Coming into the 2023-24 season, the Carolina Hurricanes wondered how year three for their young star Seth Jarvis would play out. The 21-year-old Winnipeg, Manitoba native is in the last year of his entry-level contract (ELC) and will seek an extension. It was unclear how much that contract extension could be worth and for how long. Over the last two seasons, he has put up 40 and 39 points respectively. During his rookie season back in 2021-22, the then-19-year-old proved to the Hurricanes that he belonged on the roster and played 68 games that season. The 2022-23 season saw an uptick in his time on ice and he played in all 82 games.
Now in his third season with Carolina, he is off to the best start of his career and looks poised for a bigger contract extension than what might have been at the start. There is no denying that Jarvis has taken that next step in his very young career. Furthermore, there is a case to be made as to why he has earned a bigger number in his contract extension that will eventually be signed between him and the Hurricanes.
Seth Jarvis Making His Presence Felt
After the disappointing sweep in the Eastern Conference Final at the end of the 2022-23 season, Jarvis stated in his exit interview, “Getting stronger is always going to help. I’m tired of being pushed around, I want to fight back a little bit. Hopefully, in three months, I can put on some good weight and muscle. I just want to be a better person, a better human, and a better player. I think that all ties into taking care of myself, my mental health, and being ready for next year.” Just by reading that quote earlier in the summer of 2023 to where we are now in early December, it is safe to say that he took that statement and ran with it.
Related: Hurricanes’ Jarvis Aims for Breakout 2023-24 Season
The 13th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft has gotten better over the last two seasons in Carolina. He saw his ice time go from 13:53 in 2021-22 to 16:12 in 2022-23 and Jarvis is now averaging 19:11 per game. Furthermore, his overall 200-foot game has gotten better as a whole, and is someone that head coach Rod Brind’Amour can put out in all situations. Jarvis after 24 games played this season already has five power-play goals. That is three more than the two that he tallied over the two previous seasons. He has also scored three game-winning goals which is one shy of the four that he had during his rookie season. Those four came in 68 games played while the three this season are only after 24 games.
During the offseason, he managed to gain 15 pounds of muscle and has brought a more physical style to his game. When he is good friends along with spending a lot of time with Brent Burns, it is not hard to gain muscle and get stronger. Jarvis has seemed to have gotten faster as well because there have been a few times this season where he has beaten opponents to pucks in a foot race. His determination to win those 50/50 battles has given the Hurricanes more chances to score so far this season. As mentioned before, he is someone that Brind’Amour can rely on in all situations.
Along with being used on the power-play, Jarvis has seen some time on the penalty kill along with being given chances in the faceoff dot. His faceoff percentage this season is 47.7 after 24 games played. His next best is 44 percent which was during his rookie season. Getting coached and helped by none other than Jordan Staal, it’s not hard to get better at the craft of winning faceoffs.
Related: Hurricanes’ Jarvis in Star Discussion After Multi-Point Night
There is a clear indication that Jarvis is on his way to a huge season that could see him having a career-high in points, goals, and assists. Also, it could be possible to see him set new benchmarks in power-play and game-winning goals as well. His overall game just keeps getting better and if he keeps his current run going, he could give Sebastian Aho a run for his money to lead the team in points. After 24 games, he has nine goals and 19 points which is only three points behind Aho who has 22 this season. Jarvis is not slowing down and there has to be a discussion for a massive contract extension for him in the offseason. However, what could that deal look like?
Ideal Contract Extension
Back in the “Jarvis in Star Discussion” article, there was a case of him getting a four-year, $3 million average annual value (AAV) deal after the 2023-24 season. The deal will finish after he turns 25 putting him within the range of the Aho deal that he got at 26 which turned into an eight-year deal. However, the way Jarvis is playing right now, maybe there is a discussion to give him a longer contract now like the one his best friend Jesperi Kotkaniemi received back in March 2022.
Kotkaniemi signed his contract at the age of 22 which carries an eight-year, $38.56 million deal through the 2029-30 season. He will be 30 by the time that deal is done. That being said, there is a case to be made that Jarvis should be getting a contract close to Kotkaniemi’s. Jarvis is 21 years old and has only gotten better in each of the last three seasons. It makes the most sense to give him a deal within the range of six or seven years with a $4.2 to $4.5 million AAV. Kotkaniemi is making $4.82 million per season and it makes sense for Jarvis to get somewhere within that range as well.
The deal for Jarvis would be through the 2030-31 season which will span over the last six seasons of the Kotkamieni contract just for context. It locks in another cornerstone piece in a young guy like Jarvis that fits into a nucleus of Aho, Kotaniemi, Andrei Svechnikov, and Pyotr Kochetkov. Furthermore, it could give the Hurricanes room to extend Jaccob Slavin, Brett Pesce, and others as well. Going from the initial idea of a four-year, $12 million deal to a seven-year, $29.4 or $31.5 million is not out of the realm of possibility. The deal could, and should, work for both Jarvis and the Hurricanes. He will be 28 when it is done and gives the team another great chance to give him his last contract and make Jarvis a Hurricane for life.
All in all, Jarvis after 24 games into the season has more than proven that he is worthy of a larger contract extension with the Hurricanes. Either contract makes sense but to lock him up for six or seven years is the better option for the rising star in the organization. It will be interesting to see what it will look like but make no mistake about it, he has earned a huge contract already. Plus, it’s time to make it known that he will be in Carolina for a long, long time.
