Calle Jarnkrok has been the model of consistency since joining the Toronto Maple Leafs. When covering the team in-person, it’s remarkable how many times Jarnkrok would make a subtle play that kept possession alive and all these small details would constantly show up in my notebook. He can be used throughout the lineup, whether he’s slightly out of place against top-line competition as a puck retrieval specialist for Auston Matthews, or a safety valve for a third-line centre. He can play in all situations and he had the fewest number of ‘bad’ games for the Maple Leafs aside from Matthews and William Nylander last season.

Jarnkrok is often counted on to diversify the offence and it’ll be compelling to see how he’s used under new head coach Craig Berube. Sheldon Keefe often struggled to trust anyone throughout the 2023-24 season outside of his Core Four, constantly tinkering with lines in hopes of finding the optimal combinations during the playoffs. Jarnkrok was an exception in many ways. Midway through January, or more specifically January 18th, Matthews, Nylander, John Tavares, Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly had accounted for 56.7 percent of the Maple Leafs’ goals. It was the indication of a top-heavy team and Jarnkrok was sprinkled throughout the lineup to provide some stability.

Jarnkrok missed 30 games due to injury last season, after breaking his knuckle during a January 26 practice, which kept him out of the lineup for six weeks. After recovering from the injury, Jarnkrok suffered another hand injury against the Philadelphia Flyers on March 14, which disrupted his campaign. When the Maple Leafs needed Jarnkrok’s consistency against the Boston Bruins, he did not record a single point during the seven-game series, and it’s now incumbent upon him to regain his form.

Here’s what you can expect from Jarnkrok entering the 2024-25 campaign!

Jarnkrok primarily played with Nick Robertson and Max Domi last season and at the risk of oversimplification, his role was clearly carved out. The veteran forward was expected to win pucks back, while providing a stellar defensive presence on a line featuring two undersized forwards that are prone to defensive lapses. Robertson-Domi-Jarnkrok controlled 54.2 percent of the expected goals at 5-on-5, with a plus-four goal differential (12-8) and plus-45 shot differential (116-71) in 182:21 together via Natural Stat Trick.

Those are great results for a nominal third line, and while it remains unclear how the Maple Leafs will use Domi, it’s likely that Jarnkrok will be stapled to him, if Domi plays centre — if Domi starts the season at left wing, it provides different options, as he morphed into an elite playmaker while getting minutes with Matthews last year.

Jarnkrok is also one of the Maple Leafs’ most relied-upon penalty killers and though he’s not thought of as a dangerous offensive weapon, he takes his chances well, particularly when the defence is occupied by Mitch Marner, or in the clip below, William Nylander. Although he’s rarely looking to enter the rush, good things happen when Jarnkrok crashes the net.

Jarnkrok is available in all scenarios and he may play a mentorship role again this season. Easton Cowan has a genuine shot of making the roster and sticking in the NHL and if so, Jarnkrok would be a great option to play alongside during his rookie year. Cowan went on a torrid scoring run last season with the OHL’s London Knights, and Jarnkrok’s defensive responsibility and adaptability to any role would be a major asset. This is just speculative for now, but Jarnkrok and Cowan centred by John Tavares would be a fun mix of experience, scoring ability, defensive responsibility and youthful enigma. For now, Jarnkrok is an asset wherever Craig Berube views him, while the veteran forward looks to put a disappointing postseason behind him.

Jarnkrok boasts arguably the most underrated shot on the Maple Leafs and frankly, needs to shoot the puck more often! The 32-year-old regressed to a 10.9 percent clip, after converting on 18.9 percent of his chances during the 2022-23 season. Jarnkrok’s career shooting percentage is 12.3 percent and this isn’t necessarily an analysis of shooting regression, but an assertion that he needs to get more pucks to the net. It’s not that Jarnkrok is a reticent shooter per se, but he can wire it when he’s looking for his own shot, and can get it off in tight spaces within the offensive third.

Aside from playing a mentorship role for the Maple Leafs’ youth cohort — it remains to be seen whether Cowan and Fraser Minten make the team after all — Jarnkrok will be counted upon to play in all situations, but he’ll be expected to regain his secondary scoring touch this season after a series of injuries disrupted his progress last year. He needs to do a better job of shooting with the intention of creating rebounds as well, so the goal is simple: throw the puck at the net, and good things usually happen, especially for Mr. Consistency.