Photo: Portland Winterhawks
Basic Player Overview
2019/20 Team: Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Position: Centre/Right Wing
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 172 lbs
Handedness: Right
Introduction
Seth Jarvis took it upon himself to fill the skates left by Portland’s former captain, Cody Glass, who took the leap to the NHL. Spoiler alert: he did not disappoint. He led the Winterhawks to first place in the WHL, finishing with a record of 45-11-3-4 (prior to the cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Jarvis led his team in goals (42), assists (56), and points (98) by a large margin. His linemate, Jaydon Dureau, was second on the team in points with 70, finishing with 19 goals and 51 assists. In fact, only one player in the entire WHL finished with more points than Jarvis, and that was Minnesota Wild draft pick, Adam Beckman (107 points). Jarvis utilized his deceptive skating ability – his most effective skill – to aid his team in all areas of the ice.
Skating
Jarvis is one of the best skaters in the entire draft class. He takes advantage of his skating ability every time he touches the ice. He is excellent on his edges, which he uses to fake out defenders on a nightly basis. He has good balance as well, making him hard to knock off the puck along the boards; which is crucial for a player his size. He is quick moving north to south, but could still find another gear as he develops. The one aspect of his game that allows him to be a truly special player is his ability to deceive defenders with his shiftiness. He loves to drive the play inside, but he does so by making the defender think he is going to go outside, often using cross-overs, shoulder fakes, and rapid changes of pace.
Puck Skills
Jarvis has the feet to get him to the front of the net, and he has the hands to ensure the puck is still on his stick when he gets there. On a nightly basis he dances around defenders with toe drags and sneaky dekes that allow him to get around defenders. He has the confidence to try to get through an entire team on his own, even when sometimes he shouldn’t. The ability to execute these moves at high speed is what has allowed him to put up the big numbers that he did this year for the Winterhawks.
Hockey IQ
Jarvis takes pride in his hockey IQ, and for good reason. While carrying the puck, he uses his awareness to identify the perfect moment to completely fool a defender by changing his pace or route of attack, skating around them like pilons and leaving them in highlight reals. Jarvis uses his excellent edge work and cross-overs frequently to make himself one of the most deceptive players in the draft. He is almost always in the right position, and will cover for his defenders when they pinch on a play. He occasionally can force passes in the offensive zone that leads to turnovers, and can lose possession while trying to stick-handle between multiple defenders.
Playmaking Ability
In the defensive and neutral zone, Jarvis often makes crisp passes that land right on the tape of his teammates, which allow for easy breakouts. If the pass isn’t there he has no problem skating the puck from one end of the ice to the other himself. Offensively, he is always looking to set his teammates up with passes across the slot by drawing defenders towards him then deceptively shifting into a position to find a lane to dish to his teammates for high danger shots. Occasionally he slides a soft pass to a teammate that is covered by one or more defenders, resulting in a turnover, instead of passing to the uncovered defenseman at the point.
Physicality
This is the area of Jarvis’ game that leaves you wanting more. It is not unusual for a 5’10” player to shy away from the physical elements of the game, but you would like to see some physicality from any player that plays first-line minutes. Jarvis rarely throws hits or finishes his checks and will try to use his speed to compensate for his size. However, he is strong on his edges and is able to lean on defenders while taking the puck on the inside. He uses his strong balance to be very effective when retrieving the puck, rarely getting manhandled along the boards. This has worked for him in the WHL, but to be a true competitor he will need to bulk up to improve on this element of his game, as his competition will get bigger and stronger.
Shot
Leading his team with 219 shots on goal, Jarvis loves to put the puck on net. He has a quick, deceptive release that he uses to get the better of opposing goaltenders. The accuracy of his wrist shot is excellent, typically coming from high danger scoring areas. I would like to see him utilize his one timer more frequently, particularly on the powerplay. He is also not one to try to snipe from far distance, as his shot power could be improved.
Advanced Stats
This graph, brought to us by Mitch Brown, demonstrates just how hard-working and effective Jarvis is on all areas of the ice. When comparing him to other players in the CHL, he proves to be one of the most well-rounded, 200ft players. The data doesn’t come as much of a surprise, as we know Jarvis uses his elite skating to help his team produce offense as well as utilizing his speed to often steal pucks on the back-check. His accurate passes in both the defensive and neutral zones aid his data when looking at zone exits and entries. My biggest concern with Seth Jarvis is that he uses his deceptive skating to make him an elite player in the WHL, but when the level of competition improves, will his skating continue to carry his game at an elite level?
DY Environment
Throughout the season, Jarvis played primarily on the top line alongside left-wing, Jaydon Dureau, and centre, Jack O’Brian. He was relied on in all situations of play, taking face offs (44.4%), playing on the first unit power play (8 goals and 19 assists), as well as killing penalties, for which he was rewarded two shorthanded goals on the season.
Draft Rankings
#18 — Recruit Scouting
#29 — ISS Hockey
#13 — EliteProspects
#12 — McKeen’s Hockey
#16 — Future Considerations
#11 — NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters)
Expected Round of Selection
Seth Jarvis is expected to be a first round selection in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, likely in the 15-25 range, but is also a dark horse candidate to be selected in the top-10.
NHL Comparable and Projection
Jarvis tries to model his game after Brayden Point, and that is a fair comparison. Both have a similar build and can skate their way out of trouble, however, Point has a far superior playmaking ability.
I believe Jarvis projects to be a middle-6 winger at the NHL level, with top-line upside.