While the news for Seth Jarvis on Wednesday might've been a major letdown for the Caniacs, they'll still have plenty of players to cheer for at this February's Olympic Games. On Friday, the United States unveiled its roster for the tournament, with defenseman Jaccob Slavin among the 25 players selected to represent his country.
Bits and pieces of the American roster had been leaked after they were officially locked in on New Year's Eve, but the growing sense was that they'd bring a very similar team to the one that took the ice for the 4 Nations Face-Off last February. This, of course, meant that Slavin's spot was all but secured at this point.
While Hurricanes fans were more than aware of how good Slavin was, his game reached a wider audience when he participated in the best-on-best tournament during the All-Star break. He especially gained notoriety for his efforts in both games against Canada. Slavin logged over 25 minutes in each tilt as the Americans finished in second place.
This season hasn't been what we hoped it would be for Slavin. He was injured late in the team's second game against Philadelphia. With the seriousness being kept under wraps, Slavin missed two months before finally returning against the Flyers in mid-December with a minutes restriction. Just a few games later, Slavin took a dirty hit from behind against the Panthers, and he hasn't played since.
There's a little part of me that is surprised that Slavin is on the initial roster only because of his ongoing injury concerns. That being said, if the Americans are trying to take their eight best defensemen in the NHL, Slavin is absolutely that. His body of work speaks for itself, even if he hasn't been in the lineup much.
I'm curious who he'll be paired with during the tournament. He and Brock Faber formed a formidable shutdown duo during the 4 Nations tournament. I could also see him starting next to Charlie McAvoy, allowing the Bruins' defenseman a little more freedom in the offensive zone while Slavin shuts things down on the other end.
Slavin is the fourth Hurricane to be announced to an Olympic roster. He joins Sebastian Aho (Finland), Nikolaj Ehlers (Denmark), and Frederik Andersen (Denmark), all of whom were announced over the summer as part of their respective teams' first six players. There is a chance these are the only four on the roster to make it, though Jesperi Kotkaniemi still has a chance to join Aho and Finland.
With the return of best-on-best to the Olympic Games, Slavin and the Americans will be among the favorites to win the tournament. They're expected to finish atop their group, which features Ehlers, Andersen, and the Danes, as well as Germany and Latvia. Winning Group C will ensure a bye into the quarterfinals, where the true test will begin.
This is a well-deserved honor for Jaccob Slavin. He flew under the radar for many years as one of the premier shutdown defenders in the league. Now, the entire hockey community is aware of what we already knew. He has earned his chance to represent the Hurricanes and the United States on the world's biggest stage.