Toronto Maple Leafs superstar center Auston Matthews took the ice for the club's optional morning skate on Saturday. But when will he return to game action? Calle Jarnkrok is month-to-month after having groin and sports hernia surgery on Monday, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced. "He's got to get it fixed," Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said. "But, you know, it's too bad. Because he's a player that we liked and can help us." The 33-year-old forward has dealt with the injury since training camp and began the regular season on Toronto's long-term injured reserve. He's been seen skating before a couple of the Maple Leafs' morning skates, but had a setback in his recovery, according to GM Brad Treliving on Nov. 11. "He had a setback over the weekend and so we’re just going to kind of reset here," Treliving said a week ago. "I think he’s going to New York to a specialist today or tomorrow to get looked at and we’ll see where it goes from there." Jarnkrok is eligible to return when he's fully healthy since he's already passed the required 10 games and 24 days on long-term injured reserve. But when that might be remains very up in the air. Berube said the month-to-month diagnosis keeps the door for Jarnkrok to return later in the season. "I just think it's one of those types of things. See how he heals up and how everything goes. You know. That's, you know, where that's at," Berube said. Jarnkrok had 10 goals and 11 assists for 21 points in 52 games with the Maple Leafs last season, playing a bottom-six role. Since joining Toronto, he's scored 30 goals and 30 assists in 125 games. In 18 playoff games with the club, Jarnkrok has one goal and two assists, averaging 14:15 of ice time. The Maple Leafs signed Jarnkrok to a four-year, $8.4 million contract on July 15, 2022. The deal carries a cap hit of $2.1 million. He has 301 points (136 goals and 165 assists) in 699 career NHL games, split between the Nashville Predators, Calgary Flames, Seattle Kraken, and Maple Leafs. Jarnkrok was drafted in the second round (51st overall) by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2010 NHL Draft.
