PuckSleuth
5Carolina Hurricanes · Defense · Shoots R
Jalen Chatfield
Age 30 · 6'1" · 209 lb · Born in Ypsilanti, USA
Cap hit
$3M
2.9% of $104M cap
Term
1 yr
Through 2026-27, then UFA
Clause
NMC
Surplus value
+$1.202M
vs. $4.202M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
0
0.00 per game
TOI/GP
18:23
PP 0:03 · PK 3:20
xGF%
47.6
5v5, -5.2 vs. last yr
Game Score
-0.04
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
Plus/minus
-2
Blocks 3 · Hits 2
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2 vs WSH · L 5-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 17:33 | 0:00 | 1:14 | — | 60 | 1 | 0 | -2 | -0.05 |
| Sep 29 vs FLA · OTL 1-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 19:12 | 0:06 | 5:26 | — | 67 | 1 | 2 | 0 | -0.04 |
| Jun 14 @ VGK · W 3-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 23:37 | 0:10 | 2:48 | — | 50 | 0 | 1 | +1 | -0.06 |
| Jun 11 vs VGK · W 4-2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 21:04 | 0:00 | 3:01 | — | 60 | 2 | 1 | 0 | -0.00 |
| Jun 9 @ VGK · W 5-3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 22:51 | 0:00 | 3:17 | — | 50 | 0 | 1 | +2 | +0.46 |
GS = our Game Score, goals above average. FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 1,213 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
78th percentile
15th percentile
46th percentile
96th percentile
33rd percentile
95th percentile
70th percentile
94th percentile
96th percentile
57th percentile
7th percentile
22nd percentile
30th percentile
84th percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play stylePerimeter puck-mover
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26
Chatfield is a high-volume shooter who excels at controlling the puck and creating chances from distance, though his playmaking and defensive impact lag behind his peers. He's a smooth skater who avoids physicality but keeps the puck moving and generates good underlying chances when on ice.
- Shooting volume
- 76
- Playmaking
- 37
- Zone entries(est.)
- 50
- Forechecking
- 53
- Physicality
- 5
- Defensive impact
- 17
- Puck management
- 84
- Speed
- 75
Where he shoots from
Slot 6% · Mid-range 24% · Perimeter 70%(169 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Puck management at 84th percentile, breaking out with confidence
- Shooting volume at 76th percentile, creating consistent offense from perimeter
- Speed at 75th percentile, enabling quick transitions and possession play
Watch-outs
- Playmaking at 37th percentile, limited at creating for teammates
- Physicality at 5th percentile, rarely engages in battles for position
- Defensive impact at 17th percentile, primarily focused on offensive contributions
Similar style: Devon Toews (COL), Owen Power (BUF)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 72 GP · goals above average
Season total -2.6 goals, or -0.04 per game.
- Even strength offense
- +1.3
- Even strength defense
- -0.1
- Penalty kill
- +1.2
- Finishing
- -2.5
- Playmaking
- -1.8
- Penalties
- -0.8
Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | GWG | SOG | S% | TOI | FO% | GS/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | Vancouver Canucks | 18 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -11 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0.0 | 13:26 | — | — |
| 2021-22 | Carolina Hurricanes | 16 | 0 | 3 | 3 | +1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0.0 | 14:47 | — | — |
| 2022-23 | Carolina Hurricanes | 78 | 6 | 8 | 14 | +23 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 93 | 6.5 | 14:07 | — | +0.02 |
| 2023-24 | Carolina Hurricanes | 72 | 8 | 14 | 22 | +15 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 90 | 8.9 | 15:12 | — | +0.07 |
| 2024-25 | Carolina Hurricanes | 79 | 7 | 11 | 18 | +22 | 54 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 114 | 6.1 | 18:53 | — | +0.01 |
| 2025-26 | Carolina Hurricanes | 72 | 2 | 15 | 17 | +15 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 2.0 | 20:08 | — | -0.04 |
| 2026-27 | Carolina Hurricanes | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 19:52 | — | -0.04 |
| Career | 7 seasons | 338 | 23 | 52 | 75 | +64 | 153 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 438 | 5.3 | 16:47 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.
Usage
Last game: vs WSH, Oct 2
Pair 1 with Jaccob Slavin (13:52 together at 5-on-5)
From the NHL's shift chart.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- The Hurricanes and Jalen Chatfield could each benefit from a big contract season
cardiaccane.com · Sep 13
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average +0.07 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2026-27, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 18.6 mph
- 10th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 0
- Hardest shot
- —
- 0th pct
- Distance
- 2.6 mi
- OZ time
- 40.8%
- 38th pct
- DZ time
- 39.7%
Age curve
NHL defensemen · production index
At 30, defensemen typically produce 89% of their peak (age 24).
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
1 season left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | CAR | $3M | 2.9% |
UFA after 2026-27. NMC. $3M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).