Craig Berube Sets Timeline for Jani Hakanpaa and Connor Dewar to Join Maple Leafs Roster

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Chris Gerics
November 7, 2024 (2:22 PM)

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Jani Hakanpaa and Connor Dewar are close to returning, although Craig Berube would like them to play a few more for the Marlies before they're ready for the Leafs.

With Toronto having both Jani Hakanpaa and Connor Dewar returning to the lineup soon, it's both a blessing and a curse. No doubt they will help the bottom part of the Maple Leafs offense and defense, but it leads to a question as to who is going to be taken out of the lineup.

Well, if head coach Craig Berube has his way, it's a question that won't need answering until both men are truly ready to return:

«Hopefully get a couple more games down there I think is important for both since they've been out for a long time. I think they need more games to get up to speed»

Berube's desire for both men to play more games isn't too much of a hard ask, as it's clear both he and GM Brad Treliving want to ensure their roster is at 100% coming off of injuries and surgeries, so a couple of extra games with the Marlies can only help.

Dewar's return is sure to revitalize a bottom six of the Maple Leafs lineup that has been struggling for any production as of late. Nick Robertson and Pontus Holmberg aren't it, and Dewar would provide a great alternative scoring option to Robertson.

If he can string a few points together quickly, it makes Robertson's departure easier. Dewar managed 11 goals and 8 assists last year split with Minnesota and Toronto, and would provide Toronto with an additional center if they want to experiment there as well, as Dewar's versatility gives Craig Berube a few options on the fly.

Hakanpaa's return will only strengthen a vastly-improved Maple Leafs defense, and should slide in to replace a struggling Simon Benoit, at least to see if Hakanpaa can hack it. Placing a 6'7 behemoth on your back end always helps, and it allows Conor Timmins to go ahead and play a more offensively driven role and build off his back-to-back double-digit point total.

Though it may be a few more games before we see the return of Jani Hakanpaa and Connor Dewar, it will be great to see them take the ice again as they are sure to help Toronto this season. The only question remains: Who's getting cut?