Jarvis signs 8-year, $63.2 million contract with Hurricanes

Seth Jarvis signed an eight-year, $63.2 million contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, $29.24 million of which comes in signing bonuses.

The 22-year-old forward, who had been a restricted free agent, had NHL career highs in goals (33), assists (34) and points (67) in 81 games with the Hurricanes last season and nine points (five goals, four assists) in 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

"There are not many people who can not just do everything we ask, but exceed everything we ask," Carolina general manager Eric Tulsky said Wednesday, "and Seth is one of those players. It's really great for us to be able to lock him up, have him commit to playing the next eight years and hopefully beyond that too. It's a big day for the franchise to have a cornerstone player sign with the team long term. He's someone we can build around."

Selected by the Hurricanes with the No. 13 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Jarvis has 146 points (64 goals, 82 assists) in 231 games and 27 points (13 goals, 14 assists) in 40 playoff games.

"I'm not trying to be Connor McDavid," Jarvis said, referencing the Edmonton Oilers center and five-time Art Ross Trophy winner as the NHL's top scorer. "I'm just trying to be the best version of myself. I'm not trying to change my game and play a different way.

"I'm going to keep playing hard, I'm going to keep putting in 1,000-percent effort. And as I get older, as I learn the game more, as I get more comfortable, obviously stuff is going to change. Hopefully my offensive side grows, my defensive side grows, but it's just making sure I don't change the values I earned this contract with and made this team with."

Jarvis said he's intrigued by the Hurricanes retooled roster. Despite losing forwards Jake Guentzel, Teuvo Teravainen and Stefen Noesen and defensemen Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei to free agency, they made some significant additions, including forwards William Carrier and Jack Roslovic, and retained much of their core, including forwards Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Martin Necas and Jordan Staal and defensemen Jaccob Slavin and Brent Burns.

"We brought in a bunch of really good guys," Jarvis said. "We also have exceptional players. Seeing Roslovic skate today, he's someone that maybe flies under the radar a little bit. Unbelievable. ... I'm excited just to see what we brought in.

"Obviously, we lost a few guys. But I think it will be a different shape of a team, but a team that will make some damage, and I'm excited to see what happens later in the year."

Jarvis said he's healthy after sustaining a torn labrum and rotator cuff in his right shoulder during a 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers last Nov. 15; the injury did not cause him to miss any time, and he wore what he called a "jacket" during games to help keep the shoulder in place.

"It's about as strong as I think I can get it," he said. "I've been feeling comfortable with it. I've been skating without (the jacket) now. Today was the first day where I've had a little more physical contact, I think, just playing a scrimmage and battling, and it felt good. I haven't done anything over the summer to hurt it, which is always a positive. But it's just about strengthening it and getting ready for the season."

NHL.com independent correspondent Kurt Dusterberg contributed to this report