In a surprising turn of events, defenceman Jani Hakanpaa’s potential signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1 has hit a roadblock, leaving him without a contract as training camp looms closer. TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston shed some light on the situation, revealing that concerns about Hakanpaa’s knee are the main reason for the delay in finalizing a deal.
“He didn’t actually sign. And where the confusion comes in is that the Leafs obviously had an intent to sign him on July 1. When Brad Treliving was speaking to reporters he talked about his excitement to add Jani Hakanpaa. And to the best of my knowledge, the reason it hasn’t happened is the concern about an injury he had to end last season,” Johnston explained. “His knee is basically bone on bone at this point. And you’ve got a player who thinks he can play, but there are maybe some medical opinions that are casting doubt on that. And we’ll just have to see if they ultimately do sign him.”
The uncertainty surrounding Hakanpaa’s knee seems to be a major sticking point for both the player and the team, with Johnston adding, “The longer it goes and he doesn’t have a contract, it doesn’t look like he’s going to end up with one. The best I can say right now is I don’t know 100 per cent it’s not going to go that way, but the writing doesn’t appear to be too encouraging.”
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger initially reported on July 1 that Hakanpaa and the Leafs had reached a tentative agreement on a two-year, $3 million deal. However, Postmedia’s Steve Simmons later raised alarm bells by disclosing serious concerns about Hakanpaa’s knee injury dating back to his time with the Dallas Stars.
Before his injury, the 32-year-old Hakanpaa had a solid season with the Stars, recording two goals and 10 assists in 64 games while averaging 18:38 of ice time. Despite undergoing an arthroscopic procedure on his knee, Stars general manager Jim Nill reassured that no further surgeries were needed.
Originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues in 2010, the Finnish defenceman made his NHL debut in the 2019-20 season with the Anaheim Ducks. Over his career, Hakanpaa has tallied 15 goals and 45 points in 288 games playing for the Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes, and Stars.
Meanwhile, another contract dilemma looms over the Leafs as restricted free agent Nick Robertson, who had requested a trade from the team on June 30, remains unsigned. The 22-year-old winger, who notched 14 goals and 27 points in 56 games last season, has yet to reach a resolution with the team. Johnston hinted that a quick solution is unlikely in the near future as training camp approaches.
As the uncertainty surrounding both Hakanpaa and Robertson persists, the Maple Leafs find themselves facing key decisions that could significantly impact their roster composition for the upcoming season.