Growing up Jarvis: Brothers Seth and Kayden Jarvis celebrate Hurricanes success together

By Pat Welter

They are six years apart in age, but the resemblance is uncanny.

"It's an atmosphere like no other, so I'm excited to finally see it live," Kayden Jarvis said from the concourse at PNC Arena. It's game five versus the New York Islanders and he's about to take his seat to watch his little brother Seth Jarvis play in person for the first time this post season.

"It's so crazy to think that he's playing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, it's awesome," Kayden said.

Seth is in his third season with the Canes and at just twenty-two years old has been like the teams little brother, a role he already knew well.

"[Kayden] has been kind of my guy since I can remember," Seth said during a Canes morning skate before the Rangers series. "I've always wanted to be him, he was my role model, he was my hero growing up."

With his playing days over, Kayden is embracing the role reversal now.

"Growing up we did everything together and I'm sure there were times where I'm like 'oh great Seth's coming, my younger brother he's annoying'", Kayden laughed. "Now looking back on it in hindsight it's the biggest complement you can receive as an older sibling."

They grew up in Winnipeg, Canada. Kayden played everything from football to baseball and hockey with his friends. Their parents had one rule for Seth: No whining or complaining.

"As a kid playing against people that are older, that are bigger and stronger than you and knowing that you can't complain," Kayden said. "I definitely think it shaped him, but also internally he's got that drive to him where he's not going to take no for an answer and he's been like that forever."

Seth's competitiveness was forged competing against his older brother. His hockey skills sculpted on the outdoor rink located right behind the Jarvis' family house.

"When he was five or six years old he'd let himself out of the house with his hockey stuff and go to the outdoor ice," Kayden remembered. "We were lucky enough our kitchen you could see the rinks. We'd wake up in the morning and say 'where's Seth?' and look out the window and he's on the ice just messing around."

Kayden went on to play in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League for the Winkler Flyers, his playing style the opposite of Seth's.

"I was way more defensive minded," Kayden said. "I was on the penalty kill, really prided myself taking draws, and just made sure my end was taken care of first before I went on the offensive side of things."

"When Seth was younger he was all offense and goal scoring which I didn't have as part of my game," Kayden said. "Watching him when he was younger it was like 'ah you lost your check in the d-zone, but then he would go down and score a goal."

Kayden just finished his first season as a skills and video coach with the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League. In the summers he will work with Seth and has witnessed his brother's game evolve first hand.

"This past summer in the gym he's always committed, but there was definitely a sense of I want to go back and be the guy there," Kayden said. "Definitely off ice whether it was diet or doing a little bit of extra in the gym that was definitely a little bit of a change from the years before."

Whatever he did worked. Seth put up career highs in goals (33) and points (67) and currently leads the Canes this postseason in both categories as well.

"He's had a great season and obviously first round he was really, really good," Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour said before the Rangers series. "He's a big part of what you're doing as you see. We use him a ton and no matter where we seem to chuck him he finds a way to get it done."

From the frozen pond back home, to the Stanley Cup Playoff stage, the Jarvis brothers are still in this together.

"It's such a neat experience first of all just getting to watch him on TV," Kayden said. "Seeing him live and experiencing it in person is surreal. He's worked so hard to get here so to see that progression from when he was as a little kid running around with a mini stick to all of a sudden he's playing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs it's pretty awesome."