The Maple Leafs spent the offseason reshaping their bottom six, but Calle Järnkrok is still one name that could hang over that decision if he catches on elsewhere.
Toronto moved on from a player who once looked like a real bargain, then watched his game fade under injuries, age, and shrinking ice time. Järnkrok’s best stretch with the Leafs came early, when he scored 20 goals in his debut season and later posted the strongest offensive numbers of his career in 2023-24. After that, the slide became harder to ignore.
He finished with only eight points last season and averaged 11:50 per game, with most of those points coming early in the year. His role kept getting smaller, and his defensive impact never quite matched what Toronto needed from him. Coming off a serious injury that required surgery and a long recovery, he no longer looked like the same player.
That’s why the Leafs replaced him with a different group. Toronto handed out money to players such as Colton Sissons and Teddy Blueger to cover the kinds of responsibilities Järnkrok had been asked to handle. The team also added Nick Paul, who brings more offensive upside along with defensive value.
Still, Järnkrok may not be done in the NHL. In a recent Daily Faceoff piece on under-the-radar free agents who could land PTOs this season, Mike Gould identified Järnkrok as a possible fit for teams such as San Jose or Edmonton. Gould also noted that Järnkrok had to deal with some difficult usage under former Leafs coach Craig Berube, whether that came from declining offense or simply coaching preference.
“Either way, it remains to be seen whether an NHL club (perhaps the Oilers or Sharks?) will take a flier on Jarnkrok to see if he can give their bottom six a spark.”
There’s also still a chance he heads back to Sweden, with those rumors not going away.
Toronto’s decision looked like the end of the road for him in the NHL, but Järnkrok still brings a long resume: 774 games played and more than 100 playoff appearances. He can still be a useful defensive forward if he stays healthy, and that’s the part of this story the Leafs will be watching closely.
If he finds another gear on a contender, Toronto will have a clear comparison point for its bottom-six overhaul. If not, the Leafs’ bet on younger, sturdier options will look a lot safer.
In Other News...
Maple Leafs May Have Found A Prospect They Desperately Need
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What makes Koblar stand out inside the Leafs' prospect pool is the mix itself. Toronto does not have many young players who combine size and skill in one package, which is part of why the organization is keeping close tabs on him this season. He is still early in the process, of course, but the fact that he is producing while adapting to the pace and physical demands of pro hockey has put him on a more interesting track than most players his draft slot usually follow. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Just Made A Bet Fans Will Instantly Compare To Makar
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Maple Leafs May Be More Dangerous Up Front And From The Blue Line
NHL EDGE data is pointing to a Maple Leafs group that could look a little more dangerous in different ways this season, with the offense not just coming from the usual places up front. The numbers suggest Toronto may get more punch from the blue line, where Darren Raddysh has shown a knack for high-velocity shot attempts, while forwards such as Matthew Knies, Jack Roslovic and William Nylander bring the kind of traits that can tilt a game even before the puck drops on opening night.
What makes it interesting for Toronto is how those skill sets could feed the power play and make the team harder to defend across a full night, especially if the forward group builds on what it showed a year ago. The question now is how all of that translates once training camp begins, because the ingredients for more scoring are there, but the exact shape of the attack still has to sort itself out. [Read more 🡒]