The annual Leafs & Legends Charity Golf Classic was held on Monday at the RattleSnake Point Golf Club in Milton, Ont. The event saw Toronto Maple Leafs players hit the links for a good cause, but one notable absence was Jani Hakanpää, the newest Maple Leaf.
When asked about skipping the golf event, Hakanpää jokingly mentioned, “My golf game is actually bad. So that’s the biggest thing, to be honest.” However, there was more to it than just his golf skills. Hakanpää was still recovering from a knee injury during the off-season, making it important for him to take it easy.
“It’s a little bit of a rollercoaster, almost,” Hakanpää shared about his recovery process. “There’s good days, bad days, but I think that underlying trust of it’s going to [get better] eventually has always been there.”
Speculation about Hakanpää’s health arose when his contract with the Leafs was delayed. Initially reported to be a two-year deal, it was eventually announced as a one-year pact worth $1.47 million.
“In my mind, it’s been clear that I’m going to get back,” the towering defenceman commented after signing his contract. “The team I had around me back home in Finland had the same thoughts. That was the biggest key, just to have people around me that trusted as well.”
Hakanpää’s journey back to full health included visits to Toronto and monitoring by the Leafs’ performance staff who travelled to Finland multiple times.
General manager Brad Treliving admitted that signing a player coming off an injury like Hakanpää is always a risk. He likened the situation to a “whole summer project”. The team had experienced a similar setback last year with John Klingberg, who played just 14 games before undergoing season-ending surgery for a hip issue.
As the Leafs gear up for the upcoming season, Hakanpää’s recovery and return to the lineup will be closely watched by fans and management alike.