Calle Jarnkrok isn't playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs any time soon
The Toronto Maple Leafs received some clarity on an injured player
The Toronto Maple Leafs gave some clarity on an injured player yesterday, just not the one we were the most interested in.
With apologies to Calle Jarnkrok, the only thing any Toronto Maple Leafs fan cares about right now is Auston Matthews mysterious injury and when he might return to the lineup.
But, saying that, it is good have some clarity on Jarnkrok, who hasn't played at all this season.
He is month to month after undergoing groin and sports hernia surgery yesterday.
Calle Jarnkrok isn't playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs any time soon
Jarnrok is a solid, underrated player who could obviously help the Leafs right now. In their last few games, the Leafs have dressed Ryan Reaves, Steven Lorentz, Connor Dewar, David Kampf and Pontus Holmberg, all at once.
That's five fourth-liners, and if you include Nick Robertson and Max Domi, that is seven, at least based on their production (Robertson has a single goal all season, while Domi is approaching 20 games without a point).
The Leafs have scratched Robertson, and if they had Jarnrkok, Domi likely would be scratched too. Jarnkrok wins his minutes and can give you 10 or 15 5v5 goals per season. He's good defensively and can play in all spots in the lineup.
He is also 33, and on a team that was fully healthy, he's likely expendable. In fact, he is, along with David Kampf, the most mentioned in trade speculation, mostly due to his salary and $2.1 million cap-hit.
Since he wasn't playing anyways, his increased abscence won't really make too much of a difference, although he clearly would be helpful to have on the roster right now. Overall, this may be for the best because the Leafs need to get younger and the 33 year-old Jarnkrok isn't going to do much more than take the spot of a player the Leafs could be developing.
But that is under normal circumstances. With the current injuries to Matthews and Pacioretty, the Leafs are playing two fourth lines and Jarnkrok's worth is really being noticed right now.
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By the time Jarnkrok is ready to play, the Leafs will likely be healthier, and by then he will have missed most of the season and likely won't help much. Therefore, while it's not for sure, there is every chance that Jarnkrok has played his last game as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.