How Carolina Hurricanes’ Seth Jarvis shouldered the pain on way to career-best season

A constant sight after Carolina Hurricanes games and practices this season was Seth Jarvis in a shoulder jacket.

And, yes, that well-worn Harvard T-shirt, courtesy of teammate Jack Drury, an actual Harvard graduate.

But Jarvis’ protective jacket was a constant reminder of what the winger endured while putting together such a productive third season in the NHL. Not that he ever talked about it, much less complained about it. That’s not his style.

But the story went something like this:

“About 15 games in, I tore my labrum and rotator cuff in my right shoulder,” Jarvis said Sunday as the Canes finished up end-of-season interviews. “I just kind of dealt with it, slipping in and out a lot.”

Jarvis, 22, dealt with it well enough to play 81 games. He put up 33 goals, 34 assists and 67 points — all career highs — and finished with a plus-23 plus/minus rating — one of the best on the team.

Jarvis’ 13 power-play goals were a team high. He also had two short-handed goals as he developed into an effective penalty killer for Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour.

“He was incredible,” forward Jordan Martinook said Sunday. “You could see his game take, I don’t think you can say steps, but leaps and bounds. At 22 years old, to be able to put your stamp on the league like he has, it’s been phenomenal to watch.”

Once in the Stanley Cup playoffs, Jarvis had another injury: a broken finger suffered in the first round against the New York Islanders. It showed. It was apparent in some games that Jarvis was hesitant to shoot and more likely to pass the puck.

“That was more annoying,” Jarvis said of the injury. “You shoot it up and it gets all numb and gross and bloody. But the shoulder wasn’t fun to deal with.”

Jarvis said he did not think surgery would be needed for the shoulder injury, grinning and adding, “I’m also not a medical professional, so I don’t know.”

Jarvis is typical of so many players in the league. The wear and tear of the grind has its effects on everyone and the players soldier on. It’s part of the hockey culture.

Former Canes coach Paul Maurice, now coaching Florida, once said NHL defensemen only have “three good days a year, all in the middle of July.” Many a D-man would echo that.

“You know the game, it’s hard out there, taking hits,” Canes defenseman Jalen Chatfield said Sunday. “You try your best all year to keep your body in the best form and shape, but it takes a toll.”

Canes defenseman Brett Pesce took a shot off the leg in Game 2 of the Islanders series that fractured his fibula near the ankle. That quickly knocked him out of the playoffs, although Pesce said Friday he had hoped to heal up quickly enough to get back in the lineup should the Canes get past the Rangers in the second round.

The Canes didn’t, and Pesce didn’t.

It was even worse for forward Jesper Fast. He slammed into the boards in the final game of the regular season against Columbus, sustaining a neck injury that sidelined him for the playoffs.

“It’s tough to be on the sideline,” Fast, wearing a neck brace, said Sunday in his media interview. “It’s definitely one of the toughest periods in my career.”

Jarvis, hardly a big guy at 5-10 and 175 pounds, came back for his third year in the league with a bigger look to his frame, saying he added 8-10 pounds of muscle over the offseason. Bill Burniston, the Canes’ strength and conditioning coach, joked about Jarvis walking around the locker room after practice with his shirt off, as if to show off.

“There’s another aspect of my game I needed to up, and that’s physicality,” Jarvis said in preseason camp.

Jarvis said the shoulder injury did not come from a huge hit. He said during a game in Philadelphia, he had a “weird” fall and knew immediately he was hurt.

“I fell, like an idiot, trying to skate,” he joked. “It was like the weirdest kind of sensation. You could kind of hear it and feel it and tear, pop and everything under the sun.

“Kind of scares you a little bit because I’ve never been through that. But at some point it becomes a new normal.”

Jarvis said being able to play with the injury made him even more fearless, knowing he could handle the pain and perform.

“Hopefully with rest and a lot of rehab I’ll be ready to go,” Jarvis said, looking to next season.