The Carolina Hurricanes have their fair share of surprises. Few have emerged more than Logan Stankoven, who is on pace for a career season.
Through 18 games, Stankoven finds himself tied for sixth in the NHL in goals scored ahead of Saturday’s slate of games. So far, Stankoven has 11 goals, six assists, and 17 points, which makes him the highest scorer and third-highest point-producer for Carolina.
Through the 20-percent mark of the season, Stankoven’s numbers have him on an 84-game pace for 51 goals and 79 points. Those numbers would shatter his previous single-season best of 21 goals and 44 points.
While anything can still happen and Stankoven could see his pace drop back to a more modest number, Carolina’s production as a team implies otherwise. So far, the Hurricanes have scored 69 times this season, with 3.83 goals per game.
It seems like everyone in a Hurricanes uniform has been stepping up and pitching in. Stankoven isn’t the only breakout player, either. Mark Jankowski has turned things up another gear. So has Jackson Blake.
Jankowski, traditionally a forward with limited production, has nine points and eight goals in 14 games. Blake is second on the team with 18 points and four goals. With an uptick in production from middle-six and up-and-coming forwards, Stankoven is pitching in and doing his part.
Hurricanes Forward Making Huge Leap From Last Season
Stankoven seems to be heating up, given his most recent production. He scored 57 seconds into Carolina’s eventual victory over the New York Islanders on Thursday. It marked Stankoven’s seventh goal in his past eight games after he scored four in his first 10.
Stankoven is also making life easy for himself. His 60.9 Corsi For Percentage at even strength is the third-highest on the team among players who have played in over half of the Hurricanes’ games. That comes with a 60.4 offensive zone starting percentage, so Stankoven is taking advantage of the game situations he finds himself in.
He’s also pitching in to help others finish, evidenced by his 12.6 on-ice shooting percentage. That number is the fourth-highest on the team, behind only Juuso Valimaki (16.4), Jesperi Kotkaniemi (15.1), and Seth Jarvis (14.6).
Stankoven Could Remain Among The NHL’s Scoring Leaders
The above numbers show that Stankoven isn’t just making the most of opportunities given to him. He is either creating numerous chances or capitalizing on the many chances teammates have given him. The result is that he is constantly finishing.
With the Carolina Hurricanes once again trending as one of the NHL’s most dominant scoring units, 2026-27 could be a true breakout year for Stankoven and other forwards enjoying similar success.
With five and a half months to go in the regular season, there will be inevitable rough patches for Stankoven and the Hurricanes. But the pure consistency that the Hurricanes have enjoyed through their first 18 games will limit those rough patches should that consistency continue.
If it does, there is no question that Stankoven will remain among the best scorers in the NHL. Keep watching his productivity as the season progresses. He may ultimately gain a reputation as one of the league’s more dynamic scorers.
Hurricanes’ Logan Stankoven Emerging as One of NHL’s Biggest Scoring Surprises