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In the summer time of 2022, Kyle Dubas, the previous normal supervisor (GM) of the Toronto Maple Leafs, made a curious signing. He not solely acquired the soon-to-be 31-year-old Calle Jarnkrok as an unrestricted free agent (UFA), however he inked him to a four-year $2.1 million per season deal.
Jarnkrok’s Signing Turned Out to Be a Steal
The signing labored out effectively for the primary season. Jarnkrok performed his approach onto the second-line, left-wing job over Alex Kerfoot. Not solely did he have a profession season (with 20 objectives and 39 factors) however he had a plus-9 score in 73 video games performed. He outperformed Kerfoot’s 10 objectives and 32 factors, with a plus-8 score in 82 video games performed. And, he did this all whereas taking on $1.4 million much less in salary-cap area.
(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
It was questionable that the Maple Leafs would have the option to re-sign Kerfoot if the fee was going to be within the neighborhood of his earlier $3.5 million annual wage. He walked as a free agent to the Arizona Coyotes, who signed him for two years on the identical contract numbers. Jarnkrok’s first-season efficiency just about sealed that deal. In the top, he took Kerfoot’s job for a lot much less cash.
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Based on that one season alone and the pliability and skillset that Jarnkrok confirmed, you’ll assume that his job can be protected with the Maple Leafs. But, perhaps not.
Does New Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving Have Different Ideas?
As we acknowledged off the highest, it was the departed Dubas who inked Jarnkrok to the four-year deal. His substitute, Brad Treliving, might need different concepts. He may be frightened that Jarnkrok, who might be approaching 35 when the deal expires, may not have the option to maintain that degree of play over the subsequent three seasons.
In addition, Treliving and Janrkrok have a previous collectively that didn’t go that effectively. When he was GM of the Calgary Flames, he dealt for Janrkrok on the 2022 Trade Deadline. In reality, he gave up a second and third-round decide to the Seattle Kraken for him.
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After having an incredible season up to that time for the Kraken, scoring 12 objectives and 26 factors in 49 video games and averaging nearly 17 minutes of ice time, Jarnkrok noticed his ice time drop by three minutes a recreation with the Flames. In 17 regular-season video games, he failed to rating a single purpose whereas managing simply 4 assists.
Jarnkrok did common a minute extra in 11 playoff video games and produced marginally higher scoring a purpose and including two assists for 3 factors. But, the Flames bowed out to their cross-province rivals the Edmonton Oilers in 5 video games within the second spherical of the 2022 Playoffs.
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We haven’t any approach of realizing how Treliving felt about Jarnkrok’s efficiency after he acquired him. Given his falling out with then-coach Darryl Sutter, it may be thought of that his failure with the Flames was not all on the participant. But, we do know that Treliving didn’t re-sign Jarnkrok and allowed him to develop into a UFA.
Does Treliving See Jarnkrok as a Solution to a Problem?
The query stays. Did Treliving like what he noticed after he paid property to purchase Jarnkrok? Or, was he disenchanted about what transpired when Jarnkrok was with the Flames?
Perhaps none of that basically issues. That relationship however, Treliving has one other downside on his arms; and, Jarnkrok may present the answer.
As of the writing of this submit, if the NHL season had been to start proper now, the Maple Leafs may ice a 20-man roster and stay underneath the league wage cap. But to achieve this, and never threat dropping a participant to waivers, they might have to go together with an 11-forward and seven-defensemen lineup that might not embody Matthew Knies. That wouldn’t be a perfect scenario for the Maple Leafs.
Related: Maple Leafs’ Matthew Knies Set for Top-6 Role
If Janrkrok’s $2.1 million salary-cap hit had been faraway from the roster, the Maple Leafs may then use Knies ($925,000 cap hit), in addition to Nick Robertson ($797,000 cap hit) if he’s wholesome, or Pontus Holmberg ($800,000 cap hit), or some other Toronto Marlies’ participant making shut to the league minimal. It would then give the Maple Leafs 12 forwards and 7 defensemen, which might be a way more comfy lineup.
Are More Significant Maple Leafs Moves within the Works?
For all we all know, there may be a extra important transfer within the works that might liberate the wanted salary-cap area. But, if the Maple Leafs felt the current roster was one they had been comfy sufficient to begin the 2023-24 season with, then dropping a participant like Jarnkrok in favor of Knies or one other younger participant may be the group’s greatest resolution.
The Maple Leafs may additionally have a look at David Kampf because the moveable asset as an alternative. His $2.4 million wage is in the identical vary as Jarnkrok’s. But, Kampf is three years youthful and was simply prolonged by Treliving.
Kampf can also be considered the Maple Leafs’ number-one defensive middle and often will get the hardest zone begins of any ahead on the group. If it got here down to a selection between giving up Jarnkrok or Kampf, we will’t see Kampf being the one to go.
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All of that is pure hypothesis in fact. Unless one other main deal is coming, which it very effectively may be, dealing Jarnkrok for picks or prospects may be the best approach to get underneath the wage cap. It would additionally enable two of the group’s higher prospects an opportunity to take the subsequent step of their growth.
[Note: I want to thank long-time Maple Leafs’ fan Stan Smith for collaborating with me on this post. Stan’s Facebook profile can be found here.]
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