Every fan base has players they feel are "underrated" or "underappreciated" in the eyes of hockey experts. In most cases, calling a player either adjective is overblown and uncalled for. For years, Sebastian Aho was the player most Caniacs would decry wasn't given a fair shake, though I believe those voices have started to silence as a new name jumps to the forefront.
To be fair, I don't think anyone doubted Jaccob Slavin's prowess as a shutdown defenseman. Most experts would likely put him somewhere in the Top 5 in that respect. However, fans unfamiliar with Slavin's game have started to see him in a new light during the 4 Nations Face-Off, where he turned into Team USA's most valuable defenseman.
Two of the most highly anticipated games of the tournament were the meetings between Slavin's American side and Team Canada. With no shortage of star power on the Canadian team, Slavin was going to draw tough assignments regardless of the matchup. To say he thrived in both encounters would be the understatement of the tournament.
Coming out of the USA's 3-1 victory on Saturday in the round-robin stage, outside of the three fights in nine seconds, Slavin was the talk of the town. Along with Brock Faber, the duo played over 25 minutes each and were on the ice for all three American goals. Slavin blocked three shots and prevented the Canadians from doing anything productive when he was on the ice.
The story was the same in the championship game. Slavin was widely considered one of the best Americans on the ice during Thursday night's overtime loss. He played over 28 minutes and made the defensive play of the night, stopping a surefire Sidney Crosby goal by beating Crosby's stick to a loose puck and swatting it away. He also victimized teammate Seth Jarvis with a sliding block in the slot. It was one of three blocks Slavin had in the game.
One small talking point coming out of the tournament is whether the league should consider an annual award for the best defensive defenseman in the league. The two-time Lady Byng winner has earned Norris votes every season since his sophomore campaign, but has never finished higher than fifth. This is likely because he's never been a major point producer in the NHL, scoring a career-high 42 points in 2021-22.
The Norris Trophy, given to the league's "top defenseman," has been an award more focused on points. The last eight Norris winners have been in the Top 5 in defenseman scoring, with most finishing either first or second. That's never going to be Slavin's game. His forte is matching up against the opponent's first or second lines and making their nights miserable.
It's about time everyone else understood why the Caniacs hold Jaccob Slavin in such high regard. He's another player who does it the right way every day and epitomizes what being a Hurricane is all about. The rest of the league might be late to the party, but they now know what we've known all along. It's a good thing he's locked up for the next eight years.