Colorado Avalanche Draft Profile: Small but Speedy Seth Jarvis

The Colorado Avalanche could end up with an undersized player in Seth Jarvis who nonetheless fits with their style of play.

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The Colorado Avalanche are busier gearing up for the Return to Play of the 2019-20 season rather than the draft that will follow. Of course, though, they have a whole team of scouts whose only job is to prepare for the upcoming draft.

The team will be choosing #27 this season because of their points percentage. You generally get a good player who needs some work at the lower levels at that selection. Hopefully — sometimes you pick wrong and get a player who never pans out.

It’s not very likely center Seth Jarvis will fall into that category. He’s undersized, true, at just 5’9″ and 165 pounds. However, he can be expected to increase his stature as a growing young man.

The center out of Winnipeg is ranked #11 by Central Scouting for North American skaters. He’s scouted to go between #11 to #29. So, it’s not completely unreasonable to think he’ll still be available when the Colorado Avalanche phone in their selection. (It’s almost 100% certain to be a virtual draft.)

Let’s see what young Jarvis will bring to the table.

Seth Jarvis Stats

Seth Jarvis started out the 2017-18 season with the CSSHL at Rink Hockey Academy Prep. However, he finished the season with the WHL Portland Winterhawks. In 11 games, he recorded two assists.

He did markedly better the next season. He played the whole year with the Winterhawks. In 61 games, he recorded 16 goals and 23 assists for 39 points.

This season, even truncated as it was, Jarvis crushed it. In 58 games he recorded 42 goals and 56 assists for 98 points. Pretty darn good for a prospect in his draft year.

Seth Jarvis Highlights

Three S’s come up when scouts talk about Jarvis — speed, skill, and size. The last can be seen as a detriment to the first two. However, not much of one because he has plenty of speed and skill.

Bill Placzek of DraftSite mentions all three:

"“Undersized centremen who will be presented with a challenge against the larger player, but whose excellent speed and skating make him an open ice threat and a player who penetrates on zone entries and play up-tempo in the attack zone. A natural scorer who gets respect form defenders who back off his speed, allowing him time to shoot and pass through traffic areas.”"

I really like the description of his game. I like the following even more.

Dobber Prospects call him, “A dangerous offensive talent. Speed and skill to burn.”

Mike G. Morreale of NHL.com adds some surprising observations:

"“A smart, skilled player who executes with pace and excels as a penalty-killer. Jarvis creates offense with his vision, quickness and playmaking ability. He was second in the WHL with 98 points (42 goals, 56 assists) in 58 games.”"

You wouldn’t think an undersized player would be killing penalties, but there you go.

Anyway, let’s see him in action:

I don’t love seeing the major juniors version of a Blackhawks jersey, but there are some good plays.

Side note: Why does he already look like a 30-something veteran?

Colorado Avalanche and Seth Jarvis

It’s hard to say if the Colorado Avalanche would take a flyer on an undersized player. They’ve definitely been willing to give up size for speed and skill in the past few drafts, and I’m not going to be one to say it’s hurt them.

Will Jarvis fall all the way to #27? He just might. After the top 10 draft picks, a lot of variable can affect when a player gets selected. Just last season the diminutive but extremely skilled Cole Caufield fell all the way to #15 when he was expected to go top 10.

I wouldn’t hate if the Avalanche picked up Seth Jarvis. He’ll bulk up a little. And the team is looking for depth in the prospect pool, not immediate help.

Whomever the Colorado Avalanche select at the draft, it’s sure to be a player who can help down the road.