Knoxville Ice Bears

Not risky business for Ice Bears center Eric Slais

date: 12/25/2011

Eric Slais was sitting at a desk working his high-dollar job as a pharmaceutical sales rep in St. Louis when his phone rang. It was the summer of 2010.

On the line was former Knoxville Ice Bears coach Marc Rodgers. Slais was surprised by what he heard. Rodgers offered him a chance to try out for the Ice Bears.

Not long after that, Slais made a bold move, which was nothing new for him. Slais hung up his business suit, quit his job, and pulled out his hockey skates before heading to Knoxville.

“I was a little nervous about leaving my job to come in,” Slais said last week. “There wasn’t a guaranteed spot or anything like that, but professional hockey was something I always wanted to do. I felt confident I could come in and work hard and earn a spot, and luckily I was able to do that.”

Now, Slais is in his second season with the Ice Bears, and the center is a key component on a team that’s on the heels of Augusta for first place in the Southern Professional Hockey League.

Slais, 26, the Ice Bears’ fourth-leading scorer (eight goals, 14 assists), will be reminded again tonight why he doesn’t mind playing for peanuts compared to his old job’s pay rate.

The Ice Bears, who have won eight consecutive games and are undefeated at home, play host to the Mississippi RiverKings at 7:35 at Civic Coliseum. When the lights are off and the spotlight goes on, one of the most loyal fan bases in the SPHL will roar when its team takes the ice.

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