I'm convinced that few people on the planet enjoy playing hockey as much as Seth Jarvis does. It seems like he goes out every night and has the time of his life, and he keeps that up off the ice. Jarvis has one of the most infectious personalities in the league, winning him plenty of fans outside of Caniac Nation. It doesn't hurt that he's very good at his job, too.
There is a lot to look forward to this season for Jarvis. He's set to star in an episode of Amazon's Faceoff: Inside the NHL, which releases sometime this fall. Jarvis is also in the running for Canada's Olympic team after representing them during the 4 Nations tournament this past February. Most importantly, he's back for his 5th season with the Hurricanes.
Last season: 32-35-67 in 73 games/6-10-16 in the playoffs
This season didn't feature many lulls for Jarvis. If he was in the lineup, he was probably finding the scoresheet. Jarvis was rolling at nearly a point-per-game pace until an upper-body injury in Colorado forced him out of action for seven games. He didn't miss a beat when he returned to the lineup, scoring a goal and adding two helpers in a 6-4 pre-Thanksgiving win over Dallas.
Jarvis experienced a career first in late January, putting together a four-point performance against the Blue Jackets. He must've enjoyed it so much because he did it again before the 4 Nations break against Utah. Jarvis finished the regular season with a bang, scoring 21 points in his final 18 games. It would be a sign of things to come for the postseason.
With 67 points, Jarvis matched his output from 2023-24, trading a goal for an assist. He trailed only Sebastian Aho in points. However, he notched his second straight 30-goal campaign, leading the Hurricanes in goals for the first time in his career.
In 15 postseason games, Jarvis recorded a point in 12 of them. He scored at least two goals in each of the team's three series and had no fewer than five points in each. Half of his points came on the power play as the team remembered how to score with the man advantage. Jarvis finished the postseason with 16 points, leading the pack for the Hurricanes.
Bold Prediction: Jarvis is a Selke finalist this season
I know I've already declared Jordan Staal as this season's Selke Trophy winner, so clearly, I think the Hurricanes will be so good defensively that Seth Jarvis sneaks his way into the Top 3 of the voting. Over the last few years, Jarvis has quietly become one of the best two-way forwards in the game. Along with being a scorer, he's relied upon in big defensive situations.
Jarvis and Aho have formed a formidable duo on the penalty kill. They each finished tied for 2nd in the NHL with seven short-handed points last season, with Jarvis's five goals trailing only former teammate Vincent Trocheck and Alex Tuch, who scored six each. He finished 12th in Selke voting, earning two 1st-place votes despite an overall worse finish than in 2024.
Whether he's a finalist or not, we're guaranteed to see great hockey from Jarvis this season. His larger-than-life personality is infectious, and it has made him one of the biggest fan favorites in franchise history. His versatility makes him a threat no matter who he's paired with, though I suspect he'll start the season next to Aho. Regardless, Jarvis is going to be in for another great season.