Hurricanes place Jalen Chatfield on injured reserve
The Carolina Hurricanes announced on Saturday that they have placed defenseman Jalen Chatfield on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.
This comes after Chatfield left Thursday night’s win over the Minnesota Wild after a high hit from Minnesota forward Tyler Pitlick. Pitlick was assessed a match penalty for the play after a review by the officials.
Pitlick was assessed a match penalty for the play after a review by the officials, but according to Michael Russo of The Athletic, Pitlick will face no supplemental discipline. He was assigned to the team’s AHL affiliate in Iowa on Saturday.
Tyler Pitlick received a match penalty for a hit to the head on Jalen Chatfield. pic.twitter.com/yUmyUDEsL8
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) November 7, 2025Chatfield, a 29-year-old veteran who has blossomed into a top-four presence in his time in Carolina, has three assists in 13 games to start the season.
His injury is another in a long line of ailments the Hurricanes have suffered. Fellow defensemen Jaccob Slavin and Shayne Gostisbehere have been on the shelf for a while, and K’Andre Miller just returned to the team’s lineup after missing six games.
When Chatfield misses Saturday night’s game against Buffalo, Sean Walker and Alexander Nikishin will become the only two defensemen from the team’s Opening Night blue line to not miss a game.
Forwards Eric Robinson and William Carrier have been out as well, but they are both set to return to the Hurricanes’ fourth line on Saturday.
In a corresponding move, Carolina recalled Gavin Bayreuther from their AHL affiliate Chicago Wolves. Bayreuther has six points in nine games with the Wolves. The St. Lawrence University product has 122 games of NHL experience under his belt.
He will join Joel Nystrom, Charles-Alexis Legault and Dominick Fensore as the defenders the Canes have recalled to cover for their injured players.
The Hurricanes are in Buffalo for the first half of a back-to-back that wraps up on Sunday night in Toronto. Carolina has won its past two games and has a 9-4-0 record to get the year started as they look for their eighth consecutive playoff appearance.