Signed as a free agent in July of 2021, Chatfield came to Raleigh following 18 games in a COVID-19 shortened season with the Vancouver Canucks. After playing just seven NHL games with the Canes he was
rewarded with a two-year extension
, including the second season being a one-way deal.
"We just really, really liked what we saw right off the hop with him. I guess in a perfect world last year we'd like to have seen a little bit more of him, but he went down and grew as a player," Gleason continued.
Chatfield spent the majority of the 2021-22 campaign back in the American Hockey League, anchoring the Chicago Wolves' defense on the way to a Calder Cup championship.
Logging heavy minutes while getting power play and penalty kill time, the next logical step for the Ypsilanti, Michigan-born product was to become a staple on Carolina's blue line.
So far, so good.
"To be honest, it started in training camp. He was the first guy in in the morning. That speaks volumes to me," Gleason continued. "You know he comes to work. He does the extra. He's not just sitting back there, waiting for things to happen. He's making things happen and he continues to put the work in on and off the ice."
"He's always getting back for pucks quickly and his pinches are dialed in because he's so quick to think. I think that's an enormous part of how we operate, especially on the back end. And he does it every night," Gleason furthered. "He makes me feel comfortable because I feel as if I can play him with anybody. The way he plays, he allows a lot of things that happen because of his speed."
Chatfield feels that his speed has always been a key part to his game, but he's been able to display it more prominently since joining the Hurricanes organization.
"It wasn't until here that it became noticeable because we play pretty aggressively. I have a little bit more of a green light to jump up," he explained. "I've always had the speed. It's always been there, now it's about adding to it. I want to use it with the puck more and build my game from there."
When asked about how his game has developed since his time with the Canucks, Chatfield alluded to his maturity being the biggest difference.
"I think just getting a little bit older, experiencing some adversity in the league and all of that. You play a lot of games here. You can mess up one night but you can't allow that to carry on to the next game," he offered. "If you do, you can hit a slump and that's what you don't want to do. You have a short memory playing up here. That's one thing I've tried to do. If you make a bad play, you have another shift to make up for that and as long as it doesn't stick with you, you can move forward from it."
