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Ask any Hurricanes fan what they would do for Seth Jarvis, and the list would likely never end.
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But for one group of Canadians who’ve known the starting forward since childhood, that question yields some very real answers.
Lucas Humble is running out of excuses to his boss for missing work. Sloan Tremblay flew back to Winnipeg, Canada mid-series to deliver a presentation for a final grade in a college course. And Bryan Hanna has been away from home for nearly a month to see the Hurricanes through the playoffs and Stanley Cup Final.
But it’s all worthwhile if it means watching the starting forward – better known to them as their childhood friend and former teammate – compete for the Stanley Cup.
“Whatever we miss, whatever we might get fired from, this might not ever happen again,” said Lucas Fry. “So we’re all 110% taking advantage of every opportunity to see him play.”
The crew – who call themselves “The Good Ol’ Canadian Boys” – have made pilgrimages like these a regular occurrence during the Hurricanes star’s burgeoning NHL career.
Last year, they drove 30 hours from Canada to Boston to see Jarvis play in the 4 Nations Face-Off. And earlier this year, they flew to Milan to see him compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics. Now, they’re entering their second week in Raleigh cheering Jarvis on from the seats of the Lenovo Center as the Hurricanes vie for the Stanley Cup.
Fans quickly fell in love with the story of Jarvis’ buddies who’d traveled internationally to watch their childhood friend play, so the group made it official with their @goodolcanadianboys Instagram handle. Since then, the account has amassed more than 70,000 followers – something they say Jarvis is still warming up to.
“We were like, “We might as well take advantage of it a little bit, regardless of how annoyed Seth gets with it,” Humble said. “So we kind of rolled and ran with it, and I mean, here we are now, so apparently it was a good decision.”
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Most of the group has known Jarvis since they were between the ages of eight and 10, many of them first getting to know him on the ice through recreational hockey teams as kids. As they watched him “dreaming” of professional hockey since childhood, an NHL career never seemed out of reach.
But a leading run in the Stanley Cup Final has been harder to fathom, they said, especially as he’s continued to dominate the team’s performance, like with his game-winning goal in Game 2.
“I almost cried seeing that,” Tremblay said of the goal. “It was something surreal. It’s one of the biggest stages to be on, and to score a goal? It’s crazy.”
The group was in their usual attire while tailgating outside the Lenovo Center for Game 5: a Jarvis jersey, Hurricanes hat, jeans and sneakers.
That outfit, along with Noah Wagner and Humble’s commitment to always sit in the backseat of the Uber on the way to the venue, serves as their sole good luck charm. But according to the group, the easiest part about following Jarvis’ career has been putting on their Canes jerseys and calling themselves Hurricanes fans.
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard a crowd louder than this,” Tremblay said. “It’s all just so welcoming. All of the people we’ve interacted with – everyone’s so genuine and passionate.”
The crew has continued to document their ride through the Final series on Instagram, letting fans in on their reactions to games and plugging brand deals that helped pave their way to Raleigh. And as they watch Jarvis progress further in the series, now heading to Las Vegas for Game 6, they say there are “no regrets.”
“He would be there for us if we were in a similar situation,” Humble said. “So, I mean, I hope it makes him feel good. It makes us feel good watching him play.”
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