BLOG: Slavin Continues Quick Ascent with First NHL Call Up

Josiah Slavin has only played in 30 professional games in his career, but his stock is quickly rising within the Blackhawks organization.
The 6-foot-3 forward finished last season in Rockford on an amateur tryout, scoring in his very first pro game and totaling five points in his first four games with the IceHogs. In his first 15 AHL games this season, Slavin has four goals and four assists while making an impact with his two-way play.

Really, it's just a continuation of his career trajectory since being selected in the seventh round of the 2018 NHL draft. In his freshman year at Colorado College, he led all newcomers in scoring and then progressed to leading the entire team in scoring his sophomore year before signing with the Blackhawks in March.
"I was a seventh-round pick, but I don't think being drafted says anything," he said Tuesday. "That's when the work starts. I kind of took it as that and just went to work."

The Blackhawks have been impressed with his pro start, and in need of more size ahead of their upcoming three-game trip, wanted to reward Slavin for his progress so far and see if he can continue his elevation to the NHL level.
"It's nice to reward these kids that are working hard and playing well," interim head coach Derek King said. "I talked to (interim Rockford head coach) Anders (Sorensen) and Mark Bernard, (president of hockey operations & general manager in Rockford), and he's probably been one of their most consistent forwards down there. I've had him, I know what he's about. He's a big kid. He wins a lot of puck battles. He's a big body on the ice -- we're going into some teams that are big. He wins faceoffs. I think it's time to give him a reward."
The call up so early to his career came as a surprise to Slavin, who didn't think he was at the top of the list to make the jump.
"I'm a little shocked if I'm being honest. I wasn't really expecting it," he said. "I didn't know any plans were being made or anything like that. Pretty excited."

It remains to be seen if he'll jump into the lineup on the upcoming three-game jaunt to face Washington and the pair of New York teams, but when he does, he said he expects friends and family to be on hand for the occasion.
One family member who won't be there is older brother Jaccob, who is a defenseman for the Hurricanes. Both came through the USHL with the Chicago Steel before playing at Colorado College and as Josiah looks to follow in another step, it made for a special call on Monday when the forward found out he was Chicago-bound.
"He's been giving me advice. He's been super excited for me," Slavin said. "It was a good time to give him that call and tell him I got called up. I think he was a little bit more excited for me than I was, if I'm being honest. It was good."