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Syracuse Crunch defenseman Slater Koekkoek has four goals and eight assists for the team this season.

(Scott Schild | Sschild@syracuse.com)

Syracuse, N.Y. — Syracuse Crunch defenseman Slater Koekkoek had a soft landing when he arrived back in Syracuse on Monday.

Roommates Jake Dotchin and Dylan Blujus had restocked his not-so-secret sweets drawer with M&Ms.

"He'll probably take a look in there and get some big eyes and have a good little treat,'' Dotchin said.

While Koekkoek was on recall to Tampa Bay for 11 days, Dotchin's family came to visit and his 12-year-old sister slept in Koekkoek's vacated room. Dotchin took time to tidy up Koekkoek's lair and neatly make the bed after its use.

"I got home and my room was pretty clean but I don't know what's been going on at the house,'' Koekkoek said "Hopefully they behaved themselves. They might have did some tidying up for me, which I greatly appreciate.''

Friends like that make minor league life a lot more tolerable. But Koekkoek, of course, is tapping his toes in anticipation of moving into much different surroundings.

Koekkoek, a Lightning first-round pick in 2012, is Tampa Bay's best defensive prospect and a man on the cusp of a regular NHL home. The second-year pro returns from a stretch with the parent club that was encouraging for its length (six games) but also frustrating because of the playing time afforded (three healthy scratches, a little more than eight minutes per game in the three games he played).

"They're going to play me whatever they feel and I've just got to go out there and do what I can for those minutes. I'd never complain about it,'' Koekkoek said. "They want me playing big minutes down here, an every situations kind of guy. They don't want me sitting in the press box. They don't want me missing game time. It's fine.

"I'm going to work as hard as I can wherever I am. So if it's down here, then I'll give 100 percent. If it's up there for limited minutes, then I'll give 100 percent in those minutes as well. I thought I played well. I thought I played solid defense, skated when I could. But by all means I thought I've just got to earn their trust one step at a time. Hopefully that day comes sooner than later.''

But patience can be a challenge for Koekkoek, as it might be for any 22-year-old as talented as him.

"Every day I look and see guys my age, my draft, playing in the NHL. I want that to be me,'' he said. "I just look at what Tampa's building here. No young guys are up playing. It's all development down here and when you're ready 100 percent they'll bring you up and start playing.''

Syracuse coach Rob Zettler indicated that it might not be long before Koekkoek gets another, perhaps busier, shot with Tampa Bay, especially based upon his play of late.

"It's developed for me over the last three or four weeks. I don't think he had a great start to his season. I thought the last three or four weeks he seemed to be moving pucks better, he seemed to be skating better and his timing jumping into plays and being part of the offense seemed to be a lot better,'' Zettler said. "He's close (to the NHL), without a doubt. But again, he's a guy that we want playing every night.''

As long as Koekkoek remains in Syracuse, he knows who's going to have his back. His 22nd birthday passed when he was in Tampa, and Dotchin and Blujus have a special present waiting for him later this week.

The specifics, naturally, remain under wraps

"We got a little surprise for him,'' Dotchin said. "Can't be told yet. It's not something that's going to be, oh, that's awesome. It will be something that all three of us know.''

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