Jani Hakanpaa makes surprising statement on possible career-ending injury
The defenseman Jani Hakanpaa made a surprising statement about his possible career-ending knee injury.
After missing the playoffs with the Dallas Stars because of a knee injury, Hakanpaa entered the free agent market and reached a deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
According to PuckPedia, he agreed on a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.5M.
However, his injury could be coming in the way of him keeping up his end of the deal.
The insider Chris Johnston stated on his podcast that Hakanpaa believes he can play despite his injury, despite the risks it could have on his future.
Here's what he said:
"What's interesting about medical-related issues is some players do manage to play through certain things that others can't. I mean, everyone's bodies are different, pain tolerance, what have you. I guess the X-rays themselves are black and white, but sometimes the information isn't black and white."'
Hakanpaa, 32, could be risking his future in the NHL if he decides to play through the injury.
The defenseman played a great role on the Dallas Stars blue line for the past three seasons. While his offensive contributions were limited to 40 points in three years, he brought a physical and defensive presence that could go a long way in Toronto; if he can stay healthy.
Source for Jani Hakanpaa's statistics:
PuckPedia
| POLL | ||
Do you think Jani Hakanpaa will retire before the start of the next season because of his injury? | ||
| Yes | 292 | 60.5 % |
| No | 191 | 39.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
