Jaylen Chatfield said the hour he spent with kids at the Hockey Players of Color Movement summer camp on Saturday reaffirmed why he re-signed with the Carolina Hurricanes.
During the event, held at Invisalign Arena, the Hurricanes' training facility in Morrisville, North Carolina, many of the 48 camp-goers peppered the 28-year-old defenseman with questions, challenged him to shooting challenges and asked for autographs and photos.
“That's part of why I signed back,” Chatfield said. “Not just what goes on in the locker room, but outside of it too. The community, the fans. There's just so much to be grateful for playing in Carolina and being a part of the Hurricanes beyond wanting to go out and see what else there is.”
Chatfield signed a three-year, $9 million contract (average annual salary of $3 million) on June 14. The Ypsilanti, Michigan native, who could have become a free agent on July 1, set NHL career highs in goals (8), assists (14) and points (22) in 72 regular season games last season. He also recorded two assists in 11 Stanley Cup playoff games.
Chatfield said he hopes to continue to develop on the ice next season and make a bigger impact off it.
“I just knew everything here was a good fit for me,” he said. “One of the biggest challenges going into this year was, how can I become a better player? I've always thought, 'On the ice, on the ice,' and that's always going to be 100 percent important, but I'm also trying to get more involved in the community.”
“That's a big part of who I am as a person. At the end of the day, I'm not just a hockey player, I'm also a person outside of a hockey player. This is my job. As long as I have this platform where a lot of people look up to me and watch me, I just want to make the most of it.”
