Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield has returned to practice after sustaining an upper-body injury on November 6. The team expects him to play at some point during their upcoming road trip.
Jalen Chatfield skated with the Carolina Hurricanes group for the first time since his injury during Tuesday's practice in St. Paul, Minnesota. The upper-body injury occurred on November 6 when Minnesota Wild forward Tyler Pitlick delivered an illegal check to Chatfield's head during a game in Raleigh. Chatfield remained on the ice for an extended period before leaving under his own power and entered the NHL's concussion protocol. He was placed on injured reserve on November 8.
Head coach Rod Brind'Amour provided an optimistic update, stating, "Obviously, it means he's closer. It's going to be his call, so we'll see. He's been out for a little while, but I think if he's not in (Wednesday), I'm sure it'll be on this road trip at some point." Chatfield could potentially face the Wild again, 13 days after his early exit against them.
The Hurricanes' blue line has faced multiple challenges this season, with only Alexander Nikishin and Sean Walker appearing in all 19 games. A mix of rookies and veterans, including 23-year-old seventh-round pick Joel Nystrom and 32-year-old Mike Reilly, have stepped up in the absences of key players like Chatfield, Shayne Gostisbehere, and K'Andre Miller.
Jaccob Slavin, a star defenseman, has been sidelined since October 11 with a lower-body injury from training camp. General manager Eric Tulsky updated Slavin's status on November 14, saying, "He's working through his rehab. It's sort of week-by-week; he's making progress. We are trying to play it conservatively and make sure we don't have another setback." Tulsky emphasized a cautious approach to ensure Slavin is fully ready for a strong playoff push.