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Throwback Thursday: Looking at the Calle Järnkrok trade with the Kraken
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Photo credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
Ryley Delaney
Dec 18, 2025, 18:15 ESTUpdated: Dec 18, 2025, 17:53 EST
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On Thursday evening, the Calgary Flames play the Seattle Kraken.
Joining the National Hockey League in 2021-22, the Kraken don’t have a whole lot of history. Unlike the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017, the Kraken had a mediocre expansion draft. From the Flames, they selected captain Mark Giordano, and aside from picking Vince Dunn and Jared McCann, they didn’t really set themselves up for a whole lot of success.
Entering Mar. 16, 2022, the Kraken had a Western Conference worst 18-37-6 record, giving them just 42 points. On the other hand, the Flames had a 36-16-7 record with 79 points, tops in the Pacific Division and the second-most points in the Western Conference.
On that day, the two teams made one of just two trades they’ve made since the Kraken joined the league, as the Kraken sent Calle Järnkrok to the Flames for a 2022 second round pick, 2023 third round pick, and 2024 seventh round pick.
Up to this point, Järnkrok consistently scored double-digit goals, and even had 12 goals and 26 points in 49 games before the trade. Unfortunately, that scoring touch disappeared with the Flames, as he picked up just four assists in his 17 games. He finally scored in the playoffs, playing 12 games with four points.
Järnkrok’s tenure with the Flames was a short one, as he signed a four-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs the following off-season, proceeding to score a career-best 20 goals and 39 points in 73 games during the 2022-23 season.
The 2022 second-rounder originally belonged to the Florida Panthers, and was acquired by the Flames in the Sam Bennett deal. With the 61st overall pick, the Kraken selected David Goyette, who has yet to make his NHL debut. One pick after Goyette, the Montréal Canadiens selected Lane Hutson.
On the other hand, the 2023 third-rounder bounced around a lot. Traded to the Kraken for Järnkrok, the Kraken sent it to the Columbus Blue Jackets in a package for Oliver Bjorkstrand. The Blue Jackets then traded it to the New Jersey Devils for Damon Severson. Then, the Devils traded it back to the Flames (along with Yegor Sharangovich) for Tyler Toffoli.
Funnily enough, another piece of the package from the Bennett trade, Emil Henieman, was trade to the Canadiens in exchange for Toffoli about a month before. That same trade saw Tyler Pitlick head to the Canadiens, which is notable as Pitlick was involved in the other trade between the Flames and the Kraken.
Lastly, the seventh-rounder was used to draft Czech defender Jakub Fibigr, who currently plays for the Brampton Steelheads in the Ontario Hockey League. A former teammate of Flames’ 2024 draftee Luke Misa, Fibigr has eight goals and 24 points in 27 games this season.
In the grand scope of things, it’s a rather insignificant trade.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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