"Just happy to be here": Leafs' Järnkrok thriving in first season with Toronto
When the Toronto Maple Leafs first signed Calle Järnkrok to a long-term contract this summer, it wasn’t exactly clear what the end result would be.
Toronto’s no stranger to bringing in relatively low-cost players to play big roles on their team — see: Bunting, Michael.
But unlike Bunting, Järnkrok wasn’t an unproven player in the NHL when he came to Leafs training camp, as he’d suited up for nearly 600 games by the time he joined the team.
The Leafs’ didn’t make a relatively major financial commitment to Järnkrok: just $8.4 million over the four-year term of his deal, less than three of his teammates are earning this season alone.
But the four-year term gave some fans and media pause, wondering if the long-term deal would force Toronto’s hand into maybe keeping an aging in the lineup even if they’d have better options to experiment with.
Through his first 20 games in Toronto, Järnkrok put up four goals and two assists: alright, but far from eye-popping numbers.
But while there was perhaps a reason to question the signing a few months back, few people are questioning the move now.
With 14 points in his last 13 games, Järnkrok has fit in seamlessly so far in his first year in Toronto, playing throughout the lineup and thriving while doing so.
“When you come into a new team and arrive shortly before training camp, things are moving really fast. You have a young family. It is a new organization with new teammates. It takes some time,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters following Sunday’s win about Järnkrok’s recent upswing in performance.
Toronto is Järnkrok’s third team in two seasons, after stints in Seattle and Calgary last year. Before that, Järnkrok signed a six-year deal with the Nashville Predators, the last year of which was claimed by the Kraken in the 2021 NHL expansion draft.
But after a few tumultuous seasons, Järnkrok finally seems like he’s found a home for the foreseeable future.
And he’s currently on pace for 20 goals and 44 points in 75 games, both of which would be career highs.
Sidelined most of the first three weeks of December with a groin injury, Järnkrok missed seven games. Oddly, the Leafs’ bench boss thinks this positively affected his psyche and performance while rehabbing the injury.
“I think the injury actually really helped settle things down,” Keefe admitted. “It allowed him some time to get comfortable. It allowed him some time to really just work at his game. Since he has come back, he has been terrific.”
This year, Jarnkrok has spent 42 percent of his ice time at 5v5 this year with John Tavares and 35% with Mitchell Marner, more so than any other of his teammates, per Natural Stat Trick. And it’s no surprise to Keefe that he’s been having success in the team’s top six.
“He complements those guys well. He does a good job defensively. When the puck comes to him, he can make a play on it. When he is the trigger guy, he has the ability to finish,” Keefe added.
As for Järnkrok himself? It’s all about knowing his role.
“I’m just trying to play my game, try to work as hard as I can and create some space those two,” Järnkrok said. “I’m just happy to play on that line right now. I’m just happy to be here.”
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