The Toronto Maple Leafs are in a position they haven’t been in a decade. Heading to the March 6th NHL trade deadline, the Maple Leafs will face the question of whether they are buyers or sellers. General manager Brad Treliving has mentioned that he still believes that this team can win and will do everything in his power to make them better. However, there is one player who stands above the rest in needing a change of scenery. That player is Calle Jarnkrok
Calle Jarnkrok’s Recent Timeline With the Maple Leafs
Calle Jarnkrok is a player who has fallen off the Maple Leafs depth chart. He has struggled to stay within the Leafs’ lineup and can’t seem to find chemistry with the Maple Leafs’ bottom six. Calle Jarnkrok, early in his Maple Leafs tenure, was a player that many loved. When he signed a $2 million average annual value deal during the summer of 2022, many applauded the Leafs, and it was one of their better contracts for a team that has been up against the cap. This contract did not end up working the way fans expected, as the past two seasons have been nothing short of disappointing.
Over the past two seasons, Jarnkrok has struggled with injuries, most notably undergoing surgery due to his sports hernia and groin. The Maple Leafs are now in a stage where they should not be holding on and playing a player like Calle Jarnkrok. It seems that the Maple Leafs have found their replacement within the minors, as Jacob Quillian will become a solid depth player for the Maple Leafs in the years to come.
It’s Time to Move on From Jarnkrok
The Maple Leafs need to seriously consider moving on from Jarnkrok and clearing up his cap space to acquire a player of value. If Treliving is serious about improving their roster, the Leafs will need more cap space. The Leafs currently have $1M to work with, which is not nearly enough to add someone to a team that needs help desperately.
This season with the Maple Leafs, Jarnkrok has produced six goals and one assist in 32 games. Jarnkrok seemed to only come into the lineup when the Leafs wanted to shake it up, or when an injury occurred. The Maple Leafs will likely not be able to receive much value for Jarnkrok. Many team view him as a cap dump. The Leafs will likely be able to salvage a low-round pick from a team that is towards the bottom of the league. The Swede may also be used a finishing piece of a trade.
Sad Ending to His Maple Leafs Career
Jarnkrok being a player that many fans want to move on from, is a massive turnaround from just a couple of seasons ago. Once a fan favourite to now being a player that the Leafs are targeting to move on from. Jarnkrok is not a player who will show up on the stat sheet, or will take over games. But instead is a player that won’t do anything wrong. He is a player that is trusted when called upon but the Leafs unfortunately do not have room for his services anymore. Look for the Maple Leafs to move on from Jarnkrok in the near future.
Main Photo Credit: Kim Klement – Imag Images