Calle Jarnkrok and Nick Robertson aren’t making things easy for Brad Treliving

Much has been made of the hot starts to training camp for Calle Jarnkrok and Nick Robertson. On one hand it’s practice and the preseason and the Leafs are still a few weeks away from truly knowing where they stand with these players. On the other hand, both players came into camp very much on the bubble and knowing they had to make their case for the Leafs and are doing so.

Brad Treliving’s plans coming into camp for Robertson, Jarnkrok, as well as David Kampf were likely to put who he could in a depth role and either trade the rest or hope that their cap hits would allow them to slip down to the Marlies. At this point, as it likely always has been, Robertson and Jarnkrok are too good to pass through waivers and while it’s way too early to say if they’ve played their way ahead of anyone in the Leafs lineup (let the other group at least get in a preseason game first) the decision on what to do with Robertson and Jarnkrok is now more complicated.

Stocks are up

If the plan is still to trade Robertson and/or Jarnkrok they will doing so from a position of strength. After Jarnkrok missed 63 games last year, it’s safe to say that Jarnkrok is showing the league he can still play and can still hover around the 15 goal/30-point form that he’s had throughout most of his career. Throw in the fact that Jarnkrok can add depth value to either special teams unit and lineup at any forward position, Jarnkrok and his $2.1M cap hit for 2025-26 should draw some attention around the league. A responsible two-way veteran has a market that an injured $2M fourth liner wouldn’t. Potentially a bit more durability needs to be shown and if Jarnkrok can keep on trucking through the preseason there might be interest around the league.

Robertson hasn’t shown any new elements to his game but his goal scoring abilities have been on display in the Leafs scrimmage as well as the first preseason game. Robertson certainly looked more comfortable making creative plays in the preseason game against the Senators to improve his offensive opportunities beyond just relying on his quick release wrist shot.

Teams need offence and at $1.825M and only 24 years of age, Robertson looks like a worthwhile risk. Robertson already seemed like a worthwhile risk for any team with a vacancy in the top six but if the intent is still to sell, Treliving might get closer to his asking price.

Lineup challenges

At this point it is easy to say that Robertson and Jarnkrok are making their cases. They were already doing it in practice before the preseason game and standing out there matters but the reality is that half of the Leafs are yet to play a preseason game and of that half are most of the players that are projected to be in the opening night lineup. At this point Jarnkrok and Robertson are potentially making the case for starting Easton Cowan in the AHL more than anything else. (Not that Cowan looked bad, in fact he too looked solid against the Senators, but waivers exemption might be the tie breaker.)

At this point Robertson and Jarnkrok have also benefited from the fact that Max Domi hasn’t been part of the equation and now that he is returning to practice and likely occupying a spot in the lineup the competition is ramping up.

Jarnkrok makes sense throughout the lineup if he’s playing at his best. He has played alongside John Tavares and William Nylander in the past and could once again be the means in which that line becomes more defensively responsible. Jarnkrok certainly clicked with Scott Laughton and Steven Lorentz in the post season and that was one of Craig Berube’s most trusted lines. And Jarnkrok as much as anyone else could be potential best fit next to Dakota Joshua and Nicolas Roy.

As for Robertson, the role for the taking seems to be bottom six shooter. Whether next to Laughton or Roy, Robertson could be the one tossing the puck at the net and then relying on a number of net crashers to capitalize. With two thirds of those bottom two lines carrying capable defensive zone players, Robertson can be an acceptable defensive liability.

Just enjoy the depth

The Leafs roster is crowded and whether Robertson or Jarnkrok are playing well or not the reality is they might not fit the style of hockey that Craig Berube and Brad Treliving are prioritizing. That said, Jarnkrok’s long had the reputation as a player who can fit in wherever needed and Robertson’s scoring might be called for at some point in the near future.

The Leafs lineup might be all about the hot hands. Players like Bobby McMann and Steven Lorentz will be pressured into delivering on a nightly basis. The same could just as well be true for players like Dakota Joshua and Max Domi.

One preseason game and half a week of practice hasn’t likely changed the vision for the Leafs and too many good players is a good problem to have, but with a set number of roster spots the strong start points to tough decisions for Brad Treliving.