If you missed the third period in San Jose last night, you missed out on what will unfold for the Dallas Stars. Fans who stayed up for the game witnessed a 20 and 21-year-old take over the game in a matter of minutes. After the Stars won in overtime last night, hockey fans across the league sat at their computer screens. I even saw some comments that the Stars could win the Stanley in the next couple of years if they can retain Logan Stankoven and Wyatt Johnston.
THREE GOALS? WYATT NOT! 🌟
— NHL (@NHL) March 6, 2024
Wyatt Johnston picks up his first career hat trick!
Hat Trick Challenge presented by @AstraZenecaUS pic.twitter.com/cxa3VhkcaM
Stankoven and Johnston are no strangers to playing hockey with each other. Their chemistry started playing for the Team Canada U18 team together. Once they were both drafted by the Stars, they played on the same line for the Dallas Stars Traverse City Prospect Team. When it was announced a couple of weekends ago that Tyler Seguin needed to heal, Nill activated the Stankoven Protocol. Dallas Stars Head Coach Pete DeBoer knew which line Stankoven had to play on.
WHAT A BIRTHDAY GIFT🎂
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) February 27, 2024
Logan Stankoven the birthday boy gets his first career goal!! pic.twitter.com/xiVYl0CwEq
Since being promoted to the NHL, Stankoven has eight points through six games of his young career. Last night, Stankoven and Johnston did something together that hasn't been done since the Wayne Gretzky era. They are the first linemates under 21 to have multi-goal games, one recording a hat trick, and combined for nine plus points.
Wyatt Johnston & Logan Stankoven for the @DallasStars on Tuesday night:
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) March 6, 2024
both had multi-goal games
one had a hat trick (Johnston)
combined for 9+ points
The last pair of NHL teammates 21 or younger to do that in a game was Wayne Gretzky & Jari Kurri on December 19, 1981. pic.twitter.com/fe97p1OJnY
After last night, the Central Division should be very worried about what's ahead for these two players. They are playing like Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin Jr. on the ice right now. It seems people have forgotten about Connor Bedard with how Stankoven played in his first eight games. It's mind-boggling right now that the Stars drafted both players during the COVID-19 shutdown without seeing them play.
The sky is the limit for Johnston and Stankoven as both are in the early stages of their careers. It's fun watching other hockey fans wonder how their favorite team missed out on drafting either player. Just imagine how good both players will be in two seasons with even more playing experience. The Stars might have created the Canadian version of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The Stars need to get them a couple of Stanley Cup titles in the coming seasons.