Tampa Bay Lightning 1st round pick in the 2012 draft (#10 overall) rookie defenseman Slater Kookkoek(65) has been working hard putting up points, contributing with minor league affiliate Syracuse Crunch for his first NHL recall.
In 66 AHL games he has 5 goals and a team 19 assists (1st on the team for his position) with a +10 rating as his squad gets ready to clinch their spot in the postseason.
The 6’2″ 197 lbs. blue liner continues a scoring touch from four years in the OHL, where he averaged more than 20+ assists a season, was team captain for Peterborough Petes, assistant in his final campaign of junior hockey with Windsor Spitfires and lead in d-man points on two occasions.
In his debut he skated 21 shifts for 15:31 total ice time, had a pair of shots on net and ended the 3-1 defeat with a -1 rating. He usually manages to get the puck to the net a couple of times each outing with the farm club.
The 21-year old is signed to a three year entry level deal and has probably just started his time in the big league but plays on a team with a lot of defensive depth so will have to be good on a nightly basis.
