If Treliving wants to find a new home for Jarnkrok ahead of the deadline, it’s very likely we’ll see the Maple Leafs retain up to 50% of his remaining contract, which will help provide an uptick in trade value, and allow for Treliving to secure either a mid-round draft pick, or mid-level prospect in return. The Swedish winger could also be involved in a bigger trade package in an instance where his contract could help even up the finances of a potential deal.
Here’s five trade destinations to consider for Jarnkrok:
New Jersey Devils
Former Maple Leafs head coach and current Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe loved Jarnkrok’s work ethic while he was in Toronto, so there could be some appeal to add another veteran presence to the Devils’ bottom six. They’ve just acquired Nick Bjugstad, and GM Tom Fitzgerald is open to just about anything ahead of the trade deadline.
Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings won’t be standing pat this season. Expect to see GM Steve Yzerman make multiple additions ahead of the deadline. Last season, Yzerman didn’t make one upgrade, and caught flak from captain Dylan Larkin in the media, so with the Red Wings sitting third in the Atlantic Division, adding Jarnkrok could provide some more experience for their bottom six.
Jarnkrok is versatile, he can play all three forward positions, and he’s battle-tested with 105 Stanley Cup Playoff games under his belt. Nobody works harder on the ice, but it’s his speed that’s taken a hit this season, so he hasn’t been able to get himself into position to be effective offensively. If he lands in Detroit, it will be to kill penalties and play a third or fourth-line role, which he’s shown at times this year, he is capable of.
The Red Wings have a boatload of cap space to work with, so money won’t be an issue here, and they have interest in a top-four defenceman, so perhaps we see Jarnkrok packaged with Oliver Ekman-Larsson? We know they love their Swedes in Motown. Fun fact – Jarnkrok was originally a second-round pick in 2010 by, you guessed it, the Red Wings.
Seattle Kraken
Jarnkrok appeared in 49 games with the Kraken back in 2022, scoring 12 goals and 26 points. Seattle is taking advantage of the weak Pacific Division and enter the Olympic break with a 27-20-9 record, good for third in the division.
The Kraken missed out on Artemi Panarin, even though they were willing to spend big on an extension, so it’s obvious they are looking to make significant upgrades ahead of this season’s trade deadline. They also need more stability within their bottom six and folks to understand their roles heading into postseason action. Jarnkrok’s a heady player who has been around and knows exactly what his assignment is, each and every shift. He’d fit in nicely with the Kraken’s bottom two lines.
Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers enter the break with just $2.88 million AAV, so some salary retention would certainly be on the agenda. They have limited draft capital available, and could look to move a prospect to Toronto in a potential deal. Jarnkrok could wind up playing a role similar to the one Connor Brown played for the Oilers the previously couple of playoff runs, where he plays a checking role, and makes a significant impact on the penalty kill.
Nashville Predators
The Predators are one of the more interesting teams to follow heading into the trade deadline, as Barry Trotz is in the process of stepping down as GM, meanwhile, the team is closing in on a playoff spot in the Western Conference, despite getting off to a brutal start this season.
Jarnkrok could be a low-risk add for Nashville, a place he called home for eight seasons spanning from 2013-2021. He’d be familiar with his surroundings and could adjust quick to the move, which can’t be said about a lot of players, and something that could appeal to Predators’ management. Nashville is in a transition phase, so a low-risk, mid-reward type of addition is what they’re likely after, and Jarnkrok fits the bill.
Regardless of where, expect to see Jarnkrok moved ahead of this season’s trade deadline, as Treliving is going to make some changes, and moving out a 34-year-old pending free agent seems like a given.