Slavin praised by Hurricanes for defensive effort in Eastern 2nd Round

RALEIGH, N.C. --Jaccob Slavin has given Rod Brind'Amour so much to gush about in his five seasons as Carolina Hurricanes coach, but Slavin's masterful defensive performance in helping contain the New Jersey Devils' high-powered offense in the Eastern Conference Second Round pushed his coach's praise to another level.

"I've watched him now for many years and he might be one of the best defensemen ever to play that position the way he plays it," Brind'Amour said after Carolina advanced to the Eastern Conference Final with a 3-2 overtime win in Game 5 on Thursday. "Everyone raises their eyes at me. I've been watching it every night, but at defending, I haven't seen anyone better."

Carolina will need more of the same from Slavin in the conference final against the Florida Panthers, but it will be difficult for him to top his dominance against New Jersey.

Despite often facing the Devils' top offensive players, particularly center Jack Hughes, Slavin was on the ice for 13 Carolina goals and one goal against -- scored by Dawson Mercer in the first period Thursday -- for a team-high plus-12 rating in the five games. Hughes, who set a Devils record with 99 points in the regular season (43 goals, 56 assists), had six points (three goals, three assists) in the series, but none when matched against Slavin.

Slavin was on the ice for 32:49 of Hughes' 87:54 ice time during the series, according to NHL Stats, and helped limit him to no points and three shots on goal during that time. Not known for his offense, Slavin also had four points in the series (one goal, three assists) and Carolina outscored New Jersey 4-0 when he and Hughes were on the ice together.

Overall, the Hurricanes were plus-25 in 5-on-5 shot attempts when Slavin was on the ice in the series.

"Honestly, it's a five-guy effort," Slavin said. "When they're out on the ice, though, the forwards have to be getting back for us. As defensemen, we've got to have tight gaps, so just staying on them and taking away their time and space. I know it's cliché, but when you've got top-end skill like that, you've got to take away their time and space. Otherwise, they're going to make you pay."

Slavin had help from his defense partner Brent Burns, who was acquired in a trade with the San Jose Sharks last offseason, and when the Hurricanes had last change at home, usually the line of Jack Drury, Jordan Staal and Martin Necas. Hughes, who played through an upper-body injury in Game 5, had four of his six points (two goals, two assists) in New Jersey's 8-4 win at home in Game 3 on Sunday.

In the three games in Carolina, when the Hurricanes had last change, Hughes had one point, a secondary assist on Timo Meier's power-play goal in the second period of Game 5. Slavin's proficiency at controlling the game and snuffing out rushes and scoring chances from his left side defense position using his size (6-foot-3, 207 pounds), long reach and skating were integral to Carolina's success.

"His skating ability, his stick, his ability to close off, he just has that uncanny ability," said Turner Sports analyst Eddie Olczyk, a former NHL player and coach. "You think you have time and space and all of a sudden it's just gone because he knows how to angle so well. It's easy to watch from up top, but you just have an appreciation from having played and coached, where you just sit there and go, if you're going down the right side you better make the right play because he's just going to shut you right down."

A prime example of that came on the Hurricanes first goal in their 6-1 win in Game 4 on Tuesday. Slavin read the play as the Devils were preparing to break out of their zone and stepped up in the neutral zone to strip forward Michael McLeod of the puck almost instantaneously after he received the outlet pass from defenseman Luke Hughes.

The turnover started a rush in the other direction that was finished by Necas to tie the score at 1-1 with 2:20 left in the first period. Instead of trailing 1-0 going into the first intermission after losing Game 3, the score was tied, and Carolina scored five goals in the second period to pull away and take a 3-1 series lead.

"We know that they like to use the middle in the neutral zone, so I didn't see anyone above middle, so I knew it was my guy," Slavin said. "…. You could kind of see the play develop and it's kind of an all-or-nothing play. If he gets by me, it's a breakaway. If not, we obviously went the other way and scored a goal, so I'll take it."

Slavin's steady defensive play has been his trademark throughout his eight NHL seasons, all with the Hurricanes, who selected him in the fourth round (No. 120) of the 2012 NHL Draft. But the 29-year-old often flies under the radar during the regular season.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs, when the focus on matchups during a best-of-7 series are under the spotlight, are when Slavin's defensive skills receive more attention and the kind of appreciation he gets season-round in the Hurricanes locker room.

"It's always very similar with him," Burns said. "He's always very even keeled and super detailed and skilled. I think that's what makes him elite."

Slavin embraces the challenge of going head-to-head with top offensive players game after game and having to adjust during a long series. After moving on from Jack Hughes and the Devils, Matthew Tkachuk of the Panthers could be his next assignment.

"You love those kind of games where you know it's going to be a hard game defensively, especially against skilled guys like that," he said. "I don't think any of us would be here if we didn't like those type of nights. … It's not just a one and done. You know if maybe you don't give your best one night, you better come back better the next night, and they're thinking the same thing. If they didn't have their best game, they're going to be coming back the next game wanting to be better.

"So, it's definitely a long battle, but it's fun."