Nystrom\u2019s Emergence<\/p>\n
A seventh-round pick by the Hurricanes in the 2021 NHL Draft, Nystrom has emerged as not just a possible NHLer, but a probable one. In his first full season in North America, he got a look at the NHL level because of the abundance of injuries the Hurricanes have dealt with. In his debut on the early-season Western road trip against the buzzsaw that is the Colorado Avalanche, Nystrom got off the plane hours before getting on the ice. The first time he stepped onto the ice in the NHL, he had no practice time, had barely met his teammates, and was excellent in a win against the best team in the NHL at the time.<\/p>\n
That win earned him callups throughout the season as most of the Hurricanes\u2019 starting cast has spent time in the medical room. Through 37 games this season, Nystrom\u2019s got a goal and eight assists for nine points. However, most defensemen, especially third-pairing defensemen, are not expected to put the puck in the net. They\u2019re expected to keep it out of their own net. At 5-on-5, the Hurricanes have given up just 17 goals with Nystrom on the ice. His 5-on-5 goals against per 60 (GA\/60) is two. That\u2019s the fourth best of the defensemen the Hurricanes have used this season behind Charles Alexis Legault, Mike Reilly, and the Hurricanes\u2019 team security blanket, Jaccob Slavin<\/a>.<\/p>\n Chatfield\u2019s Struggles<\/p>\n If we flip the shoe and look back at Chatfield, the story of the struggling Michigander begins early in the season. His partner of the last two seasons left in free agency for the teal pastures of San Jose, and it took him time to adjust. Chatfield is one of the five regulars who have missed games this season, after receiving an illegal check to the head<\/a> from Minnesota Wild forward Tyler Pitlick. He entered concussion protocol, and it took him some time to get back to his best following his time on the sidelines<\/a>. That, combined with the hip injury Chatfield was dealing with at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, stifled any momentum the Ypsilanti, Michigan native was building on the new season.<\/p>\n When Chatfield got healthy, his regular partner, K\u2019Andre Miller, was injured. With the constantly varying availability of Miller, Slavin, and Shayne Gostisbehere, the Hurricanes have bounced Chatfield around the lineup. He\u2019s settled recently next to Slavin, where he has looked far better. However, Slavin has covered the failings of many different partners during his time in the NHL. How much of the improvement here is Chatfield getting better, and how much is Slavin being one of the best defensive defensemen in the NHL? We may never know.<\/p>\n The Comparison<\/p>\n Chatfield\u2019s played 850 minutes of 5-on-5 hockey this season, while Nystrom\u2019s only had around 500. That\u2019s a major discrepancy in playing time, and it carries different connotations. Chatfield has played most frequently with Slavin and Gostisbehere, while Nystrom has played mostly with Nikishin. There\u2019s a big difference in quality of opponent. That will have an effect, too. However, only slightly.<\/p>\n We know what Chatfield is; where Nystrom remains a bit more of an unknown. However, the difference in results has been staggering to put it lightly. Nystrom averages two goals against per 60 minutes he plays. That\u2019s the best of any regular defensemen for the Hurricanes not named Slavin. Chatfield, on the other hand, averages 2.47 goals against per 60 minutes he plays. That\u2019s tied with Gostisbehere and only above Miller for Hurricanes defensemen who have played more than 20 minutes of ice time.<\/p>\n The sample size is a concern, and it opens the goaltending argument. Carolina\u2019s netminders have been either very cold or Brandon Bussi, so there hasn\u2019t been a constant behind them until recently. So, let\u2019s look at the expected goals numbers to remove that. According to Natural Stat Trick<\/a>, Nystrom\u2019s expected goals against per 60 (xGA\/60) is 2.33; only Slavin is better. Chatfield? 2.87. Only Domineck Fensore, who played one game, is worse among all 10 defensemen the Hurricanes have used.<\/p>\n Related: Hurricanes Extend Joel Nystr\u00f6m to 4-Year Contract<\/a><\/p>\n Well, what about offensively? Carolina has only enjoyed one trip to \u201cChatmandu,\u201d as dubbed by the Hurricanes\u2019 commentary team when the Michigander scores, but he has 11 assists and 12 points in 50 games. That\u2019s fine production. Nystrom has a goal and eight assists for nine points from his 37 games. Slightly below the production rate of Chatfield. However, the same \u201cluck\u201d and goaltending arguments apply for the other team in the offensive zone, so what do the expected goals say?<\/p>\n Well, Chatfield\u2019s expected goals for per 60 (xGF\/60) is 2.72. That\u2019s the worst of the Hurricanes\u2019 usual six defensemen. Nystrom? 3.61, the best of any defender the Hurricanes have used. It\u2019s the highest of any defenseman in the NHL that has played at least 500 minutes. That\u2019s not just good play, that\u2019s a player being the best analytical defenseman in the NHL going forward for a team that is proudly analytically driven.<\/p>\n Should Nystrom Displace Chatfield?<\/p>\n This will be a conversation the Hurricanes have over the three weeks off for the Olympic break. Chatfield is a fine defenseman, but Nystrom has begun to punch through. He\u2019s continuing to play at the level that earned him his four-year extension<\/a>. When the Hurricanes decide which one they go with, they\u2019ll need to consider a fit for the system, defensive partners, and potential injuries because hockey players are never healthy. Nystrom excelled, and that\u2019s created this good, but uncomfortable headache for the Hurricanes.<\/p>\n Based on what we\u2019ve seen from the Swedish defender, I don\u2019t know how you can leave him off the roster if Game 1 of the playoffs started tomorrow. Even when he\u2019s gone down to the American Hockey League (AHL), he\u2019s been professional, dominant, and eager to return to the NHL. This isn\u2019t to say Chatfield is bad, but rather that he\u2019s been underperforming. The organization must make a decision that will help it win when it matters most. Right now, there is no argument for Chatfield over Nystrom. Will that be the decision of the Metropolitan Division leaders, too? We\u2019ll have to find out.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a>![\"Joel](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Joel-Nystrom-Hurricanes-3.jpg\")
Joel Nystr\u00f6m, Carolina Hurricanes (Jess Starr<\/a>\/The Hockey Writers)<\/p>\n![\"SUBSCRIBE](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hurricanes_Banner-1200x122.jpg\")
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