This article is brought to you by bet365!
On Monday morning, Rick Dhaliwal of Donnie and Dhali – The Team reported that the Vancouver Canucks are interested in defenceman Jalen Chatfield, should he become a free agent on July 1.
Chatfield, who began his NHL career with the Canucks, was signed to a three-year entry-level contract by then-GM Jim Benning on March 13, 2017. He joined the Canucks’ AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, for the 2017–18 season. Following his rookie season, Chatfield participated in the Canucks’ training camp before the 2018–19 season but was reassigned to the Comets before the final roster was announced.
Chatfield made his NHL debut on January 20, 2021 against the Montreal Canadiens, after being re-signed by the Canucks to a one-year, two-way contract on December 9, 2020. He played just 18 games with the Canucks, recording one assist and a plus-minus of -11 before moving on as a free agent in 2021, signing with the Carolina Hurricanes.
With the Hurricanes, Chatfield became an integral part of the team’s defensive structure over his two years as an NHL regular. He tallied 14 goals, 25 assists, and a plus-minus of +39 in 166 games.
Dhaliwal noted the Canucks’ potential interest in re-signing Chatfield if he becomes a free agent.
“If Jalen Chatfield hits July 1, I believe the Vancouver Canucks will show interest in him,” Dhaliwal said. “The Canucks signed Chatfield out of the OHL back in 2017. He spent three years in Utica and played 18 games in 2020, but the Canucks let him go because it wasn’t working out under Travis Green. Chatfield is a right-shot defenceman and is going to have a lot of interest on July 1, including from the Canucks, although Carolina is trying hard to re-sign him right now.”
Chatfield’s journey from being a lesser-known player in Vancouver to an important piece of Carolina’s defence reflected his late-blooming success at age 27. Dhaliwal also mentioned other late bloomers like Dakota Joshua, mentioning the trend of players finding their stride later in their careers due to the expanded number of teams and opportunities in the NHL.
Dhaliwal praised Chatfield’s improvement, quoting a significant figure in the hockey world who called Chatfield “the most improved player in the NHL this season.”
He contrasted Chatfield’s success with Ethan Bear’s struggles under Rod Brind’Amour, discussing his ability to earn the coach’s trust.