Cardiac Cane
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3 keys to a bounce back win in the Dusty City for the Hurricanes

By Conor Power

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 20: Teuvo Teravainen #86 of the Carolina Hurricanes in the second period at Staples Center on November 20, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 20: Teuvo Teravainen #86 of the Carolina Hurricanes in the second period at Staples Center on November 20, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MAY 23: Vincent Trocheck #16, Maxime Lajoie #42, and Dougie Hamilton #19 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrate a goal against the Nashville Predators during the first period in Game Four of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bridgestone Arena on May 23, 2021, in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MAY 23: Vincent Trocheck #16, Maxime Lajoie #42, and Dougie Hamilton #19 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrate a goal against the Nashville Predators during the first period in Game Four of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bridgestone Arena on May 23, 2021, in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /

Next man up for the blueline tonight.

Carolina is going to undergo a serious test of its organizational depth on the back end. This is the team being pushed to the limits defensively. Now, we’ve seen this Canes blueline grow new limbs before in order to win games, but this is going to be a very different test. Luckily for the Canes, they have some NHL-caliber call-ups with their AHL affiliate down in Chicago.

Jalen Chatfield will make his Carolina Hurricanes debut tonight as he has been called up to help replace the three right-shot defensemen who are all in COVID protocol. With the Vancouver Canucks last season, Chatfield played in 18 games and tallied an assist. Still looking for his first NHL goal, he’s defensively solid and can do a job when called upon. He shouldn’t be depended on a lot, but he can be good in a pinch.

Maxime Lajoie will also make his season debut tonight in Dallas. The Canes defenseman got a call-up last year and played well in the first round of the playoffs against the Nashville Predators. He’s nothing special offensively, but he’s a solid defensive choice and he’s someone that the Canes can depend on in the defensive zone. He’s not going to lock it down, but he’ll eat time without costing you anything.

Both of these defensemen are capable of aiding the Canes in their efforts tonight. I do not know who is going to quarterback the powerplay units, but that’s an issue for later. Carolina has the chance to get a result in Dallas without too much of their starting roster and that is something to be optimistic about for Caniacs around the world as we approach game time in Dallas, Texas.

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