New coach promises to add grit

For the second time this week, a member of the Windsor Spitfires' 2017 Memorial Cup championship team made his NHL debut.

Defenceman Jalen Chatfield, who was co-captain of the 2017 team, got his first taste of NHL action Wednesday for the Vancouver Canucks in a 6-5 shootout win over the Montreal Canadiens. His debut came two days after former Spitfire defenceman Logan Stanley played his first NHL game with the Winnipeg Jets.

“I was excited,” the 24-year-old Chatfield said in his post-game media session. “It was my first game and it was something I worked my whole life for. As a kid, growing up watching the (Detroit) Red Wings and going to the games, this was an unreal moment for me.”

Former Spitfires' general manager Warren Rychel signed Chatfield, who is from Ypsilanti, Mich., as an undrafted free agent in 2014, and he spent three seasons with the club. Vancouver signed him as an undrafted free agent in March of 2017. After his three-year, entry-level deal expired, the Canucks signed him to a one-year extension last month.

Against Montreal, Chatfield had one shot on goal, one blocked shot and two hits while playing 15 minutes and 30 seconds.

“I thought I played pretty well,” Chatfield said.

“I wasn't nervous or anything. Just stuck with the game plan and trusted my instincts and playing ability out there.”

And when veterans Alex Edler and Travis Hamonic left the game with injuries, Chatfield found himself on the ice late in regulation of a tie game.

“To be honest, I love those situations,” Chatfield said. “Ever since playing in Windsor, I was playing those minutes at the end of the game, tied game ... that's what I live for. I want to get out there, lock it down and secure the game.”

With Chatfield and Stanley debuting this week, the 2017 Memorial Cup champion Spitfires have now had six members of that team play in the NHL, including goalie Mikey Dipietro, defenceman Mikhail Sergachev, forward Gabriel Vilardi and centre Logan Brown.