WHL Stars & NHL Debuts: Seeley swept up with Hurricanes in regular-season finale

It didn’t take long for a gust of activity at the Seeley residence to whip up into a full-on frenzy.

Ronan Seeley’s dad and brother had just flown into Chicago with three games left on Ronan’s regular-season schedule with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.

With a packed apartment that included Seeley’s mother-in-law and wife’s best friend, the conversation was flowing and everyone was busy preparing dinner when Seeley’s phone rang.

Wolves interim head coach Spiros Anastas was the one to deliver the life-changing news- Seeley would make his NHL debut on Long Island the next day.

“There’s a flurry of phone calls and emotions, and then it was just hours of planning, trying to get everybody here,” the freshly minted NHLer grinned. “It was a whirlwind, and I can’t believe it’s over already.”

It may have been game 82 for Carolina, but it was also an unforgettable game one for the former WHL All-Star.

Dreams to reality 🔥 pic.twitter.com/8S1BSMCGlj

— z – Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) April 14, 2026

The 23-year-old defenceman logged two blocks over 19 shifts in 15:12 of ice time, helping the Eastern Conference-leading Hurricanes ice a 2-1 win over the New York Islanders on Tuesday night.

“Super nervous, but I was just trying to embrace it all,” Seeley told reporters. “That’s what I’ve been dreaming about since I was a little kid… Even if it’s game 82, you know, I just tried to take in everything and take in every second. I’m so happy my family’s here, and the guys were so welcoming. It was an awesome experience.”

Seeley took his first strides alongside another NHL newcomer, forward Felix Unger Sorum.

“That’s a big deal when they can step in, and we don’t have to miss a beat, especially when you put that many guys in,” Hurricanes Head Coach Rod Brindamour said. “It’s one thing, one guy here or there. But every night here lately, we’ve had five or six, and we’re still finding ways to win. So it’s good on those guys.”

Seeley, a 6-foot-1, 192-pound defenceman, is enjoying career highs in his fourth season of professional hockey.

The Wolves alternate captain has picked up 22 points (10G-12A) in 67 games to help Chicago clinch second in the AHL’s Central Division.

He developed his game with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips, piling up 102 points (20G-82A) in 190 regular-season games over parts of four seasons.

Seeley was named to the 2022 WHL U.S. Division Second All-Star Team after a 44-point (11G-33A) campaign and helped Canada to a gold medal at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, which was held in the summer months just north of his hometown of Olds, Alta.

He was drafted by the Hurricanes with the 208th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.

Since skating under the bright lights of the NHL, Seeley has returned to Chicago to close out the AHL’s regular season and gear up for the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs.