Every NHL contender needs a hard-working, dependable center who can grind out the tough minutes in the bottom-six of their forward group. While the big offensive prospects grab the spotlight and fans' attention, championship-caliber teams are built on depth, resilience, and players who can help grind out the ugly wins. Right now, the St. Louis Blues are developing a player in the AHL who could fit just the description.
Jakub Stancl, the Blues' 4th-round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, came up through the WHL with the Kelowna Rockets as a scoring threat on the wing and has transitioned to the center position under head coach Steve Ott. While the back of his hockey trading card stats may not jump off the page with two goals and three assists in 12 games this season, it is his willingness to engage in the dirty areas of the ice that makes him an under-the-radar NHL center down the road.
Learning under Ott
Transitioning to center in professional hockey is no small task. On the wing, the primary task is forechecking and pressuring the walls. At center, the player is essentially the third defenseman in the defensive zone. Players have to track opposing centers, support the defensemen below the goal line, and be competent on the faceoff.
According to InStat Hockey, Stancl is averaging 16:40 of time on ice each game with 3:11 on the penalty kill, seeing nearly triple the amount of time shorthanded than a year ago. On the faceoff dot, the 21-year-old has won 72 of the 154 draws he has taken, the second-most of any player on the team, only behind Jack Finley. Over the past two seasons, Stancl has won 45% of his draws and seems to be gaining more confidence as his time at the pro level continues.
The work ahead
The biggest hurdle for Stancl will ultimately come down to his work on the faceoff dot. Over the past two seasons in the AHL, he has won 278 of 625 attempts, good for just under 45%. Raising that number closer to 50 percent would continue to build his case for a bigger, more elevated role in the near future for the Thunderbirds and even the Blues.
While he put up 23 goals and 57 points in 58 games in his single WHL season, Stancl is a player who is proving he can be a more well-rounded player at the professional level. With the ability to score the occasional goal, the lack of penalty minutes that he is taking, and reliability and trust from his coach, he is proving he can develop into the bottom-six center that winning teams search for.
While other attempts at the fourth-line center position have been tried over the past two seasons, the Blues have not secured a long-term solution beyond the 2025-27 seaon. The next few months in Springfield could change his status with the organization and help propel him into a position where the Blues come calling. It will be up to Stancl to prove that he is worth their call.
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