Stars Top Prospects Continue To Dominate The AHL

Stars top prospects Logan Stankoven and Mavrik Bourque are dominating the AHL for the Texas Stars this season.

Stars top prospects Logan Stankoven and Mavrik Bourque are dominating the AHL for the Texas Stars this season.

Bourque was selected in the first round with the 30th pick in the 2020 NHL draft. Stankoven was drafted in the second round with the 47th pick, the same draft where current Stars forward Wyatt Johnston was selected in the first round with the 23rd pick. 

Bourque and Stankoven are enjoying a very productive AHL season where they lead not only the Texas Stars in points but the entire AHL. Bourque sits atop the rankings with 15 goals and 41 points. Stankoven trails just behind with 15 goals and 39 points, and both have played in all 31 games. The next closest player has 33 points.

Bourque is playing in his full second season with the Texas Stars. In his first season, he put up 20 goals and 47 points in 70 games. Bourque is a 22-year-old centre who is listed at 5'10 and 185 lbs. 

Stankoven is playing in his first full season in the AHL. Stankoven was a force in the WHL the last two seasons. Stankoven finished his final season in the WHL with the Kamloops Blazers, scoring 34 goals and 97 points in just 48 games. Stankoven was announced as the CHL Player of the Year in 2021-22. 

Stankoven is 20 years old and is considered undersized for the NHL, which is why he slipped into the second round. He's listed at 5'8 and 173 lbs. He follows a similar build and playstyle to Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point. 

The Stars have proven to be patient with their prospects. Jake Oettinger and Thomas Harley are two of the more recent players where this mindset worked well for them. Both players spent multiple years in the AHL, where they built up confidence. The Stars also tend to let their young players slowly ease into the NHL, and as their confidence grows, they get more opportunities to make more significant impacts. 

Johnston was the one prospect who didn't play with Texas in the AHL before getting into the Stars lineup. 

The Texas Stars currently lead the central division thanks to a large part of the seasons that Bourque and Stankoven are having. These young stars are on pace for over 30 goals and 90 points and will challenge for a roster spot next season during training camp. 

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