Of defensemen with 200 or more minutes of five-on-five ice time, only Carolina’s Dougie Hamilton (8.35) and Boston’s Matt Grzelcyk (8.04) are averaging more shots on net per 60 minutes than Logan Stanley (7.90).
That’s what makes what happened Saturday night less surprising.
Stanley collected the puck at the right circle and fired a puck towards the Calgary net. The puck banked off the crossbar behind Flames’ goalie David Rittich before crossing the goal line.
Stanley’s first career National Hockey League goal.
He capped it off with a very audible “fu***ng right.”
"It's a pretty good feeling to get that one. Something you dream of as a kid, playing your first NHL game and scoring your first NHL goal," said Stanley. "I would have liked a better result for the team, but we'll come back Monday with another good game."
Stanley has just 23 games on his NHL resume, but one thing is for sure: Stanley likes to shoot, he does a good job of getting pucks through to the net.
“My parents would say it’s because all the pucks I would shoot at the wall in the basement, maybe, working on that stuff,” he said. “It’s just something I like to work on after practice and I like shooting the puck. When I get a chance, I like to shoot it. Sometimes, there’s other plays to be made.”
In 2016 the Jets traded up in the draft to select Stanley 18th overall—16 picks after they took former Jets forward Patrik Laine.
But Stanley’s development hasn’t been as quick as some other first-rounders from his class. He spent the previous two seasons in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose.
Now, Stanley is finally making an impact for the Jets, doing so in both ends and making the most of the opportunity given to him.
“You know what, he’s been so close. He’s had a couple of bars and he’s had a bunch of great shots. But I’ve really enjoyed watching his confidence grow and the quality of his game,” said Maurice.
“There’s not a lot of big men that can go bar down like that, so we think we’ve got a good find here. Really happy with where he’s at.”
It certainly took some time for Stanley to adjust to life in the NHL. But with each game, he’s getting more comfortable in his surroundings and growing into a big asset for the Jets.
“I think now he’s gotten used to the pace, he’s gotten used to the speed, he’s kind of gotten used to the positioning. He’s starting to use his body,” said Adam Lowry.
“You saw him in Vancouver (last week), he steps up and kind of sets the tone for us with a good fight. He’s been real good at stopping the cycle in our zone and getting shots through from the point.”
Following Saturday's loss in Calgary, the Jets and Flames will conclude their three-game set Monday night.
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