Carolina Hurricanes: 5 Prospects That Can Make the Jump to the NHL

1. Seth Jarvis

Now, if there was an “I’m almost certain this dude will be playing for the Carolina Hurricanes next season” category, Seth Jarvis would be the only player in said category. This whole article was just an excuse for me to talk about Seth Jarvis. Jarvis is the certified top prospect in the Carolina Hurricanes pipeline and also the closest to making the NHL roster.

Seth Jarvis is a 19-year old, right-handed winger who was gifted to the Carolina Hurricanes courtesy of Kyle Dubas. The Canes only held a pick in the first round of the 2020 NHL draft because the Toronto Maple Leafs wanted cap relief and Don Waddell decided to weaponize the cap space that the Canes had, acquiring Patrick Marleau and a first round pick (13th overall) in the 2020 NHL draft for a 6th round pick in the 2020 NHL draft.

That trade, along with the fact that the Maple Leafs lost in the play-in round of the 2020 NHL playoffs, gifted the Carolina Hurricanes the 13th overall pick in the 2020 NHL draft. To the ire of many Maple Leafs fans, the Hurricanes selected Seth Jarvis and Patrick Marleau was bought out, making the trade complete.

The year before Jarvis’s draft year, he had 39 points in 61 games, 16 of those points being goals before absolutely exploding in his draft year. In 2019-2020, Jarvis had 98 points in 58 games, 42 of those points being goals, for the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL. Covid had given Jarvis a chance to play in the AHL, as the WHL season was put on pause and Jarvis did not waste his chance.

But before Jarvis made it to the AHL level, he was given the opportunity to make the NHL roster as he was invited to the Canes’ training camp. According to people who had the chance to watch a scrimmage that took place during the 2021 training camp, Jarvis was really good and showed flashes of being that goal scorer that the Canes drafted him to be. He was so good that he actually scored in the Red-White scrimmage.

Seth Jarvis in 9 games with the Chicago Wolves had 11 points, 7 of those points being goals. Sadly for Carolina Hurricanes fans who were enjoying watching Jarvis, the WHL season kicked back up recently and Jarvis, due to the NHL-Junior agreement, had to head back to the Portland Winterhawks, where he has returned to form as he has 25 points in 23 games, 15 of those points being goals.

Seth Jarvis has super high-end potential as someone who can be a top line goal scorer but with players like Andrei Svechnikov and Teuvo Teravainen, he probably won’t end up playing on the top line. Put Jarvis on a line with Martin Necas and Vincent Trocheck, though, and my lord you have two first lines undoubtedly.

Like I mentioned before, Jarvis has my near certainty that he will be in the NHL next year with a few Carolina Hurricanes wingers needing new contracts and the hope to possibly grow physically. The Canes could give Jarvis the Andrei Svechnikov treatment, which is to throw Jarvis on the 3rd line with bigger and known protector Jordan Staal to help him in the physicality game while letting him in on the power play and sometimes moving him up in the lineup to let him grow offensively.