The Maple Leafs didn’t go quietly into the hot July weekend.
The Leafs on Friday afternoon announced the signing of forward Calle Jarnkrok, 30, to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $2.1 million US.
While the contract seems a bit steep at first glance, the addition of the versatile Jarnkrok should bring a steadying veteran presence to the third line, a style that probably gets the 30-year-old into coach Sheldon Keefe’s good books from the first shift of the regular season.
It’s a signing that should put some of the concern in the fan base at ease after the Leafs saw the departures of Ilya Mikheyev, Ondrej Kase and Colin Blackwell in free agency, and the retirement of Jason Spezza.
Forwards Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Adam Gaudette were added earlier in the week after they were not qualified by Colorado and Ottawa, respectively, but Jarnkrok will provide more defensive capabilities and responsibility.
After spending his first seven NHL years with the Nashville Predators, the 5-foot-11, 186-pounder split last season between the expansion Seattle Kraken and Calgary Flames, finishing with 30 points in 66 games. In 574 career NHL games, the native of Gavle, Sweden, has 241 points.
So, what comes next for general manager Kyle Dubas, who has rebuilt the Leafs’ goaltending with Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov, earlier added forward depth pieces and signed defencemen Victor Mete and Jordie Benn?
The signing of Jarnkrok leaves the Leafs with less than $1-million under the cap, and Dubas still has to sign forward Pierre Engvall and Rasmus Sandin, both restricted free agents.
With that in mind, Dubas can’t be done making moves yet. There remains speculation that defenceman Justin Holl (a $2-million cap hit) or forward Alex Kerfoot ($3.5-million) will be traded.
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