The Carolina Hurricanes have signed their top draft choice, inking Seth Jarvis to a three-year entry-level contract. Jarvis was recently one of the final cuts from Team Canada for the World Juniors and is awaiting the start of the WHL season. Hurricanes GM Don Waddell released a short statement:
Seth is an extremely talented player with elite puck skills and scoring ability. He has a very bright future, and we are excited to watch him continue his development into an NHL player.
Jarvis, 18, was the 13th overall selection in this year’s draft after his outstanding 2019-20 season with the Portland Winterhawks. The Winnipeg-born center had 42 goals and 98 points in 58 games, finishing second in WHL scoring behind only Minnesota Wild prospect Adam Beckman. Unfortunately, he’s one of the top prospects that now hasn’t played a competitive game in nearly ten months, unless you count the intra-squad games at Canada’s WJC selection camp.
That long wait is important to remember when considering this contract. Though most top picks are quickly inked to their entry-level deals, it may be even more important for a player like Jarvis. Should the WHL cancel the season at any point, he would likely be eligible to join the AHL. Even before that he could potentially stick around with the Hurricanes on their taxi squad, learning from the NHL players that will one day be his teammates. Of course, his deal will only actually kick in if he plays in seven games with Carolina. It will likely slide forward as he continues his development.