Amateur in 2023. In his first full major junior season in
2019–20, Stankoven recorded 29 goals 19 assists for 48 points in 59 games with the
Kamloops Blazers of the
Western Hockey League (WHL). He missed an opportunity to become the first 16-year-old player to score 30 goals in a season since
Nolan Patrick in
2014–15 as a result of the league shutting down early with five games left on Kamloops' schedule due to the onset of the
COVID-19 pandemic. Following his selection by the
Dallas Stars in the second round, 47th overall, of the
2021 NHL entry draft, Stankoven was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract on September 29, 2021. Stankoven won several awards for his performance in the
2021–22 season for Kamloops, in which he played 59 games, scoring 45 goals and recording 59 assists. He was third in points in the league that year, and fourth in goals. He was named a First Team All-Star in the BC Division, also receiving the
Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as the WHL's best player and the
Brad Hornung Trophy as its most sportsmanlike player. Stankoven later received the
David Branch Player of the Year Award from the
Canadian Hockey League (CHL), winning out over the
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and
Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
most valuable player candidates. In the 2022 WHL playoffs, Stankoven led all players with 17 goals and 31 points. In the
2022–23 season, Stankoven recorded 34 goals and 63 assists, coming fourth in WHL scoring despite playing in only 48 of 68 scheduled games. He was a finalist for the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy for the second consecutive season. In recognition of his efforts to raise over $50,000 for
Canadian Blood Services and Kamloops'
Royal Inland Hospital, Stankoven received the
Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy as the WHL's humanitarian of the year. He was subsequently also named to the CHL's First All-Star Team. Entering the 2023 WHL playoffs as contenders, the Blazers were defeated by the Thunderbirds in the Western Conference finals for the second consecutive postseason. However, as Kamloops was hosting the
2023 Memorial Cup and thus automatically qualified for the nationwide tournament. On the prospect of winning the Memorial Cup on home ice, Stankoven remarked "it would be a nice way to kind of cap things off." The Blazers were ultimately eliminated by the
Peterborough Petes in the quarterfinals. Despite only playing four games, Stankoven led the entire tournament in scoring with nine points, earning the
Ed Chynoweth Trophy. He incurred no penalties in the course of doing so, and was also honoured with the
George Parsons Trophy as the tournament's most sportsmanlike player.
Professional Dallas Stars (2023–2025) Stankoven began the
2023–24 season with the Dallas'
American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the
Texas Stars. In February, he was Texas' representative to the 2024 AHL All-Star Game. On February 24, 2024, Dallas recalled Stankoven. At the time of his call-up, he was leading the AHL in scoring with 24 goals and 33 assists for 57 points in 47 games. Stankoven made his NHL debut in a 2–1 win over the
Carolina Hurricanes on February 24, 2024. On February 26, his 21st birthday, Stankoven scored his first career NHL goal and assist in a 3–2 overtime loss against the
New York Islanders. On March 5, he recorded two goals and two assists in a 7–6 win against the
San Jose Sharks. Despite missing the final third of the AHL season, he remained the rookie scoring leader at season's end, and received the
Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as AHL rookie of the year. As well, he was named to both the league's All-Rookie Team and its First All-Star Team. In the following
2024–25 season, Stankoven opened the season on the Stars roster, and posted 9 goals and 29 points through 59 regular season games.
Carolina Hurricanes (2025–) At the NHL trade deadline, Stankoven along with two conditional first-round draft picks (both top 10 protected), were traded by the Stars to the
Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for forward
Mikko Rantanen on March 7, 2025. Stankoven signed an 8 year, $48 million contract extension with the Hurricanes beginning in the 2026–27 season on July 1, 2025. ==International play==