Maple Leafs' signing of Jani Hakanpaa already raising more concerns
It's been over two weeks since the Toronto Maple Leafs and their fans got excited about the potential signing of defenseman Jani Hakanpää.
Yet, GM Brad Treliving still hasn't confirmed the deal, unlike every other free agent they've signed like defenseman Chris Tanev and Stanley Cup champion from the Florida Panthers Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
The holdup is a result of Hakanpää's lingering knee injury, which has even raised concerns about the possibility of him retiring.
It's now been 15 days since the Leafs were excited to sign defenseman Jani Hakanpää. The team has still NOT confirmed the signing for Hakanpää, while they have for every other free agent they signed. It's still unknown if Hakanpää will even sign with the team due to his lingering knee injury, which could potentially force him to retire altogether. The Leafs have reportedly been doing a lot of research on the injury and want to get it right, and it's still expected he will sign with the team, but as of today, nothing has been confirmed for Hakanpää.
We'll see how it plays out in the coming weeks, I suppose.
Leafs Fans Wait Anxiously as Hakanpää's Signing Remains Unconfirmed Due to Injury Concerns
The Leafs are reportedly doing extensive research on his injury, making sure everything checks out before making it official. While it's still expected that Hakanpää will join the team, nothing has been confirmed yet.
The Leafs appear to not be deterred by Jani Hakanpää's injury
Hakanpää verbally agreed to a two-year deal, which comes with a cap hit of $1.5 million. Yet, he hasn't played since March 16 due to the knee issue and missed the entire Dallas Stars playoff run to the Western Conference Finals.
The signing of defenseman Jani Hakanpää has still not been confirmed by the Leafs due to potential rumors about the condition of his knee.
As of right now, this is how the Leafs' top six defensemen look heading into next season.
The Leafs likely want their own medical team to examine him before polishing the transaction. Only with their approval will Hakanpää officially be allowed to wear blue and white.
We'll just have to wait and see how it plays out in the coming weeks.
| POLL |
How do you feel about the delay in the Leafs confirming Jani Hakanpää's signing? |
| Optimistic | 108 | 40.8 % |
| Concerned | 157 | 59.2 % |
| List of polls |
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