{"id":435,"date":"2026-05-18T10:03:53","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T10:03:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=435"},"modified":"2026-05-18T10:03:53","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T10:03:53","slug":"inside-a-carolina-hurricanes-defensive-duos-chemistry-friendship-forged-in-faith","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=435","title":{"rendered":"Inside a Carolina Hurricanes defensive duo\u2019s chemistry: Friendship forged in faith"},"content":{"rendered":"

In hockey, it\u2019s important for defensive partners to have good chemistry on the ice, to instinctively have a good feel for each other.<\/p>\n

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Carolina Hurricanes defensemen Jaccob Slavin and Jalen Chatfield\u2019s bond goes deeper than that: They have a relationship that is professional, but also personal \u2014 spiritual.<\/p>\n

When Chatfield first came to the Canes in 2021, Slavin was there to listen, help, encourage.<\/p>\n

When Chatfield was married, Slavin was his best man. When Chatfield was baptized, Slavin performed the Christian ceremony \u2014 in the pool at his Raleigh home.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith all your teammates you have chemistry,\u201d Chatfield said in an exclusive interview. \u201cBut to have somebody as close as him since the first day I\u2019ve come in, and then guide me in that, it\u2019s truly a blessing.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s known about all my struggles, because I was very open with him and talking to him about stuff. Whether it was my first year or second year, getting scratched or things like that, he\u2019s always been there for me and he\u2019s been my best friend.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust his guidance, and seeing how he is as a father, as a teammate, as a leader, I learned a lot from him and I appreciate every single day. And especially being able to work with him, play with him. It\u2019s special, for sure.\u201d Chatfield paused and smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe always joked around about playing together, but I never would have imagined we would<\/i> play together,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd I think we\u2019ve been good together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Slavin, 32, missed 39 of the first 43 games this season as he dealt with undisclosed lower- and upper-body issues. But he helped Team USA to the gold medal at the Milan Winter Olympics, and has been back at his best as the Canes finished as the top seed in the Eastern Conference and then swept Ottawa and then Philadelphia in the first two rounds of Stanley Cup playoffs.<\/p>\n

Slavin, considered by many NHL observers to be the league\u2019s top defensive defenseman, has counted Brett Pesce, Dougie Hamilton and Brent Burns among his defensive partners the past few seasons. In Chatfield, he has another right-handed shooting D-man to complement the pairing, one willing to bump and grind in the D zone while also willing to jump into the offensive play.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll my previous partners have been really talented offensively and great partners,\u201d Slavin said Saturday. \u201cIt\u2019s not that \u2018Chatty\u2019 doesn\u2019t have the offense. It comes back to the mindset of really making sure we really defend well, first, then go from there.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis speed, his gap control, his skating are probably the best parts of his game, his strengths. It\u2019s in-your-face, hard-to-beat. He has developed into a really good defenseman for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chatfield, like Slavin, is used on the penalty kill, good at it and has had a special playoff moment. His shorthanded goal in Game 3 of the Flyers series was the game-winner in a 4-1 victory and made him one of three Canes defenseman in franchise history to have a \u201cshorty\u201d in the playoffs, joining Brendan Smith (2022) and Mike Commodore (2006).<\/p>\n

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Chatfield took a pass from Jordan Staal off the rush and beat Flyers goalie Dan Vladar high to the blocker side.<\/p>\n

\u201dIn the playoffs, every shift, every shot on net matters,\u201d Chatfield said. \u201cYou never know which bounce is going to be the one. Our PK has been sharp, and it\u2019s nice to see that bounce go in for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Slavin has averaged a team-high 24:10 in ice time in the eight playoff games, and Chatfield is third at 22:54. The D corps has been solid and with goalie Frederik Andersen sharp and controlling the crease, the Canes have allowed 10 goals. \u201cThey\u2019re two really good players who take pride in how they play that position, and defending,\u201d Canes coach Rod Brind\u2019Amour said. \u201cChatty\u2019s a world-class player in his own right. With the speed he brings and the way he defends it\u2019s real special. You put them together and they\u2019re a tough pairing to play against.\u201d<\/p>\n

A year ago, Chatfield was knocked out of the playoffs in the second round against the Washington Capitals with a hip injury. He hoped to return, but the Canes bowed out in five games in the Eastern Conference Final against the Florida Panthers.<\/p>\n

Chatfield, a native Michigander, was sidelined with a concussion early this season, but played 72 games and had a plus-15 plus\/minus rating that was second-best on the team.<\/p>\n

Slavin, raised in Colorado, has long been known as a man of strong faith, one who has said that neither the game nor any success or accolades given him would ever define him. Slavin said Chatfield first approached him about coming to the church that Jaccob and Kylie Slavin attend in Raleigh. Before long, the two D-men used the team trips and plane rides to talk longer and deeper about religion, the gospel.<\/p>\n

Chatfield and his wife, Drew, both were baptized at the Slavins\u2019 home.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe same day. It was a really special moment, something you never forget,\u201d Chatfield said.<\/p>\n

The Hurricanes could go on to win a Stanley Cup this year, which would be unforgettable. They\u2019re off to the best possible start in the playoffs and have been able to mix rest and practice after the series sweeps.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re also ready to get back to it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know what we have to do to win,\u201d Chatfield said. \u201cWe\u2019ve stuck to our system and our compete level has been through the roof, and that\u2019s something we can\u2019t get off of.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd at the end of the day, we have to keep getting better. We know what we have, and we believe in each other, and we know what we\u2019re capable of.\u201d<\/p>\n

Regardless of how it unfolds, the Slavin-Chatfield bond and his admiration for his D partner will remain strong, Chatfield said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s how great of a guy he is and how much I love him and how he is in the community and how he interacts with his teammates,\u201d: Chatfield said. \u201cNobody\u2019s perfect, but he\u2019s a guy to look up to.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Carolina Hurricanes defensemen Jaccob Slavin, Jalen Chatfield share deep on-ice chemistry, faith and leadership as they power through NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":434,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-435","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-read-todays-edition"],"yoast_head":"\nInside a Carolina Hurricanes defensive duo\u2019s chemistry: Friendship forged in faith - Durham Moving Hub<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=435\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Inside a Carolina Hurricanes defensive duo\u2019s chemistry: Friendship forged in faith - 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