Injuries limited his ability to contribute, but the Nashville Predators still saw solid performance from Calle Jarnkrok. And more is to come.

Nashville Predators‘ forward Calle Jarnkrok was off to a very productive start this year until an injury cut his regular season short. He still set a career high in points while missing the last 13 games. Calle may not be the face of the franchise but he is a vital piece of the team. He seems to mesh with just about every player, he chips in on all sides of play, and he’s the perfect example of depth every team needs. Let’s jump in to how his 2017-2018 season unraveled.

A Season of Improvement

The 26-year-old Swede was on a record pace before his injury against Winnipeg on March 13th. His 19 assists and 35 points were already new highs for Calle Jarnkrok, and just one more goal would have been a personal best as well. Just imagine what the numbers would look like had he been able to finish the season.

While Jarnkrok only played in 68 games, what stands out the most is his shot percentage. In 105 shots on goal, he scored 16 goals for a total of 15.2%. That was good for 2nd on the team. Even better, that was the 34th best percentage in the NHL of players logging at least 1000 minutes of ice time. Efficiency was the name of his game.

Another area where Calle Jarnkrok improved was his Face-Off percentage. His 51.3% put him in the green, and it was the first time he finished a season with a percentage above 50. Also, the biggest jump of the year was his plus/minus. He nearly tripled his previous high, finishing the season at plus-20. It was a season of improvement, albeit a shortened one.

All-Around Team Player

Where Jarnkrok succeeded the most this year was at even strength. Twenty-nine of his points were scored at even strength. But that should come as no surprise. The previous two years he had 24 and 25 points, respectively. Those point total percentages hover around 80%, and what that says is if you play Calle Jarnkrok at even strength, he’ll get you some chances.

The Nashville Predators coaching staff also played him on the power play and penalty kill. His time was limited on the power play, but in 45 minutes of ice-time he scored four points. On the penalty kill, he scored two goals. Also, while the team was shorthanded and Calle Jarnkrok was on the ice, the Predators scored four goals and only gave up 10. It’s nice to see those numbers semi-close to even.

Depth, Depth, Depth

Calle Jarnkrok is a perfect example of the Nashville Predators depth. He is easily interchangeable on any line. He logged the most minutes with Nick Bonino and Scott Hartnell, and that line showed some chemistry. But Jarnkrok logged over 100 minutes with seven other forwards. His goals were assisted by 15 different teammates. Calle plays all over the place. This shows that he’s a very important part of the team, and the fact that his production is increasing bodes really well for the future.

Final Thoughts

The 2017-2018 season for Calle Jarnkrok was a successful one. An injury derailed what could have been a stellar year though. Some cons to his game were puck possession and giving up high-danger chances. Was he 100% for the playoffs? Not really. In this case, the positives outweigh the negatives. Jarnkrok plays well with just about everyone. He can step up on special teams. And his numbers are on an incline. He is overshadowed by the top-line guys, but he is just as important to the team. Overall grade: B+