It was good going over Logan Stankoven's career in Dallas and why he was an underdog with the Dallas Stars. Even though he was 5'8, he didn't let that deter him from becoming a massive player for the Stars, even though it was for a short time. In our second article today, we discussed whether he would have made a big enough difference in the Western Conference Finals last season. However, there were so many holes that I'm not sure he could have patched them all up.
To wrap up our articles today, we are going to talk about the recent third-round pick for the Dallas Stars, Cameron Schmidt. We did a preview on him before the NHL Draft and how he could have fallen to the Stars in the third round. Little did I realize that the Stars would be drafting him with their third-round pick. NHL reporters were flipping out on social media because the Stars got a first-round talent in Schmidt. The Stars might have found their next Logan Stankoven.
Here's a little background on Schmidt if you don't know much about his career. He's currently playing for the Vancouver Giants in the WHL. Over the last two seasons, Schmidt has scored 71 goals and recorded 63 assists. The reason teams passed on him was because of his height. Schmidt is only 5'7, which is an inch smaller than Stankoven. He's got the ability to score, but many teams are worried about how he'll handle taller players in the NHL. He's got the story of being a great underdog.
The Stars said, "We have time to develop him, let's give him a shot." The Stars would draft him with the 94th pick overall in the 2025 NHL Draft. I recall hockey fans reacting strongly on social media when the Stars drafted a first-round talent late in the draft, similar to Stankoven, despite his selection in the second round. The Stars might have the second coming of Stankoven in Schmidt if they can develop him properly.
With the Stars currently in their Stanley Cup contention window, the Stars don't need to rush his development. The only way I could see the Stars moving him to Cedar Park is if he has another great season with the Giants next year. Schmidt needs to work on his game some more. With the immense amount of talent in prospects like Hyry and Hemming, the Stars can take their time developing the next great draft steal of the century, Cameron Schmidt.