It is officially official. Jalen Chatfield has re-signed with the Carolina Hurricanes. It was initially reported by Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff on Thursday, June 13, that a deal might be in place. The Hurricanes announced on Friday morning (June 14) that Chatfield will make his trips to Chatmandu for the next three seasons. That means there is one less question to be asked about the Hurricanes’ roster as we approach July 1.
Chatfield to Stay in Raleighwood
Seravalli noted that there was an agreed-upon deal to keep Chatfield in Carolina, reportedly a three-year, $9 million extension that will run through the 2026-27 season. The deal also has a full no-movement clause for the first two seasons before it becomes a 15-team no-trade list in 2026-27. Chatfield’s annual average value (AAV) will be $3 million per season. This is a great deal for both him and the Hurricanes.
AFP Analytics projected Chatfield to get a deal around the four-year, $3.673 million range. That would have been a solid contract as well; however, getting Chatfield at $3 million for the next three seasons is a steal. Also, adding the full no-trade clause probably helped keep him in Carolina instead of testing free agency, where he could have gotten closer to four years at maybe $4 million per.
This season, Chatfield turned himself into an elite bottom-pairing defenseman who stepped up in the playoffs and increased his playing time. He tallied eight goals and 22 points in 72 games, with a plus-15 rating. He should also be able to slot into the top four if the ‘Canes aren’t able to bring back Brady Skjei and/or Brett Pesce. With Dmitry Orlov, the two become the best shutdown third-defensive pair in the NHL. On any other team, they would easily slot into the top four.
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Hurricanes interim general manager Eric Tulskyhad this to say about Chatfield: “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.”
As Tulsky said, Chatfield has solidified himself as an everyday NHL blueliner after he was a healthy scratch in the first few games of the season. Once he was paired with Orlov, the rest was history, and he had a career year in his second full season with the Hurricanes.
What makes him so effective is his overall speed. At times during the season, his hustle negated an icing call. He was also able to backcheck into the defensive zone to break up plays and limit chances for opponents. Carolina knows him well because he won the 2022 Calder Cup with the team’s American Hockey League affiliate, Chicago Wolves, with Stefan Noesen, Jack Drury, and Pyotr Kochetkov. Chatfield is among the small group of former Wolves who have made their mark on the team in their short time in the NHL.
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The Hurricanes are still trying to figure out who will or won’t be back next season. However, it won’t be surprising if he gets bumped up the lineup if Pesce or Skeji do not return. He played well while replacing Jaccob Slavin on the left side when he was out with an injury two seasons ago. So, he should be able to slot in on either side, even if his main position is on right-side defense. However, if they can bring one of them back or find another free agent to fit into the top four, Chatfield would still slot in well on the third defensive pairing, where he’s been for the last two seasons. It was a great move by the Hurricanes to bring him back for three more seasons.
Tulsky: One Signing Down, Lots to Go
While Tulsky has re-signed and extended Ryan Suzuki and now Chatfield, there is still lots of work to be done this summer. The Hurricanes still have a plethora of unrestricted free agents (UFA) and restricted free agents (RFA) that need to be figured out. However, it is a solid start to the new Tulsky Era. Free agency opens in a little over two weeks, and there’s a lot to figure out about the roster for next season. It will be something to keep an eye on throughout the offseason.
