Sheldon Keefe explains the decision to move Calle Jarnkrok up into the top-six despite low production this season

The Leafs are in action much earlier than normal on Friday, scheduled for a 2pm ET puck drop in Minneapolis/St. Paul against the Minnesota Wild on Black Friday. The Buds announced several lineup changes on Thursday, ahead of Friday's game, including Calle Jarnkrok being elevated into the top-six.

Jarnkrok's first season in Toronto has not been the success story that everyone had hoped it might be when he signed a 4-year deal with the club this summer, which carries a $2.1M AAV. So far, through 21 games this season, Jarnkrok has scored just 4 goals and added 2 assists for a total of 6 points - well below where the team hoped he'd be at the quarter-mark of the season.

On Friday morning, following the team's morning skate, Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe revealed his rationale for giving Jarnkrok a bump up in the lineup despite his low production. Keefe explained that while Jarnkrok's production has been down, his play has been improving, warranting the elevation.


Jarnkrok drawing the assignment of playing with the team's two top leading scorers bodes well for his level of production increasing, though there's no guarantee that his promotion will last long. There are a number of Leafs who have played in that spot this season, including Alexander Kerfoot and Nick Robertson, who will be nipping at Jarnkrok's heels if he doesn't mesh well with captain John Tavares and Mitch Marner, who also happens to be on a 14-game point streak.