According to head coach Craig Berube, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Calle Jarnkrok is still a long way out from making his season debut.
Berube was asked Saturday morning about Jarnkrok’s status but did not indicate a specific projection for his return.
“It’s tough on that right now,” Berube said. “I can’t give you a timeline on him right now. He’s still a ways away still.”
Jarnkrok has been on LTIR since the beginning of the regular season due to a lower-body injury he suffered during the preseason. He had already seen limited minutes in the preseason before he suffered a setback that started as a ‘day-to-day’ ailment that ended up being classified as a sports hernia, which was bad enough to keep him on the sidelines indefinitely. The 33-year-old was originally projected to start the season alongside Max Domi and William Nylander, but it’s unlikely he’ll play alongside either player, with Nylander finding real chemistry alongside John Tavares and Max Pacioretty, while Domi has alternated between centre and wing roles as required throughout the year.
Given that Jarnkrok was already a potential trade candidate going into the season, the mounting injuries to him leave one to wonder where things stand for him long-term in Toronto. The Leafs are already dealing with a tight roster clog that they are working to solve once Jani Hakanpaa and Auston Matthews are ready to return, so figuring out what to do once Jarnkrok comes back will make the decision all the more tricky whenever the time comes.
It is worth noting that he has been beginning to make more appearances in solo reps before practices this week so it appears that some progress has been made in his recovery.
In 52 games with the Leafs last season, Jarnkrok posted 21 points (10 goals and 11 assists) while going scoreless in seven playoff games. He has two years remaining on a four-year contract he signed with the Leafs in 2022, which carries an AAV of $2.1 million.
