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Greg Wyshynski
Multiple Authors
RALEIGH, N.C. — Seth Jarvis is not a babysitter.
“No one’s trusting me with their kids,” the Carolina Hurricanes winger deadpanned.
That’s a shame because many of his teammates could use a sitter. The Hurricanes’ dressing room has more dads than the bleachers at a little league game. Jordan Staal, Jaccob Slavin and Taylor Hall have multiple children. Sebastian Aho, Shayne Gostisbehere and Jordan Martinook are fathers. Coach Rod Brind’Amour is known to treat his players like a big family because he lords over one himself with four children.
The Hurricanes’ family has extended three times during their run to the Stanley Cup Final. Defensemen Sean Walker, Jalen Chatfield and K’Andre Miller are balancing line changes with diaper changes during the playoffs.
“They’re all enjoying it. It’s a big moment in their lives and obviously tricky timing, but they’ve been there for the birth of their kids and that’s incredible,” Jarvis said.
“A lot of kids flying around here. Thankfully, they’re not mine.”
Walker, 31, was the first of the three Hurricanes to welcome a child during the playoffs. He was recovering from Carolina’s Game 3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers back in the second round of the playoffs when his wife, Taylor, called to tell him her water broke. Walker and the Hurricanes staff found a 6 o’clock flight back to Raleigh the next morning. Walker and his wife FaceTimed until he boarded the plane.
“Things were kind of getting going,” he said. “So that was really tough.”
Walker landed back home, rushed to the hospital and arrived in time to experience the birth of his first child, a daughter named Quinn.
“The baby gods were on my side on that one,” Walker said.
Back in his hockey life, Walker’s team had a chance to sweep the Flyers the following day. He ate his pregame meal in the hospital cafeteria before boarding a private jet that Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon arranged for him. Walker arrived back in Philadelphia at 2 p.m. on game day. He rushed to the hotel to freshen up and rest before taking the team bus to the arena for the game.
Brind’Amour acknowledged the birth of Walker’s daughter before the game, as well as the dedication it took to be with his family and then back with his hockey family on a tight travel turnaround. Walker played 23:13 in the Canes’ Game 4 win.
“It was weird. It was kind of like one of the easiest and hardest games I’ve maybe ever played, if that makes sense,” Walker said.
Slavin was impressed with his teammate’s focus.
“Hockey’s amazing. To get a win is amazing. But for him to welcome a baby into the world, there’s so much more to life in hockey,” Slavin said. “So happy for him, happy for his family. He came and played amazing.”
SINCE THE BIRTH of his daughter, Walker has gotten a real sense of the community surrounding the Hurricanes as friends and teammates’ families have dropped off meals and supplies.
“Breakfast food, dinner food. They’d drop off coffee. They’ve been amazing and so supportive. It’s so much food I’ve lost track of who brought over everything,” he said. “It’s been great. We’re settled in. We’re getting some help and every day we’re figuring it out. Just looking forward to spending more time with her.”
By sweeping the Flyers, Walker got unexpected additional time with Quinn. The Hurricanes ended up with 11 full days off between that series and the conference finals, the longest layoff in the NHL since 1919.
“I didn’t want to get on the boys and tell them we better win [Game 4], but I’m really appreciative that everybody dug in,” Walker said at the time. “The sweep’s huge, but to take this time to just be with my family is going to be really special.”
Miller was also blessed by the break, as he and partner Addison Clark welcomed their son, Kashton, on May 2 — six hours before Miller played in Game 1 of the Flyers series in Raleigh.
He said being with his newborn was part of a “brain reset” he experienced during the time between rounds. Miller said the break between series allowed him experience those “couple-week milestones” for Kashton while also getting a chance to run errands and support his family.
“Changing diapers. The real stuff,” he said.
Walker was happy to have a friend in the locker room with a shared experience.
“Pretty funny coincidence that me and my ‘D’ partner had kids at the same time,” he said. “Every day is like, ‘How did you sleep last night?’ It’s been great having someone going through the same things.”
Kashton played a role in one of the most touching moments of the NHL season.
After Carolina eliminated Montreal to win the Eastern Conference championship May 29, Miller was caught by Sportsnet cameras cradling his son — wearing giant protective headphones — while sitting on the Hurricanes’ empty bench. As a Zamboni drove by, Miller shook his head in disbelief of the moment, his eyes welling up with tears as he rocked his newborn, days away from playing for the Stanley Cup for the first time.
K’Andre Miller shares an emotional moment with his newborn son Kashton after advancing to the Stanley Cup Final 🥹❤️ pic.twitter.com/lVBjWHv45H
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 30, 2026
Walker was touched when he saw the viral video.
“To be able to get these moments already with our new children is so special. Obviously, they won’t really remember it at all, but we will,” he said.
Brind’Amour found the moment to be symbolic of how Miller has found a new level in this first season in Carolina.
“I don’t think he wanted that out there like that, but it’s certainly a reminder of the growth in him as a person,” Brind’Amour said. “Life is real. I think you get caught up in the game and everything, but there are more important things. It was a touching moment for sure.”
Miller said it was a special moment for him. “Absolutely. Myself, Chatty and Walks, we’ve experienced a lot in the last month, and it’s been nothing but amazing,” he said.
WHILE MILLER WAS ON THE BENCH holding his child, Chatfield was getting a police escort to witness the birth of his son, Rhodes.
Chatfield’s wife, Drew, went to the hospital around 7:30 p.m. on May 29. She texted a team staffer and said, “Don’t tell him until after the game.”
“So I had no distractions. It worked out perfectly,” Chatfield said. “I was able to get a police escort and get there with a couple hours of spare before he was born.”
He said the weeks leading up to the birth of his second child were “amazing, but at the same time, slightly stressful.” He didn’t want to miss a game, but he also didn’t want to miss the birth of his son. Chatfield knows he wasn’t alone in those concerns.
“The timing of it’s weird. And all three of us had kids, we all had them at the right time,” he said.
The timing was also right for Chatfield to have Rhodes arrive before the most important playoff series of his career.
“I’m not saying he’s been a distraction from me being focused or anything, but just kind of being able to settle myself down and maybe not stress out as much,” Chatfield said. “He’s been great. It’s been good for me and a family, but now it’s just time to narrow the focus down and be prepared.”
For the three Hurricanes, there’s been a balance between preparing themselves for the Stanley Cup Final while supporting the mothers of their children.
“It’s been a collective group effort to make sure that I can be prepared as I am, but also that she’s getting her rest help and we’re all helping her,” Chatfield said.
“I can’t put into words how proud I am of [Taylor]. She had to go through it a little bit without me there, but she was amazing,” Walker said. “My wife is a rock star.”
THERE’S A LONG LEGACY of NHL players welcoming newborns during the Stanley Cup playoffs. When the Vegas Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup in 2023, four players all experienced the expansion of their families: Mark Stone, William Karlsson, Brett Howden and Brayden McNabb.
Though the Knights haven’t had anyone rushing off to the maternity ward during this run, additions are on the way. Star center Jack Eichel said he and his wife, Erin Basil, are expecting their first child later this year. Defenseman Shea Theodore, who scored the winning goal in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, is closer to adding a new family member.
“It’ll be very shortly after this is over,” said Theodore, who is expecting a second child with his wife, Mariana. “Sometimes the scheduling can be a little tricky.”
According to NHL.com, Noah Hanifin’s wife, Monique; Stone’s wife, Hayley; and Nic Dowd’s wife, Paige, are also due along with the partners for Theodore and Eichel.
For Walker, the arrival of his daughter was right on schedule for this run at the Stanley Cup.
“It’s kind of awesome timing, personally,” he said. “It can be a little stressful. But as soon as you get home, you kind of forget about everything that’s going on at the rink and just enjoy your daughter and your family. It’s special.”
