How undrafted players became so vital to teams' su...
Key takeaways
- Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield never got the chance to hear his name called at the NHL draft.
- He went to three different development and rookie camps across the league before eventually playing his first NHL game in January 2021 with the Vancouver Canucks.
- Years later, he's now playing top-four minutes for a team trying to win a Stanley Cup.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield never got the chance to hear his name called at the NHL draft. It's been more than a decade since every team passed him by when he was eligible, and during that time, he found a way to make an impression.
He went to three different development and rookie camps across the league before eventually playing his first NHL game in January 2021 with the Vancouver Canucks.
Years later, he's now playing top-four minutes for a team trying to win a Stanley Cup. And he's not alone in that endeavor. The Hurricanes have three additional players -- Brandon Bussi, Eric Robinson and Sean Walker -- and the Vegas Golden Knights have a pair in Dylan Coghlan and Cole Smith. Those six players have performed in key roles and important times this postseason.