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Canes rookie Seth Jarvis on going home to Winnipeg, and a ‘Fishy’ living arrangement

Seth Jarvis has a problem, and hopes he can solve it.

The Carolina Hurricanes’ rookie forward is from Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Canes play in Winnipeg on Tuesday to open a five-game road trip, and Jarvis has a few family and friends who would like to be at the game.

OK, maybe more than a few.

“I’ve got to get about 22 tickets, and then I think have about 15 other people who just bought their own,” he said Monday.

And how hard will it be to secure 22 extra tickets to the Canada Life Centre, the smallest arena in the NHL?

“It’s going to be really tough, I think,” Jarvis said, breaking into a smile. “I don’t know my credit card limit but ... “

Odds are, Jarvis will get everybody in. He has proven to be a can-do guy this season, making the Canes’ roster out of training camp and now playing 16 games, the 19-year-old displaying a pretty complete game enhanced by his speed and skill.

Until Jarvis had played his 10th game in the NHL, activating the first year of his entry-level contract with Carolina, the guesswork was whether he’d stay up in the NHL or be sent back to his junior hockey team, the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League. That bridge now crossed, Jarvis has become a top-six forward for Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour, with four goals and five assists.

Carolina Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis (24) scores past Los Angeles Kings goaltender Cal Petersen during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Carolina Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis (24) scores past Los Angeles Kings goaltender Cal Petersen during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

“The comfort level is a lot higher,” Jarvis said. “I really feel settled in, especially away from the rink. Before, I never really unpacked my suitcase. Now, I’m living with ‘Fishy’ so I’ve got a place to call home a little bit.”

That would be center Sebastian Aho, who the players call “Fishy,” a derivative of the “Seabass” nickname he was once given. Aho owns a house in North Raleigh and has taken in Jarvis as a rent-free roomie.

“Aho is my billet family,” Jarvis said. “It’s been fun. It’s really cool.”

Jarvis said he helped Aho set up the Christmas tree. He’s brought in dinner a few times. He keeps his living space clean. He’s a good guest.

“He keeps a really clean house, which I’m kind of surprised,” Jarvis said.

There are challenges, however. Aho is Finnish. Also known to drop by are teammates Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Teuvo Teravainen, both Finnish. In a Finnish setting, Finnish is spoken.

“I’ve been Google translating Finnish,” Jarvis said.

Jarvis said Kotkaniemi brought over an Xbox, but that everything is written in Finnish, meaning Jarvis has to keep his phone close by to quickly Google some Finnish-to-English translations. Jarvis is the outlier.

“I’m working through it,” he said.

Jarvis was nine years old when the Atlanta Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg in 2011 and the Jets were reborn. Some of his best hockey memories have been Jets playoff games and watching Winnipeg’s Nikolaj Ehlers, another speedy forward whose playing style Jarvis has emulated a bit.

“I definitely had a lot of heroes on that team growing up,” Jarvis said.

Canes without Pesce, DeAngelo

The Canes (16-6-1) ended a three-game losing streak Saturday with a 6-2 beating of the Buffalo Sabres at PNC Arena. It’s back on the road for five games, a trip that will start without defensemen Brett Pesce and Tony DeAngelo, who are still in COVID-19 protocol and not with the team. They could rejoin the team at Minnesota on Dec. 14 if they are cleared and ready to return to the lineup.

The Canes had a few players who were not feeling well but played Saturday and Brind’Amour said, “It was good to get through that one.”

Everyone was on the ice Monday at practice at Wake Competition Center, including forward Andrei Svechnikov, who was a late scratch against the Sabres with an upper-body issue.

Forward Jordan Martinook will not make the trip, Brind’Amour said. Martinook left the Ottawa game last Thursday with an ankle injury that Brind’Amour said “is not serious but just needs time.”

Jarvis was the last player off the ice Monday after practice, staying to collect pucks in a bucket. He is, after all, still a rookie, with duties to perform.

Carolina Hurricanes at Winnipeg Jets

When: Tuesday, 8 p.m. (ET),

Where: Canada Life Centre, Winnipeg.

TV/Radio: Bally Sports South/WCMC - 99.9 FM