Nashville Predators PREDictions: Jarnkrok Breaks Out, Leaves Smashville
The Nashville Predators forward is due to build upon a career year last season, and it may ultimately take him out of town.
Nashville Predators fans have been so excited about the addition of superstar P.K. Subban and the return of NHL action that they’ve forgotten about the cloud looming over every franchise in the league- the expansion draft.
And you can guarantee that there is a conference room somewhere in Las Vegas bursting at the seams with front office execs and television screens, monitoring and analyzing the performances of each and every NHL player that may find themselves eligible to join Sin City’s new hockey club next season.
The Nashville Predators find themselves, like every other team in the league, making the tough decision of which players on the roster will be protected. With the structure of their team and four stud defenseman in P.K. Subban, Roman Josi, Mattias Ekholm, and Ryan Ellis, it seems reasonable to believe the Preds will choose to protect eight skaters- those same four defensemen and four forwards.
More from Predlines
General consensus seems to believe those four protected forwards will include at least Filip Forsberg, James Neal, and Ryan Johansen (whose contract expires at the end of this season, making him an RFA). And while there is some debate over the fourth and final forward who should be protected, I fall strongly on the side of Craig Smith– who is statistically speaking a top-20 right winger in the NHL.
Kevin Fiala is ineligible to be drafted. Mike Fisher and Mike Ribeiro are too old to be chosen as cornerstones for an expansion franchise. Barring a sensational uprising from one of the youths buried in the Nashville Predators depth chart, Las Vegas is left looking at two legitimate options for wrangling into the desert- Colin Wilson and Calle Jarnkrok.
Though Wilson is a former first round draft pick and 20-goal scorer, he’s legendary around Smashville for his inconsistencies. A widely-selected choice to be Vegas bound, Wilson disappointed with only 24 points (6 goals, 18 assists) through 64 games last season.
Gone largely unrecognized, Wilson was outperformed by Jarnkrok’s career-high 30-point campaign, which saw him marking 16 goals and spending a good part of the season on the Nashville Predators first line. Entering only his third full year in the NHL at 25-years-old and surrounded by talent both offensively and defensively, Jarny is set to build upon those numbers and potentially find himself hitting the stride in his game, earning a breakout-type season.
The Swiss Army Knife is simply an incredibly valuable tool who brings a solid two-way game with a still-developing upside. He can be plugged into any forward position on the roster- not a flashy player, but exactly the kind of guy a brand new franchise could use.
But the thing that will most likely land him in Las Vegas? His unbelievably team-friendly 6-year, $12 million contract. And by unbelievably, I mean suspicious. As in, we’re not too sure this contract isn’t just bait set to guarantee Las Vegas chooses him over another unprotected player on the Nashville Predators roster. Contracts like that just don’t happen in today’s game.
My prediction: enjoy Calle Jarnkrok while you can, Smashville fans. Snagging a player of his mold at that age and price won’t be passed up by the Las Vegas franchise- especially after he has yet another career year this season. Prepare to see the Swiss Army Knife lacing up as the David Legwand of the desert for years to come.
One way to avoid losing Jarnkrok? Making a trade during the season to bring in a bigger name forward with years left on his ticket. Vegas would love to have big names to help promote amidst their bright lights. Or maybe Colin Wilson will make Playoff Colin Wilson, Forever Colin Wilson. “Forever Colin Wilson” could look great in neon.
This article originally appeared on 
