RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) 鈥� The on-ice celebration was underway for the Carolina Hurricanes, ticket in hand for their first in two decades.
But defenseman Jalen Chatfield had to bolt. Like, right now. He had just found out his wife, Drew, went into labor shortly before . He quickly showered and changed, then hopped in an unmarked police car for a blue-lights-on rush to the hospital.
鈥淓verything was good, yeah, I made it on time with a couple of hours to spare,鈥� Chatfield said of son Rhodes. 鈥淗e was born at like 2 a.m., so, perfect.鈥�
Chasing the Cup is pressure enough for the Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights in a chaos-filled series with and two . Throw in a life-changing event at home while fumbling with diaper changes or a baby crying through sleep-interrupted nights 鈥� and, well, there鈥檚 a lot going on at the moment.
Three Hurricanes players have welcomed babies in these playoffs since early May. Multiple members of the Golden Knights are preparing for deliveries of their own this month, offering the potential of adding to the postseason baby boom amid the sport鈥檚 biggest event that could go until June 17 if there is a Game 7. Vegas leads 2-1 going into Tuesday night’s Game 3.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a lot of great stories to talk about,鈥� said Vegas center Nic Dowd, whose wife, Paige, is due for their third child this month. 鈥淗aving a new baby and trying to win a Stanley Cup, I鈥檓 going to compartmentalize those things. They鈥檙e different than each other, but definitely exciting and stressful. The biggest challenges in life are going to have the best rewards.鈥�
A playoff whirlwind
That was clear watching Hurricanes defenseman K鈥橝ndre Miller after closing out Montreal in the Eastern Conference Final on May 29.
Nearly four weeks earlier, Miller and girlfriend Addison Clark had welcomed son Kashton, hours before Miller logged nearly 21 minutes of ice time in the . Fast forward to the night Chatfield rushed to the hospital, and there were sitting on the bench afterward, holding Kashton and shaking his head between deep breaths in an emotional moment.
Or there’s the story of a frenetic 36 hours for teammate Sean Walker, one sure to be repeated at family gatherings for years.
After the Hurricanes , Walker got a 1 a.m. call from wife Taylor back in North Carolina. It was time. Her water had broken, and their first child was on the way. Walker quickly called team services manager Mike Brown for help getting an immediate flight home 鈥� with Walker FaceTiming with his wife during his trek 鈥� and made it in time for daughter Quinn鈥檚 arrival.
鈥淭he baby gods were on my side for that one,鈥� Walker said.
The next day, he ate his pregame meal at the hospital cafeteria, then flew back to Philadelphia, arriving about four hours before puck drop of . The good news was the Hurricanes had , the longest in the playoffs in more than a century, for the Walker-Miller D-pair to settle in a bit as first-time dads.
Walker savors those weeks as a special time in a still-unfolding adventure. As the Cup final began, his wife鈥檚 mother was in town in an 鈥渁ll hands on deck鈥� effort on the home front. Teammates had been jumping in, too, by dropping off a steady stream of meals or something as simple as coffee along the way.
鈥淭here was so much food, I kind of lost who all brought over everything,鈥� Walker chuckled. 鈥淭he support鈥檚 been amazing. It鈥檚 a family and everyone鈥檚 really showed that for us.鈥�
Teammate Eric Robinson understands well. during last year’s run to the East final.
“The coolest part is you get to experience two of the best moments of your life kind of happening at the same time,鈥� Robinson said.
What鈥檚 ahead?
That鈥檚 a feeling multiple Vegas players experienced around their . It could happen again.
Joining Dowd, captain Mark Stone, Jack Eichel, Noah Hanifin and Shea Theodore 鈥� who had the Saturday 鈥� are playing for the Cup while preparing for baby arrivals.
Theodore鈥檚 wife, Mariana, is due this month with their second child 鈥渧ery shortly鈥� after the series; they don鈥檛 know if it鈥檚 a boy or a girl.
鈥淢y wife is handling it amazing,鈥� Theodore said. 鈥淚 think especially when you鈥檙e in a playoff grind, there鈥檚 just some days where I鈥檓 not available. So she鈥檚 been handling everything so good, she鈥檚 been really good with it.鈥�
Hanifin鈥檚 wife, Monique, is carrying a girl.
鈥淚t鈥檚 probably more stressful for my wife, to be honest,鈥� Hanifin said before Game 1. 鈥淪he鈥檚 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.鈥�
Stone’s wife, Hayley, delivered a daughter shortly before that 2023 run. She鈥檚 due again for an arrival that could come during this series.
鈥淚 guess my wife will be the telling tale of that one,鈥� Stone said.
Unforgettable days
Chatfield’s wife reached out to Brown鈥檚 assistant to say she had gone into labor with the couple鈥檚 second child shortly before Game 5 of the East final against the Canadiens. But she didn鈥檛 want them to let him know until afterward.
So Brown told Chatfield after the traditional post-series handshake line. Chatfield , then bolted.
鈥淚t was a special night for me, to be able to win the Eastern Conference Final and then shoot to the hospital,鈥� Chatfield said. 鈥淢y 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鈥檇 rather have it. It was special and one of the best nights of my life.鈥�
Hurricanes coach Rod Brind鈥橝mour has observed it all from a different perspective. He has the past two seasons and he has watched players in the locker room grow from rising prospects to veterans with growing families, figuring out life with a new baby.
鈥淚t鈥檚 supposed to be a little crazy,鈥� Brind鈥橝mour said last month.
That鈥檚 particularly true in this Cup final, on and off the ice.
鈥淭o be able to get these moments already with our new children is so special,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淥bviously, they won鈥檛 really remember it at all. But we will.鈥�
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AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.
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