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Jalen Chatfield

Hurricanes Notes: Orlov, Burns, Jarvis, Chatfield

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There were plenty of updates from the Carolina Hurricanes today, including from a few of their pending unrestricted free agents. In particular, according to Cory Lavalette of the North State Journal, the team hasn’t started contract negotiations with Dmitry Orlov, but the defenseman still considers the Hurricanes an option.

Carolina likely hasn’t had talks with Orlov because he won’t be their highest priority entering the offseason. The Hurricanes have a remarkably impressive left side of their defensive core, featuring Jaccob Slavin, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Alexander Nikishin.

Still, Orlov is coming off an impressive season in his own right. The 13-year veteran scored six goals and 22 points in 76 games for Carolina this season and was one of their top options on the penalty kill. He sustained his physicality and again reached the 20-minute on-ice average after dipping below the threshold last season. He’ll find plenty of interest in his services on the free-agent market, particularly from the Anaheim Ducks, Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders, and San Jose Sharks, who each played below average with a man disadvantage.

Other notes from the Hurricanes:

  • On the other hand, there is one defenseman eager to stay in Raleigh. Earlier today, team reporter Walt Ruff shared a quote from veteran defenseman Brent Burns saying, “We’ll see what happens, but we love it here and would love for it to work out.” Whether or not it works out with the Hurricanes, it seems that Burns will return for a 22nd season. Still, he did show signs of slowing down this season, scoring six goals and 29 points in 82 games after tallying 43 points a year prior.
  • Moving over the injury-related news, Ruff reported that forward Seth Jarvis was dealing with the same shoulder injury from last year throughout the regular season and playoffs. According to the report, Ruff indicated that Jarvis has already ruled out surgery as an option to avoid missing the start of the 2025-26 campaign and to keep his name in contention for Team Canada’s 2026 Olympic roster.
  • Lastly, Lavalette reported that defenseman Jalen Chatfield was dealing with a hip injury and was close to returning before the Hurricanes were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Final. Chatfield, like many of his peers on Carolina’s roster, had a largely successful trip through Round One and Two of the 2024-25 Stanley Cup playoffs. He scored one goal in nine games with a +6 rating before suffering the injury in Game 4 against the Washington Capitals, and had a 92.2% on-ice save percentage at even strength.

Carolina Hurricanes Lineup Updates For Game 4

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The roster for the Carolina Hurricanes won’t look much different for Game 4. Earlier today, the team (via Walt Ruff) shared that defenseman Jalen Chatfield and Sean Walker remain out with undisclosed injuries, meaning Alexander Nikishin and Scott Morrow will maintain their spots in the lineup.

Unfortunately, neither defenseman has filled in well for the flailing Hurricanes. Morrow, who’s only postseason experience came through the first three contests of the Eastern Conference Final, has gone scoreless with a -5 rating, averaging 12:04 of ice time per night. Meanwhile, who’s only two games into his NHL career, has also gone scoreless with a -4 rating.

That’s not to say Carolina’s current predicament rests solely on their shoulders. The Hurricanes have struggled through the series’ first three games, having been outscored by 12. There is an argument that some bounces haven’t gone Carolina’s way, but it doesn’t account for that deficit. Carolina has nearly half the penalty minutes of the Panthers, has won 56.3% of the faceoffs, and is scoring at a 27.3% clip on the power play.

Head coach Rod Brind’Amour hopes that another goaltending switch will reignite the team. Passing along a note from Brind’Amour, Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer reports that Frederik Andersen will reprise his role as the team’s starter tonight.

Many will credit Andersen for the Hurricanes’ run to the Eastern Conference Final. The veteran netminder had managed a .937 SV% against the New Jersey Devils and Washington Capitals through his first nine games of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Still, Carolina didn’t get that same netminder through the first two games of the Eastern Conference Final. The Panthers were calculated in their offense against Andersen, limiting the netminder to only 27 saves on 36 shots for a .750 SV%. No matter the case, there’s no more room for the Hurricanes, as they enter tonight’s contest one loss away from elimination.

Jalen Chatfield And Sean Walker Unlikely For Game 4

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After missing Game 3 against the Florida Panthers, the Carolina Hurricanes will appear to be without two key defenders for Game 4. Coach Rod Brind’Amour announced he doesn’t expect to have either Jalen Chatfield or Sean Walker, per NHL.com reporter Dan Rosen.

Both defenders remain out with undisclosed injuries. The 29-year-old Chatfield has been out since the final game of last round’s matchup against the Capitals. While Chatfield has been a full participant at practice for some time, he hasn’t been able to clear the final hurdle to return to the lineup. Chatfield averaged a career high of 18:53 of ice time per game during the regular season, and that figure has climbed to 20:24 during the playoffs. He has contributed one goal and a plus-six rating in nine playoff games thus far.

Walker, who appeared to suffer his injury in the second period of Game 2 (he didn’t return for the third), took part in Saturday’s practice but wasn’t back in the lineup for Game 3.

“I don’t know because I haven’t even been down to the medical part yet, but if they couldn’t play (Saturday), it’s probably doubtful they play,” Brind’Amour said Sunday.

With that said, it does appear the coach is holding out hope. He said he hopes he’s wrong about their availability, though that may be more a reflection of the team’s desperation down 3-0 than genuine optimism about their chances of returning.

“That’s my guess. I hope not. Maybe I’m wrong. But that one, we won’t know until (Monday) on that,” he said.

Rookies Scott Morrow and Alexander Nikishin filled in for the two veterans during Game 3, but both struggled mightily, combining for a minus-six rating. In three games this postseason, Morrow has a minus-five rating and no points while averaging just 12:04 of ice time per game. Nikiskin, who has been thrown into the fire by starting his NHL career during these playoffs, has skated in two games with a minus-four rating.

While the Hurricanes have run into the buzzsaw that is the defending champions, they may still wonder how the series might have unfolded with a healthy Chatfield and Walker, especially with their replacements being talented but inexperienced rookies.

Metropolitan Notes: Ovechkin, Chatfield, Blue Jackets, Laperriere

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Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin is the winner of this year’s Mark Messier Leadership Award, the league announced.  First awarded in 2007, the award goes to “the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice, during the regular season and who plays a leading role in his community growing the game of hockey.”  Ovechkin helped lead Washington to an improbable top spot in the Eastern Conference while breaking the all-time goal-scoring record on the heels of a 44-goal, 73-point campaign.  Ovechkin has captained the Caps for the last 16 years and this is his first time winning the award; there has yet to be a repeat winner league-wide thus far.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • It appears that Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield will miss another game as Cory Lavalette of the North State Journal relays (Twitter link) that the blueliner is out for tonight’s third game against Florida. This will be the fourth straight game that the 29-year-old will miss due to an undisclosed injury sustained last round against Washington.  Chatfield has a goal in nine games so far in the playoffs while averaging over 20 minutes a night.  Scott Morrow is expected to once again take his place in the lineup.
  • The Blue Jackets have a pair of prospects that they will lose the rights to if not signed by June 1st, wingers Tyler Peddle and Martin Rysavy. It appears they’ll be letting both go as Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that Columbus won’t sign them before the deadline.  Peddle was a seventh-round pick in 2023, going 224th overall and had just 29 points in 54 games with QMJHL Saint John this season.  Meanwhile, Rysavy was a seventh-rounder two years earlier, going 197th overall.  He spent this season in the Czech Extraliga, posting five goals and four assists in 52 games with Liberec.
  • While Ian Laperriere will no longer be coaching the Flyers’ AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley, his days with the organization aren’t numbered. Anthony Di Marco of The Fourth Period relays (Twitter link) that the former NHLer will remain in the organization in a different capacity.  Laperriere has been with Philadelphia since 2012, spending time in player development while also coaching at the NHL and AHL levels.

Hurricanes’ Jalen Chatfield Remains Day-To-Day

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Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said defenseman Jalen Chatfield is progressing with his undisclosed injury but remains day-to-day and is questionable for Game 2 against the Panthers, per Kurt Dusterberg of NHL.com.

Brind’Amour noted over the weekend that he was hopeful that the 29-year-old would be ready for the Eastern Conference Final opener after missing the final game against the Capitals, but Chatfield wasn’t able to go. The last time Chatfield was able to suit up was Game 4 of the second round on May 12. While Chatfield was a full participant at Tuesday’s practice and skated today, Brind’Amour noted Chatfield has not yet been cleared to return to the lineup.

As Brind’Amour stated: “All the athletes want to play; if they’re not capable, they’re not capable. I think today he is better. I would put him more day to day now, so that’s a good sign.”

The Canes appeared to miss Chatfield’s presence in Game 1 against the Panthers, where they gave up five goals in the loss. Chatfield averaged a career high of 18:53 of ice time per game during the regular season, and that figure has climbed to 20:24 during the playoffs. He has contributed one goal and a plus-six rating in nine playoff games thus far. Rookie Scott Morrow filled in for Chatfield in Game 1 but struggled, finishing with a minus-3 rating in just 12:19 of ice time.

The 22-year-old has just 16 NHL games of experience, making the moment a lot to ask of the 2021 second-round pick. However, he has showcased success in his brief experience during the regular season, posting six points and a plus-four rating in 14 games this season. Alexander Nikishin also made his NHL debut in Game 5 against the Capitals, and gives the Canes another talented, yet inexperienced defender to consider.

Metropolitan Notes: Penguins, Chatfield, Quapp, Devils

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While some head coaching searches may soon be wrapping up, don’t expect that to be the case for the Penguins.  Speaking with The Athletic’s Josh Yohe (subscription link), GM Kyle Dubas indicated that he plans to do a second interview in-person with the final few candidates for the role in the final week of May when he returns from Sweden where he’s in charge of Canada’s entry at the Worlds.  From there, the hope is to have the new hire in place by June 1st before Dubas leaves for the Draft Combine a few days later.  The new coach will be taking over for Mike Sullivan, who was one of the longest-tenured bench bosses in the league before parting ways with him earlier this month.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield did not take part in practice today in advance of Tuesday’s Eastern Conference Final opener, relays Cory Lavalette of the North State Journal (Twitter link). Head coach Rod Brind’Amour noted over the weekend that he was hopeful that the 29-year-old would be ready for the opener after missing the last game against Washington with an undisclosed injury but that may be in some question now.  Today, the bench boss noted that Chatfield will likely need to be a full participant in tomorrow’s game-day skate to have a shot at suiting up.
  • Still with the Hurricanes, goaltending prospect Nikita Quapp has signed a one-year deal with Eispiraten Crimmitschau in Germany’s second division, per a team release. Carolina drafted the 22-year-old back in the sixth round in 2021 but he has struggled.  After spending most of 2023-24 in the second division, Quapp moved up to the DEL this year but only got into nine games with Dusseldorfer where he posted a 4.08 GAA and a .870 SV%.  Carolina holds Quapp’s rights through June 1st and considering his struggles and this contract, it’s fair to say they will be letting those rights go in a couple of weeks.
  • James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now highlights a trio of Devils players whose trade protection decreases at the beginning of July. Center Erik Haula goes from a full no-trade clause to a six-team no-trade clause while winger Ondrej Palat and defenseman Dougie Hamilton go from a full no-trade to a 10-team no-trade (while retaining no-move rights for waiver purposes).  GM Tom Fitzgerald vowed to be active this summer following an early exit in the playoffs so having a few more potential trade options could certainly help in that regard.

Metropolitan Notes: Shaw, Chatfield, Sandin, Eller

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Yesterday, Flyers general manager Daniel Brière confirmed an earlier report that associate coach and briefly interim head coach Brad Shaw won’t be back with the team next season. According to Jonathan Bailey of The Hockey News, Shaw wasn’t enthused about going through the interview process a second time to remain a part of new head coach Rick Tocchet’s staff after finishing as the runner-up to Tocchet in head coaching interviews over the past few weeks.

“He called me yesterday and said he didn’t feel like he could fully invest himself going through the [interview] process again to see if he was to be part of [Tocchet’s] staff moving forward,” Brière said.

Now with 21 years of experience as an assistant/associate and interim head coach on NHL benches, Shaw is likely going to emerge as a candidate for at least one of the league’s four remaining head coach vacancies in Boston, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Seattle. He reportedly received interest from the Capitals and Ducks in 2023’s hiring cycle.

“We’re really appreciative of what Brad has done,” Brière said. “He’s helped a lot of our young guys on defense, especially, and he was considered.”

We have more from the Metropolitan Division:

  • When the Hurricanes won Game 5 of the second round against the Capitals to advance to the Eastern Conference Final, they did so without the services of defenseman Jalen Chatfield. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour is hopeful but uncertain regarding his status for the beginning of the third round, Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer relays.
  • On the other side of the Carolina/Washington coin, Caps defenseman Rasmus Sandin is expected to join Sweden’s blue line at the World Championship, according to Hockeynews.se’s Henrik Sjoberg. Sweden’s roster is at the 22-skater maximum, so they’ll presumably be dropping a player (likely one of defenseman Gabriel Carlsson or forward Christoffer Ehn, neither of whom has played in the tournament yet) to make room for him. The Swedes are dominating the tournament on home ice, going undefeated through six group stage games and recording three consecutive shutouts against Latvia, Slovenia, and France. Sandin previously suited up for them at the 2023 Worlds.
  • Still in Washington, pending UFA center Lars Eller told Sammi Silber of The Hockey News he has every intention to keep playing next season (article link via DC Backcheck). “I’ll definitely keep playing. My body feels good,” Eller said. The 36-year-old Dane was limited to 22 points in 80 games split between the Penguins and Capitals this year, recording under 0.30 points per game for the second time in the last three years. Whether his future is in Washington, elsewhere in the NHL, or in Europe remains to be seen.

Jalen Chatfield Out For Game 5, Alexander Nikishin Making NHL Debut

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The Hurricanes will be without depth defenseman Jalen Chatfield for a potential series-clinching Game 5 due to an undisclosed injury, per the team’s Walt Ruff. That means top defense prospect Alexander Nikishin will be making his NHL debut tonight after signing before the postseason.

Nikishin will debut on his natural left side on a pairing with countryman Dmitry Orlov, who Ruff relays will slide over to his offside. Orlov and the righty Chatfield have been partners all year long, so there’s no domino effect on Carolina’s other defense units.

As for Chatfield, he tweaked something near the end of Game 4 and didn’t practice yesterday. While head coach Rod Brind’Amour said yesterday he didn’t expect Chatfield to miss time, he told Canes beat reporter Adam Gold earlier today that Chatfield had been downgraded to being a game-time decision. It’s worth noting Chatfield’s gone three games without hitting the 20-minute mark after doing so in four straight. He has one goal and a plus-six rating in nine games this postseason – the latter figure is tied for the team lead.

Nikishin’s long-awaited NHL debut comes nearly five years after Carolina selected him in the third round of the 2020 draft. The 23-year-old Russian has grown into a dominant rearguard in his home country in the past few years, routinely being dubbed the best defenseman outside the NHL. Standing at 6’4″ and 216 lbs, Nikishin had somewhat of a down year in 2024-25 with a 17-29–46 scoring line in 61 games for SKA St. Petersburg but led Kontinental Hockey League defensemen in scoring the two years prior.

A dominant two-way presence, Nikishin begins the NHL phase of his career after recording 177 points and a +71 rating in 288 KHL games with SKA and Spartak Moscow. Virtually guaranteed a left-side spot next year with Orlov’s contract expiring, tonight will be an important trial run for the youngster as he settles into NHL minutes in what’s a pretty safe scenario for Carolina, up 3-1 over the Capitals with a chance at the Eastern Conference Final on the line.

Snapshots: Conn Smythe Candidates, Chatfield, Snee

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With the Panthers going up three games over the Oilers in last night’s win, it’s truly safe to start talking about Conn Smythe candidates. Shayna Goldman and Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic wasted no time breaking down some of the leading candidacies this morning. Should the series end without a catastrophic implosion on Florida’s part, there are three leading finalists for the playoff MVP honor: captain Aleksander Barkov, defensive stalwart Gustav Forsling and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. Bobrovsky is trying his hardest to pull away from the pack, allowing only four goals through three Cup Final games and posting a .953 SV%. He may be going so far as to solidify a spot in the Hall of Fame, let alone a Conn Smythe, but as Goldman and LeBrun dive into, it shouldn’t demerit the elite performances from Barkov and Forsling over the last two months that are more-than-deserving of recognition.

Other notes as the weekend (and end of the season) draws near:

  • The Hurricanes’ recent confirmation of an extension for defenseman Jalen Chatfield was a long time coming. Cory Lavalette of the North State Journal reports Friday that the team tried to engage in contract discussions midseason, but Chatfield’s camp opted to delay talks in hopes of boosting his market value down the stretch. It worked out well for the blue liner, who still takes a slight discount on what he could have likely landed elsewhere in free agency but earns a nearly 400% raise over his previous average annual value with a large portion of the deal paid upfront via signing bonuses.
  • Earlier this week, the Wild announced that Mike Snee is returning to the organization as their vice president of the Minnesota Wild Foundation and community relations. Snee was one of the first people hired by the team before their inception for the 2000-01 season, working in sales and sponsorship. A longtime member of the governing board for USA Hockey, Snee has spent the last 12 years as the executive director of College Hockey, Inc., working to develop several new NCAA hockey programs as well as landing a Canadian broadcasting rights agreement for the collegiate circuit.

Hurricanes Sign Jalen Chatfield To Three-Year Extension

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June 14: The team has made this signing official, with interim general manager Eric Tulsky sharing with The Athletic’s Cory Lavalette, “Jalen has been an integral part of our blue line over the last two seasons and firmly established himself as an NHL defenseman. His elite speed and tireless work ethic make him an incredibly dynamic player at both ends of the ice.”

June 13: The Hurricanes are expected to extend defenseman Jalen Chatfield, CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal reports Thursday. He was slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. It’s a three-year, $9MM contract with a $3MM cap hit, per Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff. PuckPedia has the full breakdown of the deal:

2024-25: $1MM base salary, $2.75MM signing bonus, no-move clause
2025-26: $1MM base salary, $2MM signing bonus, no-move clause
2026-27: $775K base salary, $1.475MM signing bonus, 15-team no-trade list

Chatfield joined Carolina on a two-way deal as a Group VI unrestricted free agent in 2021 after getting a brief NHL shot with the Canucks the season prior. In the three years since, he’s developed into one of the better depth options in the league on a bargain-bin contract that actually carried a $762.5K cap hit below the league minimum salary this season.

The 28-year-old split his first season between the Canes and AHL Chicago but became a fixture in the lineup beginning with the 2022-23 season. He’s played 70-plus games the past two years, developing his offensive game while crushing his bottom-pairing minutes with high-end shot attempt and possession quality percentages.

With sizeable turnover expected on the Hurricanes blue line next season, Chatfield could be in line for an increase on the 14-15 minutes per game he’s averaged so far over his tenure in Raleigh. He was one of four notable pending UFAs Carolina had on defense – Tony DeAngelo, Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei remain without deals next season.

A speedy two-way defender, Chatfield has 14 goals, 26 assists and 40 points with a +28 rating in 184 career regular-season games while averaging 14:32 per contest. This past year with Carolina, he had a career-high eight goals and 22 points with a +15 rating in 72 games while controlling 61% of shot attempts at even strength.

If the $3MM cap hit report is accurate, the Hurricanes now have $23.87MM in projected space this offseason, per CapFriendly.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

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