Slater Koekkoek
Stp 20170607 100 34814517910 o (39874336314).jpg
Koekkoek with the Syracuse Crunch in 2017
Born (1994-02-18) February 18, 1994
North Dundas, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for Tampa Bay Lightning
Chicago Blackhawks
Edmonton Oilers
NHL Draft 10th overall, 2012
Tampa Bay Lightning
Playing career 2014–2022

Slater Koekkoek (/ˈkuːkuː/ KOO-koo;[1] born February 18, 1994) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Koekkoek was originally selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning, 10th overall, in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Junior

Koekkoek was a first round selection of the Peterborough Petes in the 2010 OHL Priority Selection.[2] Koekkoek 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.[3] 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.

Koekkoek with the Windsor Spitfires in 2013

Professional

Koekkoek was selected 10th overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was signed by the Lightning to a three-year entry level contract on March 20, 2013, and was assigned to the Canadian Hockey League the first 2 years.[4] Koekkoek made his professional hockey debut on October 12, 2014, against the Hartford Wolf Pack. In 66 games with the Crunch, Koekkoek had five goals and 24 points to go along with 40 penalty minutes. Koekkoek led all Crunch defensemen in assists (19) and points (24). He also is tied for fifth among American Hockey League rookie defensemen in points.

Koekkoek 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 and a –1 rating.[5][6] Koekkoek skated 15:31 in the game. Lightning head coach Jon Cooper stated that "he can be proud of how he played," and that "he was up in the play, and he did some good things. He defended well, and I was happy with him."[7] On April 8, 2015, the Tampa Bay Lightning announced that Koekkoek had been reassigned to the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League. Koekkoek skated in three games with the Lightning, recording two penalty minutes and six shots.[8]

On March 7, 2016, Koekkoek recorded his first career NHL assist and first NHL point in a 2–4 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.[9] On April 30, 2016, Koekkoek appeared in his first NHL playoff game, which was a 4–1 Lightning win over the New York Islanders.[10] On May 24, 2016, Koekkoek recorded his first career playoff assist and point, which came in a 2–5 Lightning loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.[11]

On July 3, 2017, Koekkoek signed a one-year, $800,000 contract extension with the Lightning.[12] On October 12, 2017, Koekkoek recorded his first and second career NHL goals. Koekkoek's second goal was the game-winning goal in a 5–4 Lightning win over the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins.[13]

During the 2018–19 season, with Koekkoek unable to establish himself on the Championship contending Lightning and having been passed on the depth chart, Koekkoek was traded by the Lightning along with a 2019 fifth-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Jan Rutta and a 2019 seventh-round pick on January 11, 2019.[14]

As a free agent from the Blackhawks, on December 26, 2020, Koekkoek was signed to a one-year, $850,000 deal with the Edmonton Oilers.[15] On August 12, he signed a two-year contract extension with the Oilers.[16]

Koekkok played 19 games for the Oilers in the 2021–22 season. While he remained under contract to the Oilers organization, Koekkoek stepped away from the team before the 2022–23 training camp. On March 15, 2023, Koekkoek revealed via his LinkedIn profile that he had stepped away from hockey "because my life inside of it had gotten to a place that was unbearable and unhealthy towards my mental health". In the post, he shared that he had experienced issues with anxiety and the inability to eat.[17]

International play

Koekkoek first competed at the international stage at the 2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge in helping Canada Ontario claim the gold medal.[18]

Koekkoek 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, Koekkoek served as an alternate captain, where he led Canada to the gold medal with his defensive scoring with five points in five games.[19]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2008–09 Notre Dame Hounds SMHL 50112 —————
2009–10 Notre Dame Hounds SMHL 4416274391 133476
2010–11 Peterborough Petes OHL 657162367 —————
2011–12 Peterborough Petes OHL 265131817 —————
2012–13 Peterborough Petes OHL 406222828 —————
2012–13 Windsor Spitfires OHL 20110 —————
2013–14 Windsor Spitfires OHL 6215385351 —————
2014–15 Syracuse Crunch AHL 725212644 30116
2014–15 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 30002 —————
2015–16 Syracuse Crunch AHL 605101526 —————
2015–16 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 90112 100112
2016–17 Syracuse Crunch AHL 482111314 2216716
2016–17 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 290448 —————
2017–18 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 3544818 —————
2018–19 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 91014 —————
2018–19 Syracuse Crunch AHL 50112 —————
2018–19 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 2214510 —————
2019–20 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 42191042 91232
2020–21 Edmonton Oilers NHL 181012 40110
2021–22 Edmonton Oilers NHL 1904416 —————
2021–22 Bakersfield Condors AHL 20110 —————
NHL totals 18682634104 231454

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2011 Canada Ontario U17 1st place, gold medalist(s) 5 1 2 3 8
2011 Canada IH18 1st place, gold medalist(s) 5 0 5 5 0
2011 Canada U18 4th 7 1 1 2 2
Junior totals 17 2 8 10 10

Awards and honours

Award Year
OHL
Second All-Rookie Team 2011
First All-Star Team 2014 [20]

References

  1. ↑ Custance, Craig (January 5, 2017). "A pronunciation guide for hockey's spellbinding young stars". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  2. ↑ "OHL Completes 2010 Priority Selection". OurSportsCentral.com. July 7, 2010. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Koekkoek, Slater - 2015 NHL Draft Prospects". NHL.COM. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Lightning sign 2012 First round pick Slater Kokkoek". Tampa Bay Lightning. March 20, 2013. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
  5. ↑ Tampa Bay, Lightning (March 31, 2015). "Lightning recall Slater Koekkoek From Syracuse". Tampa Bay Lightning News. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  6. ↑ Erlendsson, Erik (March 31, 2015). "Bolts experience post-clinch letdown against Toronto". The Tampa Tribune. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  7. ↑ Burns, Bryan (March 31, 2015). "James Reimer leads Maple Leafs past Bolts". Tampa Bay Lightning. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  8. ↑ Tampa Bay, Lightning (April 8, 2015). "Lightning Reassign Slater Koekkoek To Syracuse". Tampa Bay Lightning News. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
  9. ↑ Kimelman, Adam (March 7, 2016). "Shayne Gostisbehere's two goals help Flyers defeat Lightning". NHL.com. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  10. ↑ Long, Corey (April 30, 2016). "Drouin helps Lightning win Game 2 vs. Islanders". NHL.com. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
  11. ↑ Long, Corey (May 25, 2016). "Penguins win Game 6, extend series vs. Lightning". NHL.com. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Lightning sign defenseman Slater Koekkoek to one-year contract". NHL.com. Tampa Bay Lightning. July 3, 2017. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
  13. ↑ Long, Corey (October 12, 2017). "Stamkos Scores First, Lightning hold off Penguins". NHL.com. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Rutta traded to Lightning from Blackhawks for Koekkoek". National Hockey League. January 11, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
  15. ↑ "Oilers sign Slater Koekkoek". Edmonton Oilers. December 26, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  16. ↑ "RELEASE: Oilers sign Koekkoek to two-year extension". NHL.com. August 12, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  17. ↑ "RELEASE: Oilers defenceman Slater Koekkoek details struggles with anxiety". Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  18. ↑ Lawless, Gary (August 9, 2011). "Team Ontario downs U.S. to win under-17 gold". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
  19. ↑ Tampa Bay, Lightning (March 20, 2013). "Lightning Sign 2012 First-Round Pick SLater Koekkoek". Lightning News. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  20. ↑ "OHL announces 2013-14 All-Star Teams". Ontario Hockey League. April 1, 2014. Retrieved April 5, 2014.
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