There was no shortage of storylines heading into the Carolina Hurricanes and Dallas Stars matchup on Tuesday night. The teams will always have a storyline built in now, after the Mikko Rantanen drama last season, and they are also two of the top Stanley Cup contenders this season. To make the night even better for the Hurricanes, they finally had Seth Jarvis return to the lineup after missing some time due to an injury.
Jarvis always has a flair for the dramatic, and there was no doubt he would try to leave his mark on the game. He had been out of the lineup since December 12th after a scary fall into the net, and he returned quicker than it seemed when everyone initially saw the injury. With the adrenaline of the return and the motivation of not making the Canadian Olympic team, Jarvis recorded a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes against the Stars.
After missing eight games, Seth Jarvis picks up right where he left off, netting his 20th of the season.
It might not be the first clip on his highlight reel, but it certainly counts the same. pic.twitter.com/t0b9gzAofE
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) January 7, 2026
The fans nearly blew the roof off the building when he scored. Jarvis has quickly become a favorite in Carolina, and his absence was felt amongst the fanbase and his teammates. He was on pace for a career year before his injury, and with more games like this one, he could still reach that 67-point mark, which he hit in each of the past two seasons.
The Hurricanes went on to defeat the Stars 6-3. It was a statement for a team looking to get over the hump in the Eastern Conference this season. While questions remain about their team, a healthy Seth Jarvis can answer many of those concerns.
