Toronto Maple Leafs Forward Hit With Healthy Scratch Despite Strong Start to the Season
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Tonight, the Toronto Maple Leafs are taking on the Seattle Kraken, and the lineup decisions from Craig Berube are already becoming a tiny bit controversial.
If you have been paying attention to the early-season statistics, you would know that Calle Jarnkrok has been playing extremely well for the Maple Leafs.
In the midst of numerous trade rumors, Jarnkrok has been able to separate himself and show that he is a fourth-liner who can be trusted.
With three goals in five games, the Leafs have leaned on him at times, and it has been good to see him doing well out there, given the circumstances.
Calle Jarnkrok draws the shortest straw for the Toronto Maple Leafs
Unfortunately, with Steven Lorentz drawing back into the lineup following an upper-body injury, Jarnkrok has been taken out for tonight's matchup with the Seattle Kraken.
Lorentz will be on the fourth line with Nicolas Roy and Dakota Joshua. It's a tough decision, but for head coach Craig Berube, it is simply a numbers game.
The team wants to keep Easton Cowan on the first line, so it makes complete sense that they would demote Jarnkrok.
However, the team should seriously think about scratching Dakota Joshua instead, as he has been just awful to start the season.
His effort just isn't there, and it feels like he is invisible out there, which is unfortunate, as fans were excited about him being traded to Toronto.
At this stage, the Leafs have made it clear that Jarnkrok is expendable, regardless of how many goals he scores.
Of course, his scoring pace was not sustainable, but he was still playing good hockey, and now, he is effectively being turned aside. Only time will tell if this decision was right.
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