NHL Free Agency: 3 Teams That Should Look At Signing Calle Jarnkrok
NHL free agency is almost here. Amongst all the top-tier free agents that could be available this summer, one name that could prove to be a bargain is forward Calle Jarnkrok. Jarnkrok is coming off of a season where he had started out with the Seattle Kraken and was dealt at the deadline to the Calgary Flames in order to help them pursue a deep playoff run.
Jarnkrok is coming off of a 6-year, $12 million deal he signed in the summer of 2016 with Nashville and has had an Annual Average Salary of $2 Million in each of those years. He could probably fetch that in free agency on a shorter-term deal obviously.
There are a few teams that could benefit from getting Jarnkrok in free agency and we will discuss them here.
#1 Toronto Maple Leaf’s
The Leafs could benefit from bringing in Calle Jarnkrok for cheap. He could help bolster their bottom six that has and will be depleted in its own right from their pending UFA’s. Having bottom-six scoring ability is key and I feel Jarnkrok could provide the Leafs with that much-needed presence.
If the Leafs truly plan on letting some of their other pending UFA’s walk into free agency, we could see Jarnkrok slide into the 3rd line with William Nylander.
#2 Nashville Predators
Jarnkrok actually started his NHL career in the Predators system and for the most part, didn’t play that bad for them. Why I think the Predators could take a look at him? Nashville is encountering a situation with pending UFA Filip Forsberg. The general consensus is that Nashville isn’t going to try and sign Forsberg, who is going to commend more on his next deal than he just made on his last one and that’s understandable regarding his performance.
Jarnkrok is no Filip Forsberg but he is familiar with Nashville’s system and could probably play anywhere in their lineup and again they could sign him for a lot cheaper than what Forsberg will.
#3 Calgary Flames
The Flames acquired Jarnkrok from the Seattle Kraken at the trade deadline this past season. One reason for that was for depth and from what we have seen from the Flames in the post-season, it sort of paid off although Jarnkrok wasn’t as productive as he should’ve been but he did make his presence known.
Considering that the Flames paid a 2nd, 3rd & 7th round pick for Jarnkrok, it is hard to think that they would just let him walk out the door. The Flames should obviously focus on re-signing Jonny Gaudreau first obviously but they also should look at cashing in on Jarnkrok for the betterment of the team.
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