RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — While the Carolina Hurricanes celebrated their advancement to their first Stanley Cup Final in twenty years, defenseman Jalen Chatfield faced an urgent situation requiring his immediate departure.
Chatfield discovered his wife Drew had entered labor just before the team’s Eastern Conference Final victory. Following a quick shower and clothing change, he jumped into an unmarked police vehicle for an emergency rush to the medical facility with lights flashing.
“Everything was good, yeah, I made it on time with a couple of hours to spare,” Chatfield said of son Rhodes. “He was born at like 2 a.m., so, perfect.”
The pressure of pursuing hockey’s ultimate prize creates enough stress for both the Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights in this unpredictable series featuring nightly comeback victories and two overtime conclusions. Adding life-altering events at home while managing diaper duties or sleepless nights with crying infants creates an overwhelming situation.
Since early May, three Hurricanes players have become fathers during these playoffs. Several Golden Knights members are anticipating their own arrivals this month, potentially expanding the postseason birth surge during hockey’s premier event that could extend until June 17 with a potential Game 7. Vegas holds a 2-1 series advantage entering Tuesday night’s Game 3.
“It’s going to be a lot of great stories to talk about,” said Vegas center Nic Dowd, whose wife, Paige, is due for their third child this month. “Having a new baby and trying to win a Stanley Cup, I’m going to compartmentalize those things. They’re different than each other, but definitely exciting and stressful. The biggest challenges in life are going to have the best rewards.”
This became evident watching Hurricanes defenseman K’Andre Miller following their Montreal series victory in the Eastern Conference Final on May 29.
Nearly four weeks prior, Miller and girlfriend Addison Clark welcomed son Kashton just hours before Miller played almost 21 minutes in their 3-0 victory opening Round 2 against Philadelphia. On the evening Chatfield rushed to the hospital, viral footage showed an emotional Miller on the bench afterward, cradling Kashton while shaking his head and taking deep breaths during a touching moment.
Teammate Sean Walker experienced a hectic 36-hour period that will become family legend for years to come.
Following the Hurricanes’ road victory over the Flyers in Game 3, Walker received a 1 a.m. phone call from wife Taylor in North Carolina. Labor had begun. Her water broke, and their first child was arriving. Walker immediately contacted team services manager Mike Brown for emergency flight arrangements — maintaining FaceTime contact with his wife during travel — and arrived in time for daughter Quinn’s birth.
“The baby gods were on my side for that one,” Walker said.
The following day, he consumed his pregame meal in the hospital cafeteria before flying back to Philadelphia, arriving approximately four hours before the sweep-completing victory on May 9. Fortunately, the Hurricanes enjoyed an 11-day break between series, the longest playoff gap in over a century, allowing the Walker-Miller defensive partnership to adjust as new fathers.
Walker treasures those weeks as a meaningful period in an ongoing journey. When the Cup final commenced, his mother-in-law was visiting in an “all hands on deck” home support effort. Teammates contributed by delivering regular meal deliveries and simple gestures like coffee throughout the process.
“There was so much food, I kind of lost who all brought over everything,” Walker chuckled. “The support’s been amazing. It’s a family and everyone’s really showed that for us.”
Teammate Eric Robinson relates completely. He and forward Sebastian Aho became fathers during last year’s Eastern final run.
“The coolest part is you get to experience two of the best moments of your life kind of happening at the same time,” Robinson said.
Multiple Vegas players shared this experience during their 2023 Stanley Cup campaign. History could repeat itself.
Along with Dowd, captain Mark Stone, Jack Eichel, Noah Hanifin and Shea Theodore — who scored the Game 3 double-overtime winner Saturday — are competing for the Cup while preparing for baby arrivals.
Theodore’s wife, Mariana, expects their second child this month “very shortly” after the series concludes; the gender remains unknown.
“My wife is handling it amazing,” Theodore said. “I think especially when you’re in a playoff grind, there’s just some days where I’m not available. So she’s been handling everything so good, she’s been really good with it.”
Hanifin’s wife, Monique, is expecting a daughter.
“It’s probably more stressful for my wife, to be honest,” Hanifin said before Game 1. “She’s at home going through it all, but we have a lot of family in town right now, just kind of with her, which is huge. … Hopefully everything goes smoothly and we can win and celebrate a new baby at the end of June.”
Stone’s wife, Hayley, gave birth to a daughter just before their 2023 championship run. She’s expecting again with a delivery that could occur during this series.
“I guess my wife will be the telling tale of that one,” Stone said.
Chatfield’s wife contacted Brown’s assistant announcing her labor with the couple’s second child shortly before Game 5 of the Eastern final against the Canadiens. However, she requested they wait until afterward to inform him.
Brown delivered the news to Chatfield following the traditional post-series handshake ceremony. Chatfield participated in the team photograph with the Prince of Wales trophy, then departed immediately.
“It was a special night for me, to be able to win the Eastern Conference Final and then shoot to the hospital,” Chatfield said. “My adrenaline was still going. It was a very confusing moment: I just went from celebrating with the guys to rushing out and being in a quiet hospital room, getting ready to have a baby. But there was no other way I’d rather have it. It was special and one of the best nights of my life.”
Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour has witnessed everything from a unique viewpoint. He has coached his son Skyler in several Hurricanes games over the past two seasons and observed players in the dressing room evolve from emerging prospects to veterans with expanding families, learning to navigate life with newborns.
“It’s supposed to be a little crazy,” Brind’Amour said last month.
This proves especially accurate in this Cup final, both during games and away from the rink.
“To be able to get these moments already with our new children is so special,” Walker said. “Obviously, they won’t really remember it at all. But we will.”
