Nashville Predators: What Does Future Hold for 2022 Unrestricted Free Agents?

Calle Jarnkrok

Jarnkrok is a tough one to figure out.  His value to the Predators has always been very high, as he has been a consistent middle-six forward with added defensive abilities.

Where I really struggle with Jarnkrok is on what the team should do with him, versus what they will do with him.

The Predators should try to trade him for a nice return, not only to gain assets for the future, but to continue to set the precedent that this team is really done trying to win with the core that got them to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final.  But after seeing how he performed down the stretch of this past season, Poile will want to keep him around.

If Jarnkrok is kept for the 2021-2022 season,  he’s not being dealt midseason since the Predators usually find themselves in the playoff race year in and year out.

Jarnkrok is another player I wrote a whole piece about during the 2020-2021 season, and my conclusion is the same now as it was then — the last thing Poile can afford is to let him walk for nothing.

Extending Jarnkrok would not be ideal, because hanging on to too many players from four years ago makes it seem that the team is trying to cling onto a window that has closed.