I really like Calle Jarnkrok. He had a great first year as a Toronto Maple Leaf and has been used all throughout the lineup in his four years here. He works hard and seems to care more than a lot of other Leafs. However, as the Leafs plummet down the standings in the final year of his contract, there is zero reason for him to still be playing.
Is playing Jarnkrok as the fourth-line RW a big deal in the grand scheme of things? Absolutely not. But it represents an organizational issue, seemingly not understanding the situation the Leafs find themselves in. He also owns a putrid 33.4% expected goals percentage according to MoneyPuck, making him one of the worst forwards in the league.
The Leafs are 13 points out of a playoff spot. The season is over. So why is a 34-year-old with eight points in 47 games on the last year of his deal playing over someone from the Marlies? Why does Craig Berube feel the need to still try to win every night?
The lame duck coach
This is what happens when you let a lame duck coach stick around months longer than they should. Reports give the impression that Craig Berube will be fired at the end of the season. And he should be, a lot of this year’s failures land on his shoulders. His systems don’t fit the roster, and the team has tuned him out.
Everyone knows he won’t be here next year, including Berube himself. So, why should he care if Luke Haymes from the Toronto Marlies looks decent in the NHL? Why would he play William Villeneuve over seasoned NHL veterans like Simon Benoit or Philippe Myers? Berube is coaching for his next job while still being in control of the Leafs personnel.
So does it matter to him if Jarnkrok won’t be here next year? No. And does he care about the fourth-line RW spot at this point? No, why would he?
Berube should have been fired months ago, and then again after the Olympic break. But the oblivious, lazy organization waited too long, and now there isn’t even a point in firing him. We will still be watching Jarnkrok play Leafs hockey for the next 11 games.
Why wasn’t Jarnkrok traded or waived?
This year’s trade deadline was a disaster, as we’ve written many times. And part of the reason it feels so lacklustre is the volume—or lack thereof—of moves made. Brad Treliving only made three trades!
Was there really no team in the whole league willing to take Jarnkrok for a seventh-round pick? Future considerations? Does Treliving also see some value in playing him on the fourth line over potential prospects from the AHL?
And if no team in the NHL wanted him for free, isn’t that a sign he probably shouldn’t be in the lineup every night? Surely that would signal to the organization that it would be better to see a fresh face on the fourth line than Jarnkrok.
This team played hardball with David Kampf after waiving him, sending him down to the AHL against his wishes until a contract termination was agreed to. They could have done the same thing with Jarnkrok, especially because he’s in the last year of his contract. They wouldn’t even have to worry about next year’s money. Jarnkrok could refuse to report, but the problem would be solved in less than a month.
A pattern of organizational malpractice
Like I said, I actually really like Jarnkrok. None of this is his fault. The aging curve hit him swiftly, and he won’t be back next year. And as the team should be experimenting for next year, he isn’t part of the equation anymore.
But his constant spot in the lineup reflects everything that is wrong with the Maple Leafs under Brad Treliving. Toronto is slow to act, unaware of how dire its situation is. There is no creativity, and that is especially true of the coach. The Leafs got outshot 43–14 last night, and it feels normal. Berube won’t change a thing heading into Boston.
Jarnkrok will not be a Leaf next year. Hopefully, Berube won’t be either. So why are they still here? A proactive organization would have solved these problems months ago. But the Leafs are no longer a premier organization. They are slow, lazy, and unorganized. There better be a lot of change in the offseason.
