Ex-Montreal Canadiens ahead Doug Jarvis knew solely championship glory his first 4 seasons within the league as a member of the workforce’s Seventies dynasty. That in and of itself isn’t worthy of a ticket to the Hockey Corridor of Fame, if solely by advantage of the very fact Jarvis has but to be inducted. He’s bought rather more of a case to earn a name to that impact, although.
Take into account how fellow-ex-Canadien Shea Weber simply bought inducted (and added to the workforce’s Ring of Honor forward of their 5-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Nov. 16) with out profitable a championship. Particularly this present day, with so many groups within the league to the purpose profitable all of it is extraordinarily troublesome, Stanley Cup success isn’t the be all and finish all.
Associated: Canadiens Properly-Represented as Weber Will get Inducted Into Hockey Corridor of Fame
Trying on the flipside of the coin, and in protection of the powers that be, when each different teammate of Jarvis’ from these powerhouse Habs groups makes it, there have to be a bent to wish to draw the road someplace. Jarvis was merely the flawed title at which to try this.
Jarvis’ Ironman Streak Flies Underneath the Radar
Because it stands, 10 gamers from that Canadiens dynasty have been awarded entry to the Corridor of Fame: Yvan Cournoyer, Man Lapointe, Jacques Lemaire, Serge Savard, Ken Dryden, Bob Gainey, Man Lafleur, Rod Langway, Larry Robinson and Steve Shutt. None stand out as undeserving, and, had been Jarvis to ultimately be part of the record, he may to many, however solely to these unfamiliar with all he achieved.
For instance, Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki is the workforce’s resident ironman with the third-longest streak of consecutive video games performed with 391 amongst energetic gamers (Brent Burns, 859; Ryan Suter, 471). That tends to not get publicized all that a lot, just like Jarvis’ streak of 964, which actually solely constantly made the information just a few years in the past when Keith Yandle broke the report and Phil Kessel then broke his briefly order.
It possibly isn’t the sexiest title somebody can personal, like a sure scoring report that’s making the spherical today. Nonetheless, it’s one value celebrating. That’s a reality, even when solely because of how the streak was commemorated as the first purpose Jarvis was named the recipient of the 1987 Invoice Masterton Memorial Trophy, after breaking Gary Unger’s report.
Jarvis could not personal it anymore. Nonetheless, that his streak resulted in October 1987, actually days after Kessel was even born, and that Yandle solely established a brand new one in January 2022, over 34 years later, is a part of the purpose. Made a wholesome scratch for the primary time in his profession three video games into the 1987-88 season, Jarvis by no means performed one other (from ‘A Tribute to the NHL’s Ironman – Doug Jarvis,’ At the moment’s Northumberland, Jan. 25, 2022).
Jarvis Wins Masterton
In the end, for a protracted cut-off date, Jarvis owned part of NHL historical past. He arguably set the usual for endurance, sure, but in addition dedication. Actually, his title was successfully immortalized for it, as evidenced by the aforementioned trophy, which is awarded to the participant who greatest exemplifies dedication to the sport.
Some towards his entry into the Corridor of Fame could argue a single trophy doesn’t make a profession, least of all a Corridor of Fame one. Nonetheless, what the streak represented ought to: consistency from the purpose at which he first made the Canadiens as a just-drafted rookie in 1975 (No. 24 general by the Toronto Maple Leafs solely to be traded weeks later for defenseman Greg Hubick) to when he was scratched.
Take into consideration that for a second. Jarvis by no means performed one other NHL recreation once more, which implies he additionally technically by no means missed one both. A member of the Hartford Whalers group on the time, he completed his profession with their American Hockey League affiliate in Binghamton with 24 extra contests as a player-coach, transitioning into his second profession behind the bench. After actually many years there, he added two extra Stanley Cups as an assistant coach (Dallas Stars, 1999; Boston Bruins, 2011) to his 4 as a participant.
A Key Member of Seventies Canadiens Dynasty
The crux of the argument is, for the longest time even simply as a participant, practically 1,000 video games, Jarvis was seen as one of many NHL’s prime defensive centres. Gainey, his ex-teammate (and linemate alongside Jimmy Roberts/Rick Chartraw), made his bones as one of many prime defensive forwards in NHL historical past, incomes the Frank J. Selke Trophy for that purpose its first 4 years in existence. The very fact Gainey gained entry into the Corridor of Fame regardless of by no means being an enormous scorer, with a career-best 47 factors in 1980-81, reveals Jarvis shouldn’t proceed to be held again if that’s the truth is why entry has eluded him (a career-best 48 in 1981-82 for the report).
By affiliation, Gainey’s accolades really communicate to Jarvis’ capacity as his centre, together with a famend one to take faceoffs. That capacity not solely helped earn him a spot on these star-studded Canadiens groups of the Seventies first as a rookie, which in and of itself is lunacy, however stick within the NHL. And, sure, if there have been any doubt, he ultimately earned his personal Selke too (1984).
So, it’s not only one trophy with Jarvis’ title on it. It’s two… and 6 Cups in all. It nearly looks like his title within the Corridor of Fame must be a mere formality. After all, that’s not the way it works. Realistically, based mostly on the size of time that’s handed since Jarvis left the sport as a participant, that decision could by no means come. Jeremy Roenick, who had been eligible for years, solely to be inducted alongside Weber in 2024, offers hope Jarvis ultimately could obtain it.
If Jarvis does, it actually gained’t be only for the Cups, however his resume as an entire. Mirroring his NHL profession, they had been only the start. Having caught across the recreation in various capacities since, very similar to throughout his time as the sport’s ironman, there’s no finish in sight. Hopefully this particular chapter closes for him in the future, although. The way in which it ought to.
