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Jalen Chatfield
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Jalen Chatfield (born May 15, 1996) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played with the Vancouver Canucks.
Key Information
Growing up in Michigan, Chatfield began playing organized competitive ice hockey with the Compuware Triple-A Under-13 team. He then spent two seasons with the Belle Tire Midget Major U18 team before signing with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League. While with the Spitfires, Chatfield helped them win the 2017 Memorial Cup.
Early life
[edit]Chatfield was born on May 15, 1996, in Ypsilanti, Michigan, U.S.[1] to parents Scott and Tomara.[2] Chatfield is biracial, with a white father and black mother.[3] Despite his father playing basketball and his sister playing soccer, Chatfield chose to participate in biking, rollerblading, skateboarding and baseball.[4] Growing up, he was a fan of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL) and specifically admired Nicklas Lidström.[5]
Playing career
[edit]Amateur
[edit]Growing up in Michigan, Chatfield began playing organized competitive ice hockey with the Compuware Triple-A Under-13 team.[6] He then spent two seasons with the Belle Tire Midget Major U18 team before signing with the Madison Capitols of the United States Hockey League for their inaugural season.[7] In his first season with the Belle Tire, Chatfield had recorded three goals and 18 assists through 40 games.[8] The following year, he improved to 11 goals and 15 assists. and was praised for being an "elite skating defenseman with good puck skills."[7] Despite being committed to the Capitols, Chatfield signed with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) prior to the 2014–15 season.[8]
Chatfield subsequently joined the Spitfires for the entirety of the 2014–15 season. In his rookie season, Chatfield scored his first career OHL goal in his 53rd game of the season.[9] At the conclusion of the season, Chatfield received the teams' Most Improved Player award.[10] In spite of his lack of scoring, Chatfield was invited to participate in the Detroit Red Wings Development camp during the offseason.[11] After attending the Red Wings camp, Chatfield was returned to the Spitfires for the 2015–16 season.[5] Upon rejoining the team, Chatfield immediately made an offensive impact by doubling his goal total from the previous season within the first four games.[9] In November 2015, Chatfield was named the Player of the Week after he scored two goals and four assists over three games.[12] His scoring prowess continued as the season progressed as he tallied eight goals and 33 points over half the season.[5] During the offseason, Chatfield attended the San Jose Sharks rookie camp where he impressed the coaches enough to earn an invite to their training camp.[13] However, Chatfield was returned to the Spitfires before the final roster was announced.[14]
The 2016–17 season would prove to be Chatfield's last in the OHL. He finished the season ranking third among Spitfire defencemen with 28 points and eight goals and second in assists with 20.[15] Chatfield's defensive efforts were recognized by OHL coaches as he tied with Kyle Pettit for the second best penalty killer in the Western Conference.[16] On March 1, 2017, Chatfield was named co-captain of the Spitfires alongside Jeremiah Addison.[17] A few days later, Chatfield signed an entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL to begin his professional career.[15]
Professional
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Chatfield joined the Canucks' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Utica Comets, for the 2017–18 season.[18] Throughout his rookie season, Chatfield was paired with Patrick Wiercioch and spent time on Utica's penalty kill unit.[19] During a game against the Hartford Wolf Pack on November 18, 2017, he tallied his first professional point with an assist on Carter Bancks' first-period goal.[20] His first AHL goal came on March 31, 2018, in a 6–5 win over the Springfield Thunderbirds.[21] Chatfield's two goals scored during the 2017–18 season were his only with the Comets throughout his tenure.[22]
Following his rookie season, Chatfield participated in the Canucks' training camp prior to the 2018–19 season.[23] He was cut before the final roster was announced and re-assigned to the Utica Comets to begin the season.[24] Chatfield appeared in seven games for the Comets, collecting one assist and six penalty minutes, before being recalled to the NHL level on November 1, 2018.[25] Chatfield did not make his NHL debut during the call-up and returned to the Comets on November 7.[26] He shortly thereafter suffered a foot injury on November 17 and subsequently missed 27 games to recover.[27] After returning to the lineup in January,[27] Chatfield tallied six more assists.[28]
On December 9, 2020, he was re-signed by the Canucks to a one-year, two-way contract.[29] He played in his first career NHL game on January 20, 2021 against the Montreal Canadiens.[30] He recorded his first NHL point, an assist on April 18, 2021 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.[31]
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As a group 6 free agent from the Canucks, Chatfield was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 29, 2021.[32] On January 21, 2022, he was re-signed by the Hurricanes to a two-year contract extension through the 2023-2024 season.[33] Chatfield scored his first NHL goal on December 22, 2022 in a 4-3 overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.[34]
Career statistics
[edit]| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2012–13 | Belle Tire | T1EHL | 40 | 3 | 18 | 21 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Belle Tire | T1EHL | 37 | 11 | 15 | 26 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Windsor Spitfires | OHL | 60 | 1 | 20 | 21 | 35 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Windsor Spitfires | OHL | 68 | 10 | 27 | 37 | 45 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17 | Windsor Spitfires | OHL | 61 | 8 | 20 | 28 | 56 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 2017–18 | Utica Comets | AHL | 60 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 26 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2018–19 | Utica Comets | AHL | 34 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Utica Comets | AHL | 48 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 18 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Chicago Wolves | AHL | 44 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 33 | 18 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 16 | ||
| 2021–22 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 16 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2022–23 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 78 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 35 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 14 | ||
| 2023–24 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 72 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 24 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 12 | ||
| 2024–25 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 79 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 54 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | ||
| NHL totals | 263 | 21 | 37 | 58 | 133 | 35 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 32 | ||||
Awards and honors
[edit]| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| CHL | ||
| Memorial Cup (Windsor Spitfires) | 2017 | |
| AHL | ||
| Calder Cup (Chicago Wolves) | 2022 | [35] |
References
[edit]- ^ "Jalen Chatfield". Elite Prospects. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "A DAY IN THE LIFE: JALEN CHATFIELD". Utica Comets. September 12, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "Canucks' Chatfield becomes a talking point after impressive outings". theprovince.
- ^ Kuzma, Ben (November 9, 2020). "Ben Kuzma: Late-bloomer Chatfield carves out niche to stay on Canucks' radar". The Province. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ a b c Duff, Bob (February 23, 2016). "Sitting With the Spits: Stint with Wings paying dividends for Spitfires' Chatfield". Windsor Star. Archived from the original on February 25, 2016. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ Kuzma, Ben (January 20, 2021). "Canucks news: Late-bloomer Jalen Chatfield debuts, Jordie Benn sings the COVID-19 blues". The Province. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ a b Caples, Michael (April 21, 2014). "Madison Capitols tender Belle Tire's Jalen Chatfield". mihockey.com. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ a b Caton, Mary (June 23, 2014). "Spits sign free agent defenceman Chatfield". Windsor Star. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ a b Parker, Jim (October 7, 2015). "Spitfires defenceman Jalen Chatfield takes on bigger offensive role". Windsor Star. Archived from the original on October 19, 2015. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "2014-15 TEAM AWARDS". Windsor Spitfires. March 24, 2015. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ Kujawa, Kyle (June 29, 2015). "Red Wings' development camp roster". National Hockey League. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "MOTORBURGER PLAYER OF THE WEEK #7: CHATFIELD". Windsor Spitfires. November 10, 2015. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ Parker, Jim (September 29, 2016). "Chatfield happy to return to Spitfires as he continues to chase a pro contract". Windsor Star. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "Sharks Reduce Training Camp Roster by Two". National Hockey League. September 27, 2016. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ a b "Jalen Chatfield signed to three-year contract". National Hockey League. March 13, 2017. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "OHL Announces 2016-17 Coaches Poll Winners". Ontario Hockey League. March 16, 2017. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "Spitfires name Addison and Chatfield Co-Captains". Ontario Hockey League. March 1, 2017. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "COMETS ANNOUNCE OPENING NIGHT ROSTER". Utica Comets. October 5, 2017. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ Birnell, Ben (April 28, 2018). "Comets' players benefit from playoff experience". Observer-Dispatch. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "COMETS FEEL THE WOLF PACK'S BITE". Utica Comets. November 18, 2017. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "COMETS REIGN OVER THUNDERBIRDS IN A WILD AFFAIR". Utica Comets. March 31, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "MEET THE WOLVES' RED-HOT BLUELINER". Chicago Wolves. November 8, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "Canucks 2018.19 Training Camp Opens This Week". National Hockey League. September 9, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "Canucks reduce pre-season roster". National Hockey League. September 24, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "Canucks recall Jalen Chatfield". National Hockey League. November 1, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ @Canucks (November 7, 2018). "#Canucks reassign Jalen Chatfield (@JChat796) to the @UticaComets" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b Birnell, Ben (January 31, 2019). "Utica Comets' Chatfield happy to be back on the ice". Observer-Dispatch. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "COMETS, CRUNCH SQUARE OFF IN GAME 10 OF GALAXY CUP". Utica Comets. March 23, 2019. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ Canucks Communications (December 9, 2020). "Canucks sign defenceman Jalen Chatfield". Vancouver Canucks. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
- ^ "Chatfield makes NHL debut in Canucks' win". Observer-Dispatch. January 21, 2021. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
- ^ "Jalen Chatfield notches first assist of season". April 19, 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
- ^ "Jalen Chatfield signs two-way deal with Hurricanes". CBS Sports. July 29, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
- ^ "Canes Sign Chatfield To Two-Year Extension". Carolina Hurricanes. January 21, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
- ^ "Highlights: Hurricanes vs. Penguins: December 22, 2022". Carolina Hurricanes. December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "Chicago is Calder City again". American Hockey League. June 25, 2022. Archived from the original on June 26, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
External links
[edit]
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
Jalen Chatfield
View on GrokipediaEarly life
Family and background
Jalen Chatfield was born on May 15, 1996, in Ypsilanti, Michigan, to parents Scott and Tomara Chatfield.[2][4] He grew up in the greater Detroit area in a sports-oriented family, where his father had a background in basketball and one of his sisters was involved in soccer.[5] Chatfield is biracial, with a white father and Black mother, and he has four siblings; his family relocated to Florida in 2018 while continuing to support his career from afar.[6][4] As a child in Michigan, Chatfield became a devoted fan of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League, particularly idolizing defenseman Nicklas Lidström for his poised and effective style of play.[7] This early admiration for the local team, combined with familial encouragement in athletics, laid the foundation for his eventual pursuit of hockey.[7]Introduction to hockey
Jalen Chatfield's introduction to ice hockey occurred in his hometown of Ypsilanti, Michigan, part of the greater Detroit metropolitan area, where he first began skating at the age of five. Initially, he learned on rollerblades before transitioning to ice skates at local rinks, marking his entry into the sport through informal and accessible community facilities common in the region.[6] Growing up, Chatfield developed a strong affinity for hockey despite his parents not being fans—his father, Scott, had played basketball—and became an avid supporter of the Detroit Red Wings. This fandom played a key role in his early motivations, as he particularly admired legendary defenseman Nicklas Lidström, whose poised and intelligent style on the blue line inspired Chatfield to focus on playing defense from the outset.[6][7] With encouragement from his family, Chatfield pursued initial skill development through local coaching and self-directed practice in the Detroit area, honing basic fundamentals like skating and puck handling before entering more structured environments. This foundational period emphasized personal passion and incremental progress, laying the groundwork for his commitment to the sport.[6]Amateur career
Youth hockey
Chatfield began his organized competitive youth hockey in Michigan with the Compuware Triple-A Under-13 team during the 2009–10 season, where he appeared in 31 games, recording 5 goals and 7 assists for 12 points.[3] This early experience in the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League (T1EHL) at age 13 provided foundational team play in a high-level amateur setting.[1] Transitioning to older age groups, Chatfield joined the Belle Tire Midget Major U18 team for the 2012–13 T1EHL season, playing 40 games and contributing 3 goals and 18 assists for 21 points while accumulating 18 penalty minutes.[3] In his second season with Belle Tire during 2013–14, he showed offensive growth, posting 11 goals and 15 assists for 26 points in 37 games, along with 40 penalty minutes.[3] These performances highlighted his development as a defenseman, emphasizing playmaking and increasing goal-scoring ability in competitive midget leagues.[3]Ontario Hockey League
Chatfield joined the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for the 2014–15 season after going undrafted in the OHL Priority Selection.[8] In his rookie campaign, he appeared in 60 regular-season games, tallying 21 points (1 goal and 20 assists) while adapting to the league's competitive level.[3] Across his three seasons with Windsor from 2014 to 2017, Chatfield developed into a reliable two-way defenseman, improving his defensive reliability and offensive output. In 2015–16, he posted career highs of 37 points (10 goals and 27 assists) in 68 games, helping the team reach the OHL playoffs.[3] His performance continued in 2016–17 with 28 points (8 goals and 20 assists) in 61 games, during which he earned a leadership role as co-captain alongside forward Jeremiah Addison on March 1, 2017, reflecting his growth and respect among teammates.[9] On March 13, 2017, he signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks as an undrafted free agent.[10] Chatfield played a key role in the Spitfires' successful 2016–17 playoff run, which culminated in a Memorial Cup championship. Windsor defeated the Erie Otters 4–3 in the final on May 28, 2017, securing the Canadian Hockey League's top junior title; Chatfield skated in all four tournament games, logging a +2 rating while contributing to the team's defensive structure.[11]Professional career
Vancouver Canucks organization
Chatfield signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks as an undrafted free agent on March 13, 2017, following his junior career in the Ontario Hockey League, serving as a bridge to his professional transition.[12] He made his professional debut with the Canucks' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Utica Comets, on October 7, 2017, against the Toronto Marlies.[13] During the 2017–18 season, Chatfield recorded his first professional point, an assist, on November 18, 2017, in a game against the Hartford Wolf Pack, and scored his first professional goal on March 31, 2018, in a 6–5 victory over the Springfield Thunderbirds.[13][14] Over the 2018–19 and 2019–20 seasons with the Utica Comets, Chatfield continued to develop as a reliable defensive defenseman, emphasizing physical play and penalty-kill responsibilities.[15] He appeared in 142 AHL games across his three seasons with Utica, showcasing improved consistency in his defensive positioning and first-pass ability while contributing to the team's back-end stability.[3] In the 2019–20 season, shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, Chatfield further solidified his role as a two-way defender.[13] Chatfield's transition to the NHL occurred during the 2020–21 season amid the league's pandemic protocols, where he spent time on the Canucks' taxi squad before making his NHL debut on January 20, 2021, against the Montreal Canadiens. In 18 NHL games that season, he earned his first NHL point with an assist on April 18, 2021, in a matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs.[13] His debut and subsequent appearances highlighted his steady, low-risk defensive contributions within Vancouver's system.[1]Carolina Hurricanes
Chatfield signed with the Carolina Hurricanes as an undrafted free agent on July 29, 2021.[1] He initially joined the organization on a one-year, entry-level contract and was assigned to the American Hockey League's Chicago Wolves, Carolina's primary affiliate at the time.[16] In the 2021–22 season, Chatfield established himself in the AHL with the Wolves, appearing in 44 regular-season games and recording 6 goals and 12 assists for 18 points.[13] He contributed to the team's postseason success, helping Chicago capture the Calder Cup as AHL champions after defeating the Springfield Thunderbirds in the finals.[17] Following the championship, Chatfield re-signed with Carolina on January 21, 2022, to a two-year, two-way contract worth $1.525 million.[18] Chatfield made his NHL debut with Carolina during the 2021–22 season, leveraging his brief prior NHL exposure with Vancouver to adapt quickly to the league's pace. He earned a more permanent role in the 2022–23 season, where he scored his first NHL goal on December 22, 2022, against the Pittsburgh Penguins in a 4-3 overtime victory.[19] His development continued into the 2023–24 season, solidifying his position on the Hurricanes' defensive corps. On June 14, 2024, Chatfield secured his long-term future with Carolina by signing a three-year contract extension worth $9 million, carrying an average annual value of $3 million and running through the 2026–27 season.[20] In the 2024–25 season, he appeared in 79 games, contributing 7 goals and 11 assists for 18 points while providing steady defensive play.[21] Early in the 2025–26 campaign, Chatfield notched 3 assists over 13 games before suffering an upper-body injury. The injury occurred on November 6, 2025, during a game against the Minnesota Wild, when Chatfield was hit in the head by Wild forward Tyler Pitlick, resulting in Pitlick's ejection for illegal check to the head.[22] Chatfield was placed on injured reserve the following day. As of November 18, 2025, he has returned to practice and is nearing a return.[23][24]Career statistics and awards
Regular season and playoff statistics
Chatfield's Ontario Hockey League (OHL) statistics from 2014 to 2017 are summarized below.[3][25]OHL Regular Season
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | Windsor Spitfires | 60 | 1 | 20 | 21 | 35 |
| 2015–16 | Windsor Spitfires | 68 | 10 | 27 | 37 | 45 |
| 2016–17 | Windsor Spitfires | 61 | 8 | 20 | 28 | 56 |
| Total | 189 | 19 | 67 | 86 | 136 |
OHL Playoffs
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | Windsor Spitfires | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2016–17 | Windsor Spitfires | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Total | 12 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
AHL Regular Season
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | Utica Comets | 60 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 26 |
| 2018–19 | Utica Comets | 34 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 15 |
| 2019–20 | Utica Comets | 48 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 16 |
| 2021–22 | Chicago Wolves | 44 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 33 |
| Total | 186 | 8 | 27 | 35 | 90 |
AHL Playoffs
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | Utica Comets | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2021–22 | Chicago Wolves | 18 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 16 |
| Total | 23 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 18 |
NHL Regular Season
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–21 | Vancouver Canucks | 18 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 12 |
| 2021–22 | Carolina Hurricanes | 16 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
| 2022–23 | Carolina Hurricanes | 78 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 35 |
| 2023–24 | Carolina Hurricanes | 72 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 24 |
| 2024–25 | Carolina Hurricanes | 79 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 54 |
| 2025–26 | Carolina Hurricanes | 13 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
| Total | 276 | 21 | 40 | 61 | 141 |
NHL Playoffs
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | Carolina Hurricanes | 15 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 14 |
| 2023–24 | Carolina Hurricanes | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| 2024–25 | Carolina Hurricanes | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Total | 35 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 32 |