Hurricanes’ Slavin keeps the faith,
Defenceman that Leafs might crave credits faith for growing his game
When the Maple Leafs play the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night it will be a chance for fans to size up the one team that has what Toronto needs: defencemen.
The Hurricanes come up a lot whenever the possibility of trading William Nylander arises. Nylander remains without a contract and would fit in with any team, but especially offensively starved Carolina.
The one Carolina defenceman the Leafs might covet more than any other is Jaccob Slavin, a rising star and student of the game. Slavin is 24 and a lefthanded shot. The 2012 fourthround pick from Erie, Colo., has two goals and five assists in 20 games while leading the team in average time on ice (23:17). He’s starting a seven-year deal with a $5.3-million (U.S.) cap hit.
There’s no way he wants to leave Carolina, his home for the last three years — and it’s not just for the golf courses, weather and reasonable cost of living.
“For us, and for how me and my wife and are, there are a lot of really great churches out there, so we’re connected there,” Slavin said. “There’s lots of really good, genuine people. Not that there’s not in other states or other areas, but being in the Bible Belt, it’s part of the culture there.”
Slavin is a member of one of hockey’s smallest communities: the God Squad, a term used derisively in some corners to label athletes who place faith above all, including their sport.
“I’m just Christian,” Slavin told the Star in a pre-season interview. “Out of the four major team sports, hockey is probably the least popular to be a Christian (in) or to having any religious ties.
“I enjoy it. It’s the most important thing in my life, the most important thing in my wife’s life. It’s what we try to base every decision off of. I believe God has given me this platform of hockey as a way to spread the Gospel. That’s what I want to use it for.”
Few in hockey display their faith. In the 1980s, then-Leafs owner Harold Ballard publicly derided Laurie Boschman as “too soft” and then traded him because he was born again. Things aren’t that harsh these days. Mike Fisher, Shane Doan and Jarome Iginla were all captains who spoke openly about their faith.
Slavin says faith makes him a better player by giving him perspective.
“For me, hockey is not my world,” Slavin said. “I think you get a lot of guys whom hockey is their world, the main thing in their life. For me, I know hockey is going to end one day. And I know my identity isn’t found in the game of hockey. So I know if there is a bad game, or a bad play I make, it’s very easy to get over it for myself because I know that’s not what’s going to identify me, that’s not what’s God is looking for. He just cares where my heart is at in the game and why I’m doing it.”
He’s emerging as a leader, something he also attributes to his faith.
“I try to reflect Jesus in the locker room. I try to be a light in the locker room,” Slavin said. “I’ve had good conversations with guys. Guys know if there are serious issues in their life, they know they can come to me and talk to me about anything that they’re dealing with, and I’m not going to be coming from a place of judgment to them. Just want to come form a place of love and hopefully point them in the direction of something they can (find) hope in and cling to.”