Sheldon Keefe reveals what he thought of Jarnkrok's play in the top six
Ahead of Friday's game against the Minnesota Wild, Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe decided to give utility forward Calle Jarnkrok a look in the team's top six, slotting him in alongside captain John Tavares and Mitch Marner on the 2nd line. Much to Keefe's delight, the line was actually very good and the bench boss was very complementary towards that line following the game.
- Sheldon Keefe on Calle Jarnkrok and the Leafs' new-look second line
Jarnkrok scored the team's second goal of the afternoon, a byproduct of being around the net. He played 14 minutes and 58 seconds on Friday, which is two minutes more than his season average of 12 minutes and 58 seconds. Jarnkrok has a history of playing with a team's top-six, as he did for a large chunk of his career in Nasvhille.
One of the reasons the Leafs signed Jarnkrok in the offseason to a 4-year deal worth $8.4 million ($2.1 million AAV) is because he can play up and down the lineup. Additionally, he is a responsible defensive player who can kill penalties. He averages 1 minute and 44 seconds of penalty killing ice time per game, fourth on the team among all forwards. He can also add some secondary scoring. In 22 games this season, Jarnkrok has registered 5 goals and 2 assists, primarily playing on the team's third line in a non-offensive role. If he continues to play with Marner and Tavares, one would imagine those numbers will increase. Given his play last night, it feels likely Keefe goes back to that line tonight against the Penguins.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 26 | 174 ANSWERS Sheldon Keefe reveals what he thought of Jarnkrok's play in the top six Should the Leafs keep Jarnkrok in the top-six? | ||
| Yes | 108 | 62.1 % |
| No | 25 | 14.4 % |
| Depends on the game | 41 | 23.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
