Should the Canucks bring back Chatfield in a trade?
The Vancouver Canucks will need to look elsewhere to quench their thirst for defence help after this morning’s news that they’re out of the running for Ethan Bear.
The team still has a desire to upgrade on the blue line. Since they’re no longer in contention for Bear’s services, they’ll need to look elsewhere, and there’s another former-Canuck that could be the answer.
“Another right-shot defenceman I want you to keep an eye on is [upcoming] UFA Jalen Chatfield,” reported CHEK Media’s Rick Dhaliwal earlier today. “He’s under $1 million, he’s a UFA. He is talking contract extension with Carolina, I don’t think they’re close.”
As Dhaliwal alluded to, the 27-year-old defenceman is in the final season of a contract that costs $762,500 against the cap. He’s got seven points in 22 NHL games so far this year.
While he only managed to get in 18 NHL games for the Canucks, Chatfield has thrived with his new team. He’s solidified himself as an everyday NHLer and, along with his career-best points pace, he has put up some very impressive defensive results so far this season.
When Chatfield is on the ice, the Hurricanes have done a very good job at limiting chances against. While part of that can be attributed to the team’s solid five-on-five structure, Chatfield has put up better results than his teammates.
You can see below his performance in some key defensive metrics, as well as where he ranks among NHL defencemen with at least 200 five-on-five minutes so far this season.
|
8.03 (6th) |
|
1.94 (1st) |
|
19.47 (1st) |
|
22.48 (1st) |
He’s not facing the toughest competition or swallowing 20 minutes per night, but the right-handed defenceman has done his job. The Canucks could use a third-pairing defenceman that limits scoring chances against, and that is exactly what Chatfield has done this season.
The big downside of acquiring Chatfield instead of Bear is the cost. The Canucks will need to give up something to pry the defenceman away in a trade. However, if extension talks are not going well in Raleigh, then the Hurricanes may want to get an asset in return instead of watching Chatfield walk next summer.
Would the right-handed defenceman put up similar results in the Canucks’ system? Head coach Rick Tocchet has done a great job at implementing an improved structure and it’s not hard to believe that Chatfield could fit nicely. If so, the sting of missing out on Bear will not hurt nearly as much.
Follow Channels and Categories