Slavin emulating Lidstrom for Hurricanes entering Game 3 against Rangers

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Brendan Smith was going on and on about Jaccob Slavin, one Carolina Hurricanes defenseman raving about another, when he drew a comparison that in most instances would be considered a reach.

"I've gotten to play with some great players like Nicklas Lidstrom, and now I'm comparing some similarities," Smith said Wednesday before Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the New York Rangers. "He's going to be happy with me saying that, but there are some of those things that I see."
Slavin's game is in many respects a carbon copy of Lidstrom's, minus, of course, the seven times the Hockey Hall of Famer won the Norris Trophy (2001-03, 2006-08, 2011) voted as the best defenseman in the NHL and the four times he won the Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings (1997, 1998, 2002, 2008).
Lidstrom prided himself on being positionally sound, always on the right side of the puck, strong with his stick, leading the breakout, playing big minutes against top players and rarely sitting in the penalty box.
He was affectionally called "The Perfect Human" even if he wasn't always perfect. Mike Babcock, who coached the defenseman in Detroit, once said Lidstrom "is so good that he even laces up his skates better than anyone else."
That is Slavin to a T, though no one is vouching for how he ties his skates.
"If we ever could put some championships here then you would be talking about them in the same breath I think," Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said.
Slavin said, "That's a big comparison."
Lidstrom is buying it.
"I know Jaccob as a real solid, two-way defenseman that can play in all situations," Lidstrom told NHL.com. "He's not overly physical but very sound positionally. That was one of my strengths."
Slavin's ability to play to his strengths is one of the biggest reasons why the Hurricanes have been a top team in the NHL for four straight seasons and in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third time since 2019.
They lead the best-of-7 series against the Rangers after a 2-0 win in Game 2 here Friday. Game 3 is at New York on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN360, SN (JIP), TVAS).
Slavin has eight points (two goals, six assists) in the playoffs after putting up 42 points (four goals, 38 assists) and a plus-35 rating, each an NHL career high, in 79 regular-season games.
RELATED: [Complete Hurricanes vs. Rangers series coverage]
"I've never been a physical guy," Slavin said. "My dad would always get mad at me when I was a kid because I would lunge for pucks, I'd always be reaching. Definitely something I've always relied on is my stickwork and obviously I got better at it as I got older, I wasn't lunging as much. I've always been that way."
Slavin's mild-mannered, grounded, faith-based personality off the ice fits the image he portrays on the ice.
He doesn't get rattled. He doesn't get drawn into post-whistle scrums. He doesn't yell. He doesn't complain.
"He's poised, he's calm," Carolina forward Vincent Trocheck said. "He's not a guy you're going to draw into a coincidental minor."
Slavin was named a finalist Wednesday for the Lady Byng Trophy, along with Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor and Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon, after winning it last season. The award is given to the player voted to best combine sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct and ability.
He led Carolina by averaging 23:02 of ice time per game in the regular season and played against top lines almost every game but had only 10 penalty minutes: four for hooking, four for tripping and two for holding. He did not commit a penalty in his last 35 regular-season games.

Slavin has two penalty minutes in nine playoff games this season; he flipped the puck over the glass from the defensive zone and caused a delay of game in Game 6 of the first round against the Boston Bruins.
Slavin had two penalty minutes in 52 games last season, when he averaged 22:59 of ice time per game. He had 10 in 68 games in 2019-20, averaging 23:24 of ice time.
"I talked the other day about awards and naming them for players," Brind'Amour said. "You could name it (Lady Byng) after him and everyone would get it. Plays the right way and does it at a high level. It's special."
Smith said of Slavin, "He's obviously fleet of foot and he's big and strong, and the fact that he can do that and stay out of the box, I don't know what that's like, so I can't say. When you watch him on the penalty kill, teams try to break in on his side, and they don't."
The comparisons to Lidstrom, though humbling, make sense to Slavin. He has always tried to play like Lidstrom, who averaged 25.7 penalty minutes (514 in 1,564 games) per season across his 20 NHL seasons, all with the Red Wings.
Slavin is averaging 10 penalty minutes (70 in 508 games) in his seven NHL seasons.
"I loved his game," Slavin said. "Obviously, he's one of the best defensemen to ever play the game. Always in the right position, always had a great stick. That was definitely a guy I always wanted to model my game after."
Slavin also said he gained a lot from watching former NHL defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson when Slavin was playing junior hockey for Chicago of the United States Hockey League and Hjalmarsson was with the Chicago Blackhawks.
"I remember watching his game and his stickwork was just unbelievable, comfortable making backhand passes, whatever it was," Slavin said. "Just a solid defenseman and I loved his game. I was 17 years old at the time.
"But Lidstrom is probably the biggest one growing up."