Maple Leafs Forward Out Long-Term After Surgery

The Toronto Maple Leafs will continue to wait for the return of a key depth forward following surgery.

Mar 2, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Calle Jarnkrok (19) pursues the play against the New York Rangers in the first period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images / Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been red hot despite missing their captain over the last six games. Without Auston Matthews on the ice, the Maple Leafs have gone 5-1-0 with forward Mitch Marner leading the way.

Despite a good stretch of games, the Maple Leafs will not see the return of a key depth forward for quite some time. The Maple Leafs announced that Calle Jarnkrok underwent groin and sports hernia surgery.

Maple Leafs F Calle Järnkrok underwent groin and sports hernia surgery today and is listed as month-to-month.

— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) November 18, 2024

Jarnkrok is expected to be out on a month-to-month basis and has yet to play a game in the 2024-25 season. He suffered the initial injury during training camp and seemed to be working his way back to full health.

Earlier in the month, Jarnkrok was skating on his own and seemingly progressing towards a return. Following the initial injury in October, the Maple Leafs did not have a time-table for Jarnkrok, but this new status puts his 2024-25 season in jeopardy.

Jarnkrok has already missed 19 games and the Maple Leafs hold an 11-6-2 record in his absence.

The 2024-25 season was set to be Jarnkrok’s third with the Maple Leafs after signing a four-year deal ahead of the 2022-23 season. He played 125 games with Toronto over the last two years and has been a solid producer in their bottom six.

While wearing a Maple Leafs sweater, Jarnkrok has scored 30 goals and 30 assists for 60 total points.

Over the course of his 11-year NHL career, Jarnkrok has played with the Nashville Predators, Seattle Kraken, and Calgary Flames before landing in Toronto. Sitting just a game shy of 700 in his career, he has 136 goals and 165 assists for 301 total points.

The Maple Leafs have been getting beat up by injuries this season, especially in the last few weeks. Jarnkrok likely not returning for a few months only makes things tougher in Toronto.

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