Mailbag: Round Two

RALEIGH, NC - Round two, round two.
No, we're not talking playoffs yet, we're talking about the second mailbag of the season. Canes fans are an inquisitive bunch and always want to know more about the team. It's fantastic and here's where we try to answer their thoughts.

When do you think Jarvis gets into the lineup? If we're not playing him, would it be better for us to send him back to the WHL? - @apritch20
I have a unique viewpoint on this situation and I'm glad you asked, because it finally allows me to put it in writing.
I'm going to preface this by saying that whatever decision Canes management decides to make will be the correct one. I'm merely the website writer putting my thoughts online.
Got it? Okay, here we go.
Before coming to North Carolina I was in Portland of the Western League, where Seth has played the last several seasons. I was able to watch all 24 of his games last season, obviously covering and working for the team.
In my opinion, he really doesn't have much of anything left to prove there. He had already eclipsed that league and it showed almost every night.
You could make the argument that he could go back, be named the captain, be a leader and guide the Winterhawks on a Memorial Cup run. That's a fair argument. Does he become a better player in that fashion though? I guess only time would tell. Rod Brind'Amour has said Seth is offensively an NHL player already, it's the defensive side of things where he needs some time to adjust to the highest level in the world. To that point though, I don't think he's going to get much better defensively playing against a league of largely 17 and 18-year-olds. He's already been fine defensively against that competition.
Anyone with understanding of the situation is aware that the best place for Seth at the moment would be Chicago (AHL), but because of the NHL-CHL agreement, he can't be there.
So the situation is what it is.
Many folks are eager to see Jarvis play, especially with the praise he's received from his current head coach. He could play nine games for the Canes before stipulations kick in. First, let me debunk that the team has to make a decision after him playing nine games. Sending him back to Portland before a tenth NHL game would enact the "Entry-Level Slide" rule, which "slides" his contract forward another year because he played only his trial slate of games. Mind you that this is a very, very important decision because it will allow the Canes to have Seth's rights for another season down the line if they take that route, the Canes do still have the option to play Seth for say 13 games and then send him back to Portland. It's not completely off the table just because he plays ten, it just matters for contract and salary cap purposes.
Forgive me if I'm oversighting any more recent examples, but this did happen with Leon Draisaitl, who is now one of the best players in the world, back during the 2014-15 season. The German forward played 37 games for Edmonton before his WHL rights were traded to a contending team, thus giving him the chance to go back to juniors, light it up and guide a team on a championship run. Portland is expected to make a deep run this year, so this could be an option left on the table later down the line for Seth.
Alas, in most situations, most teams do make the decision after nine games and in many situations, it pays off. Carolina was in the same situation with Martin Necas a few seasons ago and their elected slide of his contract eventually made him exempt from the NHL Expansion Draft for the Seattle Kraken this summer. Now, of course Necas would have been protected, but there would have been one less player eligible to be if Necas had started playing with the Canes just one year sooner.
Long game.
Also, another thing to keep in the back of your mind is that the IIHF World Junior Championships are about two months away. Seth would be a lock for Hockey Canada and could play a massive role there. It would allow the 19-year-old to play against competition better than the WHL and could play a factor in where he plays following. Again, just something to consider.
Sorry, a lot, I know. But I'm trying to educate and inform here!
When do you think Jarvis gets in the lineup? Is Leivo just an injury backup that will only play if someone gets hurt? - @mgupta2695
I could've continued my Jarvis thoughts in the previous questions but this inquiry being a two-parter allowed me to transition away nicely. Thanks for that, Mohit.
Of course, now that I've laid all of the aforementioned on the line regarding Jarvis, he'll inevitably play tomorrow night and the rest is history, right? All jokes aside, Brind'Amour has been saying he wants to get him in, but it's hard to mess with success. The team is winning and we know most coaches won't change a winning lineup, unless forced to. I think tomorrow is an option but four games in six days next week, including the back-to-back on Thursday and Friday, you would have to think that somewhere between now and the end of the calendar month we see the debut.
In regards to Leivo, his potential is certainly much greater than being a backup that only gets a crack because of injury. If he tears it up in Chicago, he can absolutely force his way into the lineup with the big club. If Jarvis does enter a winning lineup and eventually goes to play elsewhere, Leivo is certainly amongst the first group that could be getting a call. I think he knows that if he puts in the work, one phone call could change a lot for him.
Are the Canes Swifties yes or no? - @bethmysoul
I'm going to be honest, I expected a lot of questions about Montreal just due to the recent nature of events. While thankfully that wasn't the case (let's move on), I certainly wasn't prepared for this.
I don't even know how to answer it to be honest. This stems back to Harry Styles, right?
Although obviously well predating my time here, who could forget the Jeff Skinner - Taylor Swift thing?
I guess I'll have to ask some of the guys if they like Taylor Swift. I don't know who is going to admit it though.
What's the workload plan for Freddie Andersen this year? We all know his history with being overworked on the Leafs. He's been incredible so far, but we can't overwork him, we need him to be ready for playoff time at 100% - @AdrianNeves17 paraphrased for clarity]***
Alright, a lot going on here.
First things first, yes, how great has Freddie been? Outstanding! Let's not overlook that. I know, small sample, but still.
When it comes to a plan for him, Brind'Amour has said that he also wants to get Raanta playing, but how can you take Freddie away from the net when he's playing as well as he is? As noted in a previous comment, with four games in six days upcoming including a back-to-back, the Danish netminder will get a well-deserved night off soon. Tripp Tracy mentioned on the broadcast last night that he wouldn't be surprised if Raanta starts Saturday night against Columbus and I could certainly see that with Andersen undoubtedly being tabbed Monday night against his old team.
As long as Freddie is playing the way he is and he feels up for it, I say let him run. It's far too soon to be talking about playoffs, but I don't hate where your head is at. Raanta is a good options alongside Andersen and he'll rightfully receive his time soon.
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That's all for this week, thanks for reading!
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