Devastating Update Confirmed for Leafs Defenseman Jani Hakanpaa
The Toronto Maple Leafs' Jani Hakanpaa was placed on the IR for a lower-body injury, in a terrible turn of events for their free agent signing.
When Jani Hakanpaa signed with the Maple Leafs initially, it was for a 2-year deal but concerns about his health led to some hesitation before Toronto officially signed the towering defenseman to a 1-year pact.
Well those concerns might have been more than paranoia as the Maple Leafs officially placed the defenseman on the IR with a lower-body injury, as announced by the Leafs PR account on X.
In response the Maple Leafs have called up defenseman Marshall Rifai as a replacement.
Due to Hakanpaa not playing since Nov. 16 he is eligible to return at any time once he gets healthy, and doesn't have any restrictions holding him back when he gets to 100%.
It's a tough blow to Toronto's defense although Hakanpaa hasn't played all that much. Envisioning Hakanpaa as their elite shutdown third-pairing defenseman, he found himself in only two games for the Leafs before landing on the IR.
Hakanpaa has struggled with knee injuries in the past, and it's concerning that it's a lower-body injury. Toronto can handle things without him, but it's feeling like Brad Treliving may have jumped the gun on adding Hakanpaa to the lineup.
It's clear Hakanpaa wasn't 100% but he wanted to make sure he could try and see if he was back to game-ready status. It's good to know he has the foresight to say he needs time to recover as opposed to trying to force himself to play through injury and hurt himself even more.
Rifai, Toronto's NCAA signing from Harvard back in 2022, and has shown glimpses of promise in the few times he's played with the Leafs be it in preseason or with the big club.
He's only played two games for the club, and with Toronto's defense now taking injury hits, he could be a big part of Toronto's success if he can lock things down. With the Marlies this season, Rifai has 4 points in 17 games.
FAQ: Jani Hakanpaa Placed On IR
Q1: Why was Jani Hakanpaa placed on the injured reserve?
A1: Jani Hakanpaa was placed on the IR with an undisclosed lower-body injury. It's unknown when he suffered the injury, but he has a history of knee injuries so concern starts to mount.
Q2: Who was called up in Jani Hakanpaa's absence?
A2: Marlies defenseman Marshall Rifai was called upon to replace Hakanpaa while he heals up. Rifai was signed by the Maple Leafs out of Harvard University in 2022.
In closing, it's frustrating for both Toronto and Hakanpaa to have to go through this again. Toronto has already dealt with several blows to their roster, and Hakanpaa is still a loss even if he hasn't played. Hakanpaa is frustrated because he thought this was behind him.
All the Maple Leafs, Hakanpaa and fans can hope for is that he's healthy for good next time he steps on the ice and makes a big impact for the Maple Leafs.
