Concerning report emerges regarding Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jani Hakanpaa
The Toronto Maple Leafs could potentially face more problems on their blueline this season as reports have emerged about Jani Hakanpaa's health status prior to his signing with the team.
Leafs general manager Brad Treliving was just as busy as the rest of the league this July 1st, as he made free agent additions to his team. One of those additions was former Stars defenseman Jani Hakanpaa.
The 6'6" blueliner played 64 games for the Stars last season and tallied 12 points. He has 288 career games of NHL experience. He is a proven bottom pair defender that can punish opponents with heavy physical play.
However, a knee injury kept him out of the Stars playoff run last season and it appears as though that issue has followed him to Toronto. In fact, it appears as though this lingering issue is the exact reason why the team has not officially announced his contract yet.
Maple Leafs fans will likely not be happy to hear about the extent of this injury. Hakanpaa has had a history of knee problems dating back a full year.
Last offseason he had the chance to try and fix the problem with surgery, but he elected rehab instead. Now it seems as though he may be regretting that decision, as his knee has become a serious problem.
May 2023: Knee injury, in and out of playoff lineup
June 2023: Prepares for knee surgery
September 2023: Revealed that he opted against surgery
May/June 2024: Misses entire playoffs due to knee injury
June 2024: Underwent arthroscopic procedure
At this point it seems as though Hakanpaa may not be joining the Leafs after all. The team is doing their due diligence with him at the moment and they may very well find that he is not physically ready to play in the NHL again. Could this mean Brad Treliving will be in the market for another defenseman? Only time will tell.
Source: MapleLeafsDaily
Insider reveals why Jani Hakanpaa's contract hasn't officially be announced
| POLL | ||
Do you think Jani Hakanpaa will play any games for the Toronto Maple Leafs next season? | ||
| Yes | 204 | 45.9 % |
| No | 240 | 54.1 % |
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