The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed free agent forward Calle Jarnkrok to a four-year deal. The Swedish forward has signed a contract worth $8.4 million (2.1 million AAV) and runs until the end of the 2025-26 season.
🖊 We’ve signed forward Calle Järnkrok to a four-year contract.#LeafsForever
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) July 15, 2022
Leafs Sign Free Agent Calle Jarnkrok
The 30-year-old forward split time last season with the expansion Seattle Kraken and the Calgary Flames. Jarnkrok was set to the Kraken’s Pacific Division rivals at the trade deadline. The Gavle, Sweden native netted 12 goals and 18 assists for 30 points in 66 games this season between the two clubs. His Corsi for in the most recent season was 52.2 and his relative Corsi was -0.2. He also supplied a goal and three assists for four points in 12 Stanley Cup Playoffs games this season.
Jarnkrok has played for the Nashville Predators, Kraken and Flames during his nine-year NHL career. The centre was taken by the Kraken in the expansion draft. He has 106 goals and 135 assists for 241 points in 574 career games. Nashville originally drafted him in the second round, 51st overall in the 2010 NHL Draft. He has four postseason goals and 15 assists for 19 points in 75 games.
For years, Calle Jarnkrok, his cousin Elias Lindholm, and #Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom have joked how great it would be to play on the same NHL team together…@salimvalji on how they got their wish on Wednesday: https://t.co/V2Gx0nUEDN#TSNHockey | #TradeCentre pic.twitter.com/ifDeDOnWLQ
— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) March 17, 2022
Jarnkrok is also the first cousin of Calgary forward and Elias Lindholm and grew up with fellow Flame Jacob Markstrom. They talked about being on the same NHL team and a trade made that a reality.
What it Means
The veteran Swede can be a useful part of a team’s bottom-six forward group. He’s often part of penalty kills and can play sound defence. He didn’t seem to fit in with the Flames but can still help a team.
Jarnkrok was a beloved figure in the Music City and made some key plays. He’ll turn 31 during the offseason, but still has plenty to give a team. He can be a veteran that helps a team out in shoring up forward depth. These players are hard to come by, but he can still lend a hand.
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