\n Josiah (left) and Jaccob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes, April 11, 2026. (Photo via X\/@Canes) <\/p>\n
Not a bad week for star Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, he put home an overtime game-winner<\/a> for Carolina\u2019s 50th win of the season, just the fifth 50-win season in franchise history. It marked his first goal of the season. As a defenseman, he doesn\u2019t typically add a ton of offense for the Hurricanes, but injuries have limited him to only 39 games this season, the fewest of his 11-year career.<\/p>\n >> Subscribe to Sports Spectrum Magazine for more stories where sports and faith connect <<<\/a><\/p>\n JACCOB SLAVIN WINS IT IN @ENERGIZER<\/a> OVERTIME! \ud83d\ude24 pic.twitter.com\/atJtLmvy54<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 NHL (@NHL) April 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n On Thursday, the 31-year-old was given a night off to rest as the Canes played in Chicago, but a Slavin was still on the ice. Jaccob\u2019s 27-year-old younger brother, Josiah, made his debut for Carolina. It was his first NHL action since 2022, when he played for Chicago.<\/p>\n Then on Friday, the Hurricanes announced that Jaccob had been named the team\u2019s nominee<\/a> for the 2025-26 King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which honors the player \u201cwho best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.\u201d Jaccob has long been active in supporting organizations such as International Justice Mission, Compassion International, the Raleigh Dream Center, the Raleigh Rescue Mission, and the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation.<\/p>\n But Saturday was the ultimate highlight. Jaccob was back in action, as was Josiah, and for the first time in the NHL, the brothers took the ice for the same team.<\/p>\n \u201cJust pure joy,\u201d Jaccob said during a first-intermission interview<\/a>. \u201cI mean, obviously, growing up together, played a lot of mini sticks together, played a lot of backyard hockey together. But, to finally be able to be here in the NHL with him \u2014 that\u2019s just joy. It\u2019s awesome \u2014 thankful for this opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been nothing but awesome,\u201d Josiah said. \u201cI mean, he\u2019s been five years older than me, so I\u2019ve been catching up pretty much my whole life. Just to get this opportunity is nothing but special.\u201d<\/p>\n “Close-knit family, we all love Jesus, and we’re just happy to be here together” \u2014 Queen of the Puck (@rbarkleyhockey) April 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Jaccob tallied an assist in 26 minutes, 54 seconds of ice time, while Josiah, a left wing, logged 14:04 as Carolina defeated the Mammoth in Utah, 4-1, for its 52nd win of the year. Heading into Monday\u2019s matchups, the Hurricanes own the best record in the Eastern Conference (52-22-6).<\/p>\n Their parents, Robert and Wendi, and older sister, Jordan, also traveled to Utah to take in the special moment in person, though brothers Justin and Jeremiah were unable to make the trip.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a close-knit family,\u201d Jaccob said. \u201cWe all love Jesus, and we\u2019re just happy to be here together.\u201d<\/p>\n Robert echoed those thoughts when he and his wife were interviewed for the Canes\u2019 broadcast as well.<\/p>\n \u201cFive kids that love the Lord and they\u2019re always there for each other, no matter what happens,\u201d Robert said<\/a>.<\/p>\n Josiah\u2019s time with Carolina was short-lived, however, as he was sent on Sunday back to the Chicago Wolves,\u00a0the minor league affiliate of the Hurricanes. In 66 games this season with the Wolves, he has registered 25 points (six goals, 19 assists).<\/p>\n No matter where he\u2019s playing, though, Josiah will continue pointing teammates to the Lord. He said in December that he\u2019s leading a discipleship group amongst the Wolves, and they have up to 13 guys attending the team chapels, with five or six also going to church together when their schedule allows.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat God\u2019s doing in Chicago right now with this team, it\u2019s been special,\u201d Josiah told \u201cSound the Siren.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n Undoubtedly, he\u2019s taken a cue from his older brother, who\u2019s long been one of the most outspoken Christ-followers in the NHL<\/a>. With the platform Jaccob\u2019s been given through hockey, even his time with the recent U.S. Olympic hockey team, he\u2019s given glory to God.<\/p>\n He suffered a lower-body injury in preseason training that forced him to miss 29 regular-season games. He came back for two games before an upper-body injury knocked him out for another 10 games. For a time, it was questionable whether he\u2019d be able to play in the Olympics.<\/p>\n \u201cI just look at it with gratitude,\u201d he said in February<\/a>, after Team USA won gold<\/a>. \u201c\u2026 Just thankful for God, and protecting me while I was over there, but also through this season with the injuries that I had at the beginning of the year. Just trusting His timing with it all, and getting to a spot where I was healthy enough to go and play. So, again, I look at it with gratitude.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n In March, Jaccob returned to the Sports Spectrum Podcast<\/a> and touched on the mantra many athletes say about praising God in the good and the bad. He was asked about why we should do that.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the biggest reason why, as a Christian athlete, is we look at what Jesus did on the cross,\u201d Jaccob said. \u201cGoing into a game, we know that we are sinners saved by grace. So we\u2019re playing from the identity of, \u2018All right, I\u2019m out here as a chosen vessel of God to glorify God.\u2019 And whether you\u2019re in the office working, whether it\u2019s a sport you\u2019re playing, whether you\u2019re a stay-at-home mom, that is where God has you, so you\u2019re going to do your work for God\u2019s glory. So the reason why is because He\u2019s worthy of it.<\/p>\n \u201cOne thing I\u2019ve always prayed before games is: Christ died for me so I\u2019m going to play for Him. If He was willing to give His life for me, I feel like the least I can do is play for Him with the platform He\u2019s given me, the abilities He\u2019s given me, and really just glorify and honor Him through the sport of hockey, or through loving my wife, parenting my kids, whatever it is.\u201d<\/p>\n With two games remaining in the regular season, Slavin and the Hurricanes are looking to match the franchise-best win total of 54.<\/p>\n >> Do you know Christ personally? Learn how you can commit your life to Him. <<<\/a><\/p>\n RELATED STORIES:
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