Kamloops junior hockey player named WHL's Player of the Year, Most Sportsmanlike Player
Logan Stankoven is the third player in the Blazers' history to be named Player of the Year
Good things come in pairs — and this couldn't be more true for Kamloops Blazers junior hockey player Logan Stankoven.
On Wednesday, the Western Hockey League (WHL) announced that Stankoven, 19, won the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as the league's Player of the Year, and the Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy as the league's Most Sportsmanlike Player.
The Four Broncos Memorial Trophy recognizes players with the most outstanding performance during the league's regular season, and the Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy is presented annually to the player that best combines the attributes of talent, desire and sportsmanlike attitude, the league describes.
The forward ranked third among the league's skaters in scoring during the 2021-22 season, with 104 points in the 59 games he played. He ranked fourth among the league's skaters in goals, and ranked tied for third in game-winning goals.
The five-foot-eight, 170-pound Stankoven is the third player in the Blazers' history to be named the league's Player of the Year. He is also the third player in the team's history to win the Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy.
It remains to be seen whether Stankoven will remain a Blazer or be called to the pros with the Dallas Stars before 2023.
Stankoven spoke to host Shelley Joyce on CBC's Daybreak Kamloops about the awards — and the support of his family.
The following transcript has been edited for clarity and length.
Congratulations on these awards — what a great honour for you and for the team, too.
Obviously it's pretty humbling to win a couple WHL awards, and it's a good feeling for myself and for the team.
For me it's not a one-man award — my teammates have been a big part of it. My coaching staff, trainers, friends, family ... they've helped me a lot along the way and throughout the season, so I can't thank them enough.
What did your parents say?
They're just super proud of me. I'm just so blessed and fortunate to play in my hometown, to have success and to play for a great team.
Who would you say has guided your journey?
I'd probably say both my parents, and my dad has put in so much time and effort helping me throughout my career. He's driven me all over western Canada and North America to help me pursue my dreams.
They push me every day to be a better player, but also a better person as well.
What kind of conversations would he have with you in the car?
Just encouraging conversations — whether it's a good game or a bad game, always trying to find ways to get better. It's just a lot of motivating conversations to help me reach my goal someday of being a professional hockey player.
What comes next for you?
For me, it's just focusing on the next jump of playing professional hockey. I'll head to the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in August, and late August or early September will be the start of the Dallas Stars training camp. I'll get prepared for that.
LISTEN | Logan Stankoven on being the WHL's Player of the Year
With files from Daybreak Kamloops