The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoff series featuring the Carolina Hurricanes and the Washington Capitals has really highlighted how strong and deep the Hurricanes are, as they currently lead the series 3-1. Right from the start, Carolina’s defense and goaltending have been rock solid, with Frederik Andersen putting on some amazing performances, including a shutout in Game 3. Carolina’s offensive depth, with guys like Andrei Svechnikov and Jack Roslovic leading the charge, has really put the Capitals on their heels, both at even strength and during power plays.
Even with injuries, Carolina has really shown their toughness, especially on defense. Their physical style of play and knack for shutting down Washington’s offense has kept the Capitals on their toes. The Hurricanes have a 3-1 series lead and are looking to wrap things up in Game 5, showing everyone just why they’re considered one of the top teams in the playoffs.
So, there are quite a few rumors going around about possible lineup changes, but NHL insider Elliotte Friedman quickly shot those down during the 32 Thoughts podcast. He mentioned, “You know, [Jalen] Chatfield, and I love watching Chatfield play, he’s battling an injury clearly, so we’ll see what happens there. But I think a lot of us, the easy way to think is you’re up 3-1 in a series, let’s put [Alexander] Nikishin in now. If you’re ever going to put him in, put him in now. I will tell you, in the playoffs, a coach will never think like that. A coach will never think that this is a good time to experiment when we don’t need to.”
Friedman’s comments really highlight how NHL coaches tend to be pretty careful during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, especially when it comes to handling injured players and making changes to the lineup. Friedman talks about Jalen Chatfield, the defenseman for the Carolina Hurricanes, who seems to be dealing with an injury while playing. You know, some folks might think that with the team having a 3-1 series lead against the Washington Capitals, it’d be a great chance to give Chatfield a break and let the promising prospect Alexander Nikishin get his first taste of playoff action.
But Friedman sheds some light on why coaches usually shy away from that kind of gamble. Friedman points out that even when there’s a bit of a safety net in the series, playoff coaches tend to stick with their usual lineup instead of trying out new options. When it comes to making decisions in the postseason, trust and familiarity are really important. Bringing in a player who hasn’t played in the NHL playoffs before—especially when the team is already winning—might feel like it could shake things up for no good reason.
In the playoffs, the pressure and unpredictability really call for a more cautious strategy, where sticking with what works can be more valuable than chasing after big potential gains. So, unless it’s really needed, a coach like Rod Brind’Amour probably won’t bench a solid player like Chatfield for Nikishin, no matter how appealing it might seem on paper. What does he think about how well his franchise is doing?
The Carolina Hurricanes have met his expectations
Rod Brind’Amour has been all about giving props to his team during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, especially when it comes to their second-round matchup with the Washington Capitals. After the Hurricanes’ impressive 5-2 win in Game 4, which put them ahead 3-1 in the series, Brind’Amour highlighted how crucial individual contributions were to achieving that victory.
The Canes coach mentioned, “The kill was huge tonight, obviously. It’s all about timing too. Early in the game, we have six minutes of penalties in the first period and that just takes you right out of anything. To be able to come out of their with the lead was a big key. Our kill has been solid and obviously that was a big part of tonight.”
Brind’Amour also talked about how resilient and committed the team has been. He talked about how the team’s hard work and determination have really stood out in the Hurricanes’ play during the series.
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