Calle Janrkok (Credit: Brynas IF)
The Detroit Red Wings are convinced Calle Jarnkrok will be a productive centre in the NHL. The bigger question is, when will he make the leap?
Already in the first season of his three-year entry-level NHL contract playing for Brynas of the Swedish Elite League, Jarnkrok — ranked No. 1 in Red Wings Central’s mid-season prospect ranking — could crack Detroit’s lineup as early as this fall.
In large part, that will depend on how well he performs at the IIHF world championship in May, assuming he makes Team Sweden.
“We’ll see how he finishes,” said Red Wings director of European scouting Hakan Andersson. “We all feel he’s a top-six forward in the long run. He’s a smart player, he works really hard, he’s got good hands, good hockey sense. Adapting to the game, I don’t think it’s going to be a problem.”
Jarnkrok, compared by the Red Wings to Henrik Zetterberg, tied for 14th in Elite League scoring last season with 39 points in 50 games and helped Brynas win a championship. This season, Brynas has struggled with the losses of several key players, including Jarnkrok’s linemate, Jakob Silfverberg.
The 5-foot-11 174-pounder worked with a personal trainer this summer and got stronger. He leads Brynas in scoring with 11 goals and 24 assists for 35 points in 46 games and sits 10th on the league’s points list.
“I feel when I see him, he’s the same kind of player (as last season) and he looks stronger,” Andersson said. “He’s done fine scoring-wise, but the team is struggling and I know that’s very frustrating for him.”
Jarnkrok held off the emerging goaltender Petr Mrazek for top spot on the RWC mid-season list, while forwards Tomas Tatar and Riley Sheahan and defenseman Ryan Sproul round out the top five.
01. C Calle Jarnkrok (–), Brynas (SEL), 46-11-24-35-12, -6, 122 SOG. See above.
02. G Petr Mrazek (–), Grand Rapids (AHL), 16-7-1, 1 SO, 2.26 GAA, .916 SV%. Nothing about the pros has fazed Mrazek, the franchise’s goaltender of the future.
03. LW Tomas Tatar (–), Grand Rapids (AHL), 44-19-20-39-44, plus-13, 147 SOG. The Red Wings’ surplus of forwards is the only thing keeping Tatar out of the NHL.
04. C Riley Sheahan (–), Grand Rapids (AHL), 42-13-10-23-25, plus-13, 67 SOG. He’s having a terrific AHL rookie campaign, aside from an embarrassing off-ice incident.
05. D Ryan Sproul (+1), Sault Ste. Marie (OHL), 34-17-30-47-33, plus-4. He just keeps scoring and his upside rivals that of any prospect in the system.
06. RW Tomas Jurco (-1), Grand Rapids (AHL), 42-6-5-11-80, minus-5, 54 SOG. It’s easy to forget he just turned 20. He has size and first-round skill level.
07. D Xavier Ouellet (–), Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL), 34-7-24-31-32, plus-16, 117 SOG. World junior was a huge development opportunity for the two-way defender.
08. D Mattias Backman (+6), Linkoping (SEL), 45-1-20-21-30, plus-8, 55 SOG. Mobility, size, smarts and offensive skill: Backman is putting it all together.
09. C Landon Ferraro (-1), Grand Rapids (AHL), 44-16-17-33-31, even, 98 SOG. He’s making people remember why he was a consensus first-rounder in his draft year.
10. C Joakim Andersson (-1), Grand Rapids (AHL), 35-10-17-27-55, even, 81 SOG. Like Tatar, he probably could be playing in the NHL right now but is buried by depth.
11. D Brian Lashoff (NR), Grand Rapids (AHL), 36-2-4-6-23, plus-4, 38 SOG. Averaging 17 minutes in five NHL games and looking like a useful, cap-friendly No. 6-8 defenseman.
12. LW Teemu Pulkkinen (–), Helsinki Jokerit (FIN), 49-12-16-28-41, plus-3, 218 SOG. Sniper-to-be has finally found his stride after an early-season slump.
13. RW Martin Frk (-3), Halifax (QMJHL), 37-21-33-54-68, plus-20, 110 SOG. Very similar to Pulkkinen, but not doing it at as high a level.
14. G Jake Paterson (-3), Saginaw (OHL), 17-13-2, 2 SO, 3.45 GAA, .902 SV%. Showing great potential, Paterson gives the Red Wings good organizational depth in goal.
15. D Alexei Marchenko (+5), CSKA Moscow (KHL), 42-4-5-9-6, even, 45 SOG. The two-way defenseman is expected to sign and play in the AHL next season.
16. D Adam Almquist (-3), Grand Rapids (AHL), 41-6-12-18-24, plus-6, 57 SOG. Adjusting to North America, but size and foot-speed concerns hold him back.
17. LW Andreas Athanasiou (–), Barrie (OHL), 48-21-30-51-26, plus-12. An incredibly fast skater, Athanasiou has bounced back from a disappointing draft year.
18. LW Marek Tvrdon (-2), Vancouver (WHL), 18-8-14-22-16, plus-2. A season-ending injury will hurt his development, but he has size, skill and an NHL contract.
19. C Alan Quine (–), Belleville (OHL), 36-13-32-45-14, minus-2. He’s been lighting it up since a January trade and is making a strong push for a contract.
20. D Nick Jensen (-5), St. Cloud State (NCAA), 28-3-18-21-10, plus-13, 41 SOG. The potential is there, but as a college junior, his production has slipped.
Glad to see further praise for Backman and Sproul as they continue to excel. Really looking forward to what Jarnrok is able to do at this year’s WC if his roster spot in DET next fall rests on his performance there.
I’m really excited to see what happens next season with these kids. Jarnkrok, Pulkkinen, Ouellet, Sproul, Tvrdon, will all be pros next year. I guess a bunch of guys that are in Grand Rapids this year will either be sent to ECHL or some will have to be moved. I have a question what about Nedomlel. Does he get a contract? He is huge, tough as nails, and can fight. His numbers aren’t much to look at and he appears to be on a terrible team. Just curious what people think about him.
ScottD – i would bet Nedomlel gets a contract. he is what the Red Wings don’t really have a whole lot of in their system: a big, mean, nasty blueliner with some skill (not sure if McKee counts).
GR defence is going to look pretty solid next year with Almquisf, Marchenko, Sproul, Oulette and possibly Backman(not sure if he is making the jump to NA). Detroit will have no choice next year to either graduate or trade a couple prospects. If they are as high on Jarnkrok as this article says they will need to make room on the roster very fast in the 2 years. I’d would rather not see them trade any prospects however I think they will have no choice but to trade for a defencemen which would most likely include a roster player, a pick and prospect but who. I’m confident in our forwards that they should not have to trade for a forward they just need to graduate some. Having Tatar, Nyquist and Anderson or Shaehan would definitely rejuvenate the bottom 6.
as you look forward to the prospects remember past duplicate prospects.Filpula and Fleischmann, Fleischmann dealt with picks for Robert Lang, and Mathias and Emmerton, Mathias dealt with picks for Todd Beruzzi, there is a method here.
I wanted some point of reference for players jumping from SEL to the NHL to give context to Jarkrok’s stats and thought that I would share what I found.
Nicklas Backstrom – In his two years in the SEL before going directly to the NHL he put up 26P in 46GP and 40P in 45GP. His first year in the NHL he scored 69P in 82GP.
Anze Kopitar – In one full year in the SEL before going directly to the NHL he scored 20P in 47GP. In his first NHL season he scored 61P in 72GP.
If you look at Jarkrok’s stats, they are right in line with those two. I’m not trying to say anything is guaranteed but this certainly makes me excited for his potential.
I find it somewhat confusing that Paterson has fallen. I know that it’s relative to other prospects, but he’s been doing pretty well for himself.
I don’t think it’s because Paterson fell, just that others jumped up. I don’t think there’s any lack of excitement about him/ his play. It’s hard to stay on top of the list when in the minors.
@Shawn….sometimes I’m a bit slow Shawn so please explain your comment,”it’s hard to stay on top of the list when in the minors”. The way I see this is if a player is not on the Wings roster then he is in the system, or minors. Whether a player is in junior, the AHL, college, or Europe, it is all considered being in the minors. Sort of like baseball I guess. Just curious, I am.
From what I’ve been reading so far from different forums it sounds like trade talks may start heating up. Yandle and Bouwmeester(or however you spell it) seem to be available again. Personally I think both would be fine additions in there own right consider they would do nothing but help our depleted defensive core. Another guy to look at is David Rundblad, The Yotes seem to have plenty of D to go around and request a trade for a scoring prospect as much as I wouldn’t want to see Tatar or Nyquist go plus a pick might not be a bad idea to look at it.
Good luck to Petr Mrazek tonight against the Blues.
I am 1 part excited, 1 part nervous.
He’s certainly being thrown to the wolves out there.
Well Joe, I will just pass on your rude, vulgar comments to the site admin and see if this language is acceptable. Some people have a hard time to ex-plain themselves without the use of vulgarity and I suspect your are one.
I’ve been giving Backman a little extra attention recently, glad to see I’m not the only one noticing his play. Quick thought/question, if Lashoff and Tatar are still ranked and followed here then why is Nyquist considered graduated?
I would be surprised if Tatar and Lashoff stuck with the Wings all year so they should still be considered prospects at least for this year.
Nyquist, they understandably assumed he would be full-time with the Wings once the lockout ended but that obviously hasn’t happened.
Very understandable, but I see where the wings are coming from. Why promote a talented, young, cheap player like Nyquist when you am sign an old, overpriced, less productive player like Samuelsson? :)
Not to late, only at 10 minute mark of 1st, to see Frk on Sportsnet. He has great linemates in Drouin and MacKinnon who probably go in top 5 in upcoming draft.
YVR, thanks for pointing that out. I misspoke. I meant juniors. I believe this ranking system is based partly on potential and partly on NHL-readiness/ chances a player will make it to the NHL. So, he may have a ton of potential, but if he’s still years away from making it to the NHL, it is very difficult to stay near the top of this list.
Levi, Rundblad would be a killer pick-up, IMO. The others you mentioned too would be great additions, of course, but would cost a ton… I like Rundblad’s upside. It’s hard to say he could be an Erik Karlsson, but… he put up 50 points in 55 games in the SEL a couple of years ago… as a defenseman! He has defensive slip-ups, but most young, offensive D do. He would be the best of the bunch (points-wise) for the long-haul, IMO, and would come at a lower price. I had no idea he was on the block.
Interesting trade talk. I just cxan see Calgary and Phoenix dealing within the conference.
I haven’t heard a rumor like this anywhere, but I keep thinking about one team that looks totally out of sorts: the Washington Capitals. I’ve heard a few times that they really want to shake things up there and that brings me to one player that I think would greatly interest Detroit, defenseman Mike Green. He’s really the only big contract they can deal.
He’s expensive at 6 mil/season but that deal runs out in 2015. He’s a RH shot, great skater and puck mover. Caps already have other good d-men in Carlson, Alzner, Erskine. He’s the kind of guy that Kenny Holland would look for in years gone by. Only question is the injury history.
That second sentence should read “i just can’t see … “
Won’t be any trades to bring guys in if our D keep playing the way they have been. If anything, we could move one or two out. We lost JoeyMac and I wager to say by the end of the year we may lose another forward and maybe even a D.