Slater Koekkoek

**Slater Koekkoek** (born on February 18, 1994 in North Dundas, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for theChicago Blackhawks in the NHL.

Koekkoek was drafted 10th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

## Playing Career

### Early Playing Career

Slater was a 1st round selection of the Peterborough Petes in the 2010 OHL Priority Selection. He played 4 seasons and 195 games in the Ontario Hockey League having played 131 games with the Peterborough Petes and 64 with the Windsor Spitfires.

During his 2nd season with the Peterborough Petes, he only played in 26 games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in November.

He was traded mid-season to Windsor on January 10, 2013 and in his last season, he set a career high and recorded 15 goals and 53 points, and finished with a +44 rating and 51 penalty minutes.

### Professional

Slater was selected 10th overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning and was signed by the Lightning to a three-year entry level contract on March 20, 2013. He was assigned to the Canadian Hockey League the first 2 years and made his professional hockey debut on October 12, 2014 against the Hartford Wolf Pack.

In 66 games with the Crunch, he had five goals and 24 points to go along with 40 penalty minutes. He led all Crunch defensemen in assists (19) and points (24). He also is tied for fifth among American Hockey League rookie defensemen in points.

Slater made his NHL debut with the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 31, 2015 in his home province of Ontario, losing 3–1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs recording 2 shots, had a –1 rating and skating in 15:31 in the game.

On April 8, 2015, the Tampa Bay Lightning announced that he had been reassigned to the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League. He skated in three games with the Lightning, recording two penalty minutes and six shots.

On March 7, 2016, Slater recorded his first career NHL assist and first NHL point in a 2–4 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. On April 30, 2016, he appeared in his first NHL playoff game, which was a 4–1 Lightning win over the New York Islanders.

On May 24, 2016, he recorded his first career playoff assist and point, which came in a 2–5 Lightning loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

On July 3, 2017, Slater signed a one-year, $800,000 contract extension with the Lightning. On October 12, 2017, he recorded his first and second career NHL goals. His second goal was the game-winning goal in a 5–4 Lightning win over the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins.

On January 11, 2019, he was traded by the Lightning (along with a 2019 fifth-round pick) in exchange for Jan Rutta and a 2019 seventh-round pick on January 11, 2019.

## International Play

Slater first competed at the international stage at the 2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge in helping Canada Ontario claim the gold medal.

He represented the Canadian under-18 national team at the 2011 IIHF World U18 Championships where he had two points in seven games and helped Canada win bronze medals.

In the 2011 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, he served as an alternate captain, and he led Canada in defensive scoring with five points in five games.