Earned It: Jarvis To Remain With Canes

SAN JOSE, CA. - The most asked question of the Carolina Hurricanes' season, to date, appears to have an answer.
"Has there been any decision on whether Seth Jarvis will stay with the team?"

There was little surprise, however, with a short and simple, "yeah, he's going to play" Monday morning, Head Coach Rod Brind'Amour confirmed that his newest talent will play in his 10th NHL game this evening, "burning" the first year of his entry-level contract.
The Backstory
The team's 2020 first round draft pick came to his first NHL training camp in September, aiming to make the club. The only expectations were those that the young forward had set for himself, expectations that he was able to meet.
From the onset of the team's exhibition slate the clamoring from the fan base began, wanting to see more and more of the team's future talent. In the team's second of four preseason games, Jarvis drew in, playing his first NHL action against the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning.
That was the night that the snowball effect began.
Despite the team's loss, Jarvis led all skaters with six shots on goal. No ordinary preseason game, Carolina's new #24 outshot opposition that included the likes of Ondrej Palat, Brayden Point, Corey Perry and more.
Because of his play in that tilt, Jarvis was once again in the lineup for the club's third preseason game. Throughout he showed that he could hang, jostling with 2020 Norris Trophy Winner Roman Josi in front of the net and even playing during the three-on-three overtime, coming up with a game-saving block during.
With important roster decisions having already been made and perhaps the most difficult ones to come, Jarvis was once again in the lineup for the team's fourth preseason game, once again against the club that the team had defeated just months ago in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Canes came up short, but as had become customary throughout the league, the two teams went to a shootout following regulation. Who stole the show? Jarvis. Not lacking for confidence, he scored on a move similar to the maneuver made popular by Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov, waving his stick over the puck as a decoy, allowing it to slide five-hole on David Rittich for a must-see tally.

Carolina's roster that day included several talented players that were on the bubble of making the opening night roster, players that if they hadn't made the team, would have to pass through waivers, able to be claimed by any of the other 31 teams.
It would have been easy to just assign Jarvis, who is waivers exempt due to being on his first NHL contract, back to Portland of the Western Hockey League (WHL). It would buy the team another year, allowing him to develop for another season and giving him an extra dose of confidence when he would be in a similar spot next season.
However, when the team's roster for their October 14 regular season opener was made public, Jarvis was on it. He had shown enough to Waddell and Canes upper management that he had earned the next step, which was the nine-game trial, a stint that first-year NHL players that are also eligible to play in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) are offered.
It took some time, seven games to be exact, but then the window of opportunity came open for the young man's NHL debut. There was no shortage of calling for his arrival before then, but the coaching staff was patient, largely due to the impressive start that the team had. The crew was 6-0-0, prompting no reason to make any lineup alterations.
So, Jarvis watched, waited and stayed prepared for his moment.
Then, the moment came on Sunday, October 31.
Just two days prior, Niederreiter left the team's victory over Chicago with a lower-body injury. It was revealed after that the Swiss winger was going to miss a few weeks, thus creating a need up front for the club.
Including the traditional helmet-less solo lap taking place to begin warmups and his family in the stands, it was then as if the Winnipeg, Manitoba-born skater picked up right where he had left off in preseason. Skating alongside veteran Derek Stepan and Steven Lorentz, Jarvis created several chances for his club, coming within inches of setting up a goal twice in the first two periods.
Tied at 1-1 with just three minutes remaining in a dogfight against the Arizona Coyotes, the Canes extended their franchise-best start to 7-0-0 thanks to a power play goal from Brett Pesce. Who set it up? You bet. In his first NHL game and he was out there at a pivotal juncture, earning his first point.

Just as the snowball grew bigger and bigger during the short preseason, the regular season version of the situation only intensified quicker.
Three days later it was Jarvis' first road regular season game, coming against the Chicago Blackhawks. How did he make a splash? By scoring against a goaltender he dreamt of scoring on as a child, future Hall of Famer Marc-Andre Fleury. A breakaway tally gave him his first NHL goal, one that sparked a stretch of three unanswered as they came from behind to earn a 4-3 win, advancing to 9-0-0.

The introduction to the top level was there and Jarvis was succeeding in his first role. It was time for the next step. With Niederreiter still out of the lineup, Martin Necas was then forced out of the lineup due to illness, creating an opening on the right side of the team's "top six". Who got bumped up? You guessed it.
And how has he handled the promotion? Had it not been for a mere few inches that pulled the team offside and then a judgment of possession during a delayed penalty, Jarvis would be on a five-game goal streak at the moment. In the team's weekend against Philadelphia and St. Louis, he had goals nullified on back-to-back nights, creating moments that could have been classified at minimum as a good sign of him being at or around the offense's chances. Instead, he's just kept the same prowess flowing, striking for consecutive game-winners against Vegas and Anaheim, then opening the scoring Saturday in Los Angeles.
One thing led to another and Saturday post-game Head Coach Rod Brind'Amour said "it's pretty obvious" what the verdict would be on his new "top line" winger.
Well, now we have our answer. The kid is here to stay for the foreseeable future.
From The Boss
Hurricanes President & General Manager Don Waddell offered the below regarding Jarvis' situation:
"Seth came into camp as the odd man out. As I always say, I don't pick the team, the performance of the players is what speaks the loudest. He was very good in our rookie tournament and as main camp opened up, he never looked back. His hockey sense and puck skills are top end, you can't teach these things. Seth belongs to be in a Canes jersey today and for a long time, he has earned it."
Related Questions
Why was this such a big deal?
The nine-game trial period is a big subject because with Jarvis' entry-level contract officially beginning, his three-year deal will now come to an end at the conclusion of the 2023-24 season. Then he will be eligible for his second NHL contract, with the Canes owning his rights as a restricted free agent. Had he been reassigned to Portland, the contract would have bumped back a year, ending after the 2024-25 season.
Why can't he just play in Chicago (AHL)?
Due to the NHL-CHL agreement, North American-born players under the age of 20 cannot play in the American Hockey League. They have to be playing for the club that their CHL rights are owned by. The CHL is made up of three junior leagues, the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and the Quebec Major Junior League (QMJHL).
Could Jarvis technically still be assigned to Portland this year?
Yes, however, the first year of his contract will still be burnt.
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