Logan Stankoven (22) of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates after scoring a goal against the Montréal Canadiens in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center on May 29, 2026 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Rooting interests for Dallas Stars fans in this year’s Stanley Cup Final should be rather simple.
The Vegas Golden Knights will represent the Western Conference and seek to claim their second Stanley Cup title in a four-year span. Vegas is one of Dallas’ top rivals after two heated playoff series between the teams in 2023 and 2024. The NHL also matched them up in Dallas’ Stadium Series game at AT&T Stadium in February.
But from the Eastern Conference, the Stars and their fans should have a much easier time cheering on the Carolina Hurricanes and a familiar face in Logan Stankoven.
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The 23-year-old Carolina center began his career with Dallas. The Stars drafted him 47th overall in the second round of the 2021 NHL draft. Stankoven played 83 regular-season games with the Stars before he was traded to Carolina ahead of the 2025 trade deadline along with four draft picks in exchange for Mikko Rantanen.
Now in his first full season with the Hurricanes — competing in his first Stanley Cup Final beginning at 7 p.m. (CT) Tuesday in Raleigh — Stankoven has had a breakout season.
He recorded 44 points (21 goals, 23 assists) in 81 games and has been even better in the playoffs, recording 12 points, including nine goals, in 13 postseason games.
He scored in the first five games of the playoffs and in Carolina’s last two of the Eastern Conference finals against Montreal. The Hurricanes enter the Final with a 12-1 record in the postseason.
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Stankoven has the fourth-best odds to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, according to DraftKings.
“It’s what you play for and what you dream of,” Stankoven said following Carolina’s Game 5 win over Montreal. “You want nothing more than to hoist that Cup someday. We still have a lot of work to get done here, but that’s what motivates you.”
His dad, Wes Stankoven, vividly remembers the night before Logan was traded, seeing rumors begin to swirl on social media. Within hours, his son, who was just 22 years old at the time, was on a plane to Raleigh.
“We were pretty devastated,” Wes told The Dallas Morning News. “Getting this side of the NHL where it’s a business, we understand that now, but at first, it was like, no way. We had thought he was going to be a Star for life.”
The Stankoven family is from Western Canada and had planned to bring over 400 people to the Stars’ game in Vancouver against the Canucks just days after Logan was traded.
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Wes remembers he and his wife nearly being brought to tears, having to alert their friends and family that Logan would no longer be playing in the game.
But hundreds still showed up for Logan and watched from a sports bar as he made his Hurricanes debut, marking the start of what would be the next chapter for the young forward.
The Stars never wanted to trade Stankoven, but Carolina insisted, seeing his work ethic and playmaking abilities as a perfect fit for their relentless, pressure-focused style of play.
The Canes were onto something, as Stankoven has been among their missing pieces, helping lead them to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 2006.
“It’s all about opportunity. It was tough in Dallas,” Wes said. “Dallas had such a loaded, deep team with tons of talent, so for Logan and Mavrik Bourque and young guys coming in, they had to sit on the third and fourth lines. It’s hard to put up points, and it’s hard to have success at times. Carolina has given him a spot on the second line, power play and a few more opportunities.”
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Even though the opportunity in Carolina has been better for Stankoven, he and his family remain grateful to Dallas GM Jim Nill and the Stars organization for giving him his first chance on NHL ice.
Those feelings are mutual, as many Stars fans on social media openly root for Stankoven from a distance — and his friends within the organization do the same.
“It’s great,” Dallas forward Mavrik Bourque said. “He was really good for us. His game is coming along. When I talked to him earlier in the year, he’s a center now, so he had to adjust there. But I’m not surprised of what is happening to him right now.”
Wes says his family, and Logan, feel that support.
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“I see Dallas Stars fans on different platforms rooting for Logan, which is really nice to see,” he said. “We still keep in touch with friends down there.
“We appreciate all the support we can get from Texas.”