The SHL's Brynas announced that they signed Calle Jarnkrok to a three-year contract on Monday, ending his 13-year NHL tenure. In the last four seasons of his NHL career, the right winger was a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs , playing a total of 200 regular-season games for the club from 2022-23 to 2025-26.
The final two years of that stint were particularly challenging for the veteran. He played just 75 games in that final pair of campaigns, scoring six goals and eight points in 56 appearances this past year, while his season prior was shortened due to a groin and sports hernia injury.
"I've had two tough years, and it feels a bit sad not to be able to finish over there the way I wanted," Jarnkrok told hockeysverige.se in Swedish. "That's maybe why the decision took a little longer. But now it feels good to have made up my mind."
One common denominator for those two disappointing seasons for Jarnkrok was that the team was under the guidance of former head coach Craig Berube .
Jarnkrok further opened up about the frustration of those last two seasons with the Maple Leafs in the NHL.
"Two years ago I couldn't play at all," Jarnkrok recalled. "But last year I came in and felt in really good shape, I scored goals...and then (Berube) put me in the stands. It was a little weird."
The 34-year-old is referencing his hot start to the 2025-26 campaign. In the first three outings of the season, Jarnkrok scored a goal in each game. At that point, he was second on the team in scoring, all while averaging 10:31 of ice time in that span. It was a very short sample size of what was to come, but a great start nonetheless.
After playing another two games for the Leafs and not continuing his scoring streak, he was scratched for game No. 6 of the regular season. He would come in and out of the lineup, but ended up featuring in 18 of Toronto's first 25 games of this past season.
Regardless, Jarnkrok wasn't pleased with how he was managed after the great start he thought he had and coming over the injury from the season before.
"I was very surprised," he said. "I understand that if I don't get to play when I score in every game like I did in the beginning...then it will be tough. It's the GM and the coach who decide, but it was an uphill battle. I did well but wasn't allowed to play. It was tough to motivate myself and keep going.
"It was a lot of fun playing in Toronto, even though the last year wasn't that fun. The whole city loves hockey, just like here in Gavle, and there's pressure with that. I think everyone who plays wants it that way," he added.
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