The Toronto Maple Leafs were in trade negotiations with several players, one of whom was Jani Hakanpaa. The star defenceman had not yet signed a deal with Toronto, and NHL insider Chris Johnston believed the longer negotiations went on, the less likely it would be that he would be signed.
And while Hakanpaa hasn’t played since March 16 with a knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery. He was with the Dallas Stars when the injury occurred. He didn’t return to play for the 23-24 season, and the risk of injury was a major factor in his signing a deal with a new team.
Johnston then said:
The Maple Leafs have had Hakanpaa evaluated by team doctors, and there are real concerns about the injury. His ability is undeniable, but there is also a risk in signing him to any kind of deal.
They all agreed to the deal, but it has not been officially signed. Still, there is a high possibility the Leafs will back out of the deal, which could create uncertainty surrounding the 2024 season.
GM Brad Treliving Discusses Concerning Jani Hakanpää Situation
And just when Jani Hakanpaa was supposed to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2024, a knee injury would have been his first action in a long time. His ailment, which was diagnosed as degenerative, has given the team pause.
When GM Brad Treliving began talking with Hakanpaa, he then said:
Chris Johnston’s injury was so severe that there were doubts about whether he would ever play again. He began negotiations with the Leafs, but the matter has only gotten more complicated since then. There seems to be no clear solution in sight.
