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The Maple Leafs didn’t go out easy on the hot July weekend.
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On Friday afternoon, the Leafs announced the signing of forward Calle Jarnkrok, 30, to a four-year contract with an average annual value of US$2.1 million.
While the contract seems a little steep at first glance, the addition of the versatile Jarnkrok should bring a solid veteran presence to the third line, a style that likely gets the 30-year-old in coach Sheldon Keefe’s good books from the first shift of the regular season.
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It’s a signing that should calm some of the anxiety among fans after the Leafs saw the departures of Ilya Mikheev, Ondrej Kase and Colin Blackwell in free agency and the retirement of Jason Spezza.
Forwards Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Adam Gaudette were added earlier in the week after going undrafted by Colorado and Ottawa, respectively, but Jarnkrok will provide more defensive ability and responsibility.
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After spending his first seven years in the NHL with the Nashville Predators, the 5-foot-11, 186-pounder split last season between the expansion Seattle Kraken and Calgary Flames, finishing with 30 points in 66 games. In 574 career NHL games, the Gavle, Sweden native has 241 points.
So what’s next for general manager Kyle Dubas, who rebuilt the Leafs’ goaltending with Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov, previously added forward depth and signed defensemen Victor Mete and Jordy Benn?
The Jarnkrok signing leaves the Leafs with less than $1 million under the cap, and Dubas still needs to sign forwards Pierre Engvall and Rasmus Sandin, both restricted free agents.
With that in mind, Dubas still can’t make moves. Speculation remains that defenseman Justin Hall ($2 million cap hit) or forward Alex Kerfoot ($3.5 million) will be traded.
tkoshan@postmedia.com
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