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There’s just no sport like hockey. Every year, teams battle against each other for up to seven games in playoff series, and emotions always run high.
They all bleed to win and absolutely hate each other, but once the series is over, they respect each other.
The handshake line is perhaps the best thing in hockey when players show their respect and appreciation to each other after a tough series, and it’s the ultimate proof of how great of sportsmanship hockey players really are.
Now, Dallas Stars rookie Logan Stankoven has disclosed just what Connor McDavid said to him in the handshake line, and it’s one of the classiest things we’ve heard.
After the series between the Oilers and the Stars, eventually won by the Oilers who advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals, a viral image circulated showing superstar McDavid saying something to Stankoven.
Exactly what was said has been unknown until now.
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The Stars rookie told RadioNLNews exactly what McDavid said to him, and it proves what a great player and person McDavid really is.
”He just kind of said, ’Hey, you’re a great player. We have a lot of respect for you,’ said Stankoven. ”I mean, it’s pretty quick, but I thought that was pretty cool and classy of him. He didn’t need to say anything like that. He could have just shook my hand and kept going, but did, kind of, you know, for me, it makes me give him more respect.
”And I obviously got to play him hard, but I think at the same time, it’s such a guy that you kind of look up to growing up and when he when he says something to you like that … it’s pretty cool.”
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Logan Stankoven was drafted 47th overall in the 2021 NHL draft. He made his NHL debut this February and scored 14 points in 24 regular season games.
He had eight points and three goals through 19 games in the playoffs.