While teams around the NHL have made decisions on most of the junior-aged players as to whether or not to send them back to their previous team – including one earlier today – another one is soon pending in Carolina’s Seth Jarvis.
Jarvis was a healthy scratch early on in the year which has bought the Hurricanes some extra time to evaluate his development. However, he has played in nine games including today’s action which means the decision on whether or not to activate the first year of his entry-level contract will soon be upon them as that will occur in his tenth contest.
Jarvis has played better as of late, scoring in three straight games including today and is up to four goals and an assist on the season while averaging nearly 14 minutes per night. That’s certainly enough playing time to justify keeping him around although GM Don Waddell will need to weigh that against the benefits of having Jarvis on the books for an extra year on his entry-level deal if his contract was to slide and end in 2024-25 with a slightly lower AAV on the books as well. Mike Johnston, the coach of WHL Portland which is where Jarvis would go if he’s returned to junior, indicated to Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer that he hasn’t heard which way the Hurricanes are leaning but that he doesn’t expect the youngster to return.
The other threshold that has to be brought up in situations like these is the 40-game one. If a junior-aged player is on the active roster for 40 games, he accrues a season of service time, giving him a year towards UFA eligibility. Some teams are okay with a player burning a cheap entry-level season but not losing a year of club control in the process. Edmonton notably did that with Leon Draisaitl back in 2014-15.
So far this season, there has basically been a split on slide decisions. William Eklund (San Jose), Hendrix Lapierre (Washington), Mason McTavish (Anaheim), and Jake Neighbours (St. Louis) were all returned while Dawson Mercer (New Jersey), Lucas Raymond (Detroit), and Cole Sillinger (Columbus) have all played past the nine-game mark already. Carolina will soon need to decide which group their promising winger will be joining in the near future.
He scored again today…….I think he wants to stick around. :)
Still the kid I think the Preds should’ve taken taken two years ago, but offense, schmoffence. :/
@Gbear – You, sir are a jinx! “Mr. Uncoachable” has just popped the HT in MTL! (Until they change the scoring…)
@Mac – That clearly is an imposter wearing that Duchene Jersey!
I’m happy for him. Frankly, he’s the reason the Preds have been at least average this season.
Mac, I think you and Gbear could both score a Hat Trick against Montreal, lol , Happy Holidays to all
If me and Mac could just find a good left wing for our line, we’d be unstoppable! :D
@Gbear – That’s downright scary! We’d take over the crown of most effective fourth line, away from that Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck gang. We can call ourselves “The Dreadsome Threesome”
:)
When the Habs were up 5-0 in that game, Dan says to JP, who was filling in for Sergio, “Hey, they’re up 5-0, I can do whatever I want!” As they kept their side discussion going.
@Mac- You’re underestimating our scoring prowess…..we could easily replace the Preds 3rd line! :D
Considering he has had two goals disallowed as well (one legit, one no so much), I dont think he is going anywhere.
Eeeesh. I would be one pleased oldtimer were NHL GMs to wrap it around their pointy little heads that their job is not to best manage entry level contracts or massage UFA service time. Their job is to provide the tools so that their teams can win hockey games. If the kid can play NHL hockey and helps the team to win games, he belongs on the roster. If he can’t, he doesn’t. That’s the only equation they should be considering.
Because what is the damn difference between a productive player being on an entry level contract from 2023-2025, and being on an entry level contract between 2022 and 2024? Nothing. Except that the team wants to win today. Oh, and that they know he can fit under their cap NOW. And this is not something that’s guaranteed later.
Kotkaniemi is up to 4 whole points.
I was one of the loudest people on how big a year he was to have. Too bad for him and oh thee well
I think Jarvis should go back to juniors for one more year, just like Barzal did. It made a world of difference in his play when he came back the next year. He new what to expect and what he really needed to work on, size etc for a 82 game season with much bigger men.