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Ethan Bear Enters COVID Protocol

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The Carolina Hurricanes may have Seth Jarvis in the lineup tonight, but they won’t have Ethan Bear. The young defenseman has tested positive for coronavirus and entered the league’s COVID protocol.

Bear, 24, has been excellent for the Hurricanes so far this season, recording six points in 16 games while averaging more than 18 minutes a night. The former Edmonton Oilers defenseman is in his first year with the new club after a trade brought him to Carolina in exchange for Warren Foegele.

In the second season of a two-year, $4MM deal signed in 2020, Bear will be looking for another raise this offseason when he hits arbitration-eligible restricted free agency. His current back-loaded deal means he’ll be owed a $2.4MM qualifying offer, and strong play could even have him in line for a multi-year extension.

With that in mind, any absence from the lineup is a notable one, as the team will have to look elsewhere for Bear’s minutes on the back end. Because he is a confirmed positive case, if he experiences any symptoms he’ll miss a minimum of ten days. Given that head coach Rod Brind’Amour told reporters including Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer earlier today that Bear was “not feeling great” it is safe to assume that he is symptomatic.

Seth Jarvis To Burn First Year Of ELC

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Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour confirmed to reporters today including Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer that Seth Jarvis will play tonight, meaning he will burn the first year of his entry-level contract this season.

Jarvis, as we examined yesterday, is one of a handful of junior-aged players to get a chance at the NHL level this year. Unlike some of the other young forwards who played in the AHL last season though, Jarvis isn’t eligible to go to the minor leagues because he suited up for just nine games. Had he crossed the 20-game threshold like some of his OHL counterparts, he wouldn’t need to return to the WHL at all.

But the WHL–specifically the Portland Winterhawks–is the only other place for Jarvis to go, if the NHL wasn’t going to keep him around. Given how well he played in the AHL during that nine-game stop, and the fact that he has four goals and five points in nine NHL games, it seems unlikely that going back to junior would do anything for the 19-year-old forward.

After tonight, when his ELC officially kicks in, the next question will be whether the Hurricanes play Jarvis for 40 games this season. That would take him a year toward unrestricted free agency, sometimes a threshold that teams consider more important for young players. At any rate, if the team believes he’s one of the 12 forwards that can help them win, it seems likely that the Hurricanes will put him in the lineup. This team has Stanley Cup aspirations and are proving just how dangerous they are with a 14-2 record through the first 16 games.

Decision Pending For Hurricanes Regarding Seth Jarvis

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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.

Antti Raanta (Concussion) Resumes Skating

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  • Hurricanes goaltender Antti Raanta has resumed skating as he works his way back from a concussion, relays Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer (Twitter link). The veteran suffered the injury a week ago today against Florida in just his second game of the season.

Carolina Hurricanes Recall Leivo, Place Niederreiter On IR

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The Carolina Hurricanes have moved Nino Niederreiter to injured reserve, recalling Josh Leivo to take his place on the roster.

Niederreiter is dealing with a lower-body injury and is expected to miss another little while as he recovers. The veteran forward last played on October 29, leaving that game against the Chicago Blackhawks early. He still isn’t practicing with the team, though it’s not clear exactly how long he’ll be out. His placement on injured reserve can be retroactive to his last game, so he will be eligible to return whenever he’s healthy enough to do so.

Leivo meanwhile had been playing at the AHL level for the first time since 2016-17 this season, suiting up for three contests with the Chicago Wolves. Though never a full-time NHL option, he has played more than 200 games to this point including 38 last season with the Calgary Flames. Armed with an impressive shot and some offensive upside, the 6’2″ forward could be used in a variety of ways by the Hurricanes if inserted into the lineup.

Minor Transactions: 11/07/21

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Today may not be a busy day on the NHL schedule, but it’s certainly been a hectic day on the transactions slate at all levels of the game. There was a lot of action today on the NHL to AHL wire, but there have been some other moves today, too. Keep up with today’s minor transactions here.

  • New York Rangers goalie prospect Talyn Boyko was dealt in the WHL today from the Tri-City Americans to the Kelowna Rockets. Boyko was drafted in the fourth round in 2021, largely because of his massive 6′ 8″ frame. However, it’s been a rough start for Boyko with a 1-6-1 record and .887 save percentage on the season. Hopefully a move to Kelowna turns his fortunes around this season.
  • Carolina Hurricanes netminder Beck Warm was re-assigned to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves from the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals, per the AHL transactions page. The move comes after Alex Lyon was brought up to Carolina today in the wake of Antti Raanta’s injury Saturday, meaning Chicago needed another goaltender. Warm’s impressed in the ECHL with a 4-1-0 record and .921 save percentage to start the year.

Injury Notes: Hayes, Sabres, Raanta

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While Philadelphia Flyers forward Kevin Hayes is eligible to come off long-term injured reserve for Philadelphia’s game on Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, it sounds like the forward isn’t quite ready to return from an injury that’s kept him out all season up until this point. Head coach Alain Vigneault won’t rule it out but says that “Wednesday is an outside chance, more on the outside than on the inside” in terms of Hayes’ availability. If Hayes does return, it will be ahead of schedule. He was expected to miss roughly two months after being placed on injured reserve in late September as he continued to recover from offseason core muscle surgery.

Other injury notes from around the NHL:

  • While the Sabres have dealt with some injuries to key players lately, it sounds like there’s good news on the horizon. Forward Victor Olofsson is close to returning, while a day-to-day injury that’s keeping goalie Craig Anderson out of the lineup isn’t serious enough to warrant placing him on injured reserve, per Sabres head coach Don Granato. Olofsson’s been a pleasant surprise, jumping out to lead the team in scoring with nine points in just eight games while playing over 17 minutes a night. The injury looks to be a bump in the road on a real breakout season for the Swedish forward, who’s often been chastised for his lack of production at even-strength.
  • Carolina Hurricanes goalie Antti Raanta left Saturday’s game after colliding with Florida Panthers forward Ryan Lomberg, and the team’s public relations team tweeted that he won’t return to the game with an upper-body injury. Raanta’s lengthy injury history gives serious cause for concern here, and it appears as though Frederik Andersen could need to continue shouldering the load for the next little while. Lomberg was assessed a five-minute major penalty on the play.

Aleksander Barkov Out For Saturday’s Game With Lower-Body Injury

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Per the Florida Panthers public relations team, center Aleksander Barkov is out for Saturday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes with a lower-body injury. His status is day-to-day.

Forward Ryan Lomberg will enter the lineup in his place, according to Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards. Their game against the Hurricanes is a battle of the league’s current titans, as the Hurricanes (9-0-0) attempt to remain undefeated while Florida (9-0-1) enters the game without a regulation loss.

23-year-old Eetu Luostarinen, who has three goals through seven games this season, could center the top line between Carter Verhaeghe and Anthony Duclair in Barkov’s absence.

The Panthers continue to stretch their center depth thin with injuries this season, as Sam Bennett, Joe Thornton, and Noel Acciari are all on injured reserve. A strong start from rookie Anton Lundell is helping to soften the blow, and the team has also shifted offseason acquisition Sam Reinhart back to center from the wing to compensate for the slew of injuries.

Barkov has been undeniably spectacular as the Panthers continue to bank points early in the season. Fresh off receiving an eight-year, $80MM extension, he’s tallied 12 points in 10 games while playing over 22 minutes per game.

Seth Jarvis To Make NHL Debut; Nino Niederreiter Out

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Despite putting up 11 points in nine games for the Chicago Wolves of the AHL last season, Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis was not eligible to return to the minor leagues this time around. He’s still just 19, and given he didn’t cross the 20-game threshold to secure a one-time AHL exemption like some other prospects, if he failed to make the Hurricanes he would have to return to the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL.

At the end of training camp, the team did not send Jarvis back, but also didn’t put him in the NHL lineup. The Hurricanes have played in seven games (and won them all); Jarvis has played in none.

That will change this afternoon when the young forward enters the lineup for his NHL debut. After Nino Niederreiter suffered a lower-body injury on Friday night, the Hurricanes have confirmed that Jarvis comes in against the Arizona Coyotes. Niederreiter is expected to be out a few weeks with the ankle injury, a big blow for a player that was off to a nice start to the season. With three goals already, the 29-year-old was well on his way to another 20-goal campaign, a level he returned to in 2020-21 after a disappointing performance the year prior.

Selected 13th overall in 2020, Jarvis has already shown he can dominate the junior ranks and has little to prove with the Winterhawks. He even showed he could be an electric presence at the AHL level with seven goals in nine games last season, and was a highlight reel every night in the preseason. Whether that huge offensive upside lends itself to real NHL action right away remains to be seen, but he’ll get a chance this afternoon.

Of note, like with any prospect his age, is that Jarvis’ entry-level contract will not kick in until he plays in ten games this season. Should he hit that threshold, the first year will be burned and he will become a restricted free agent in 2024. If he plays fewer, that RFA summer would become 2025.

Brind'Amour: Niederreiter Could Be "Out For A While"

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The Hurricanes had plenty to be happy about on Friday night as they ran their winning streak to seven straight to start the season but it wasn’t all good news as Nino Niederreiter suffered a lower-body injury in the third period.  Speaking with reporters including Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer postgame, head coach Rod Brind’Amour indicated that the winger could be “out for a while”.  Niederreiter, a five-time 20-goal scorer, was off to a decent start this season with three tallies in his first seven games and with this being a contract year, any extended absence certainly won’t help his cause when it’s time to work out a new agreement.  In the meantime, Niederreiter’s injury could open up a spot for Seth Jarvis to make his NHL debut.

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