That's just my mindset."
Again, it's been tough sledding as of late for Stankoven, but even at just 22, the young forward has such a mature mentality and a good head on his shoulders, so it feels like a safe bet to expect him to turn a corner sooner rather than later.
Recent Articles
Bringing the Boom: Alexander Nikishin Just Scratching The Surface
10 Questions with Carolina Hurricanes Defenseman K'Andre Miller
New Look, Same Swagger: Nikolaj Ehlers Fitting In Perfectly With Carolina Hurricanes
A Perfect Storm: Hurricanes Rookie Defenseman Joel Nystrom Making Most Of Opportunity
Carolina Hurricanes Superstar Nearing Return To Lineup
Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.