Jani Hakanpaa saga takes a strange and unfortunate turn for the Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs reportedly agreed to terms with defenseman Jani Hakanpaa on a two-year, $3M contract, back on July 1st earlier this offseason. The 32-year-old is a 6'6" defensive defenseman who recorded 2 goals and 10 assists in 64 GP with the Dallas Stars last season.

Following reports of a nagging knee injury, the Maple Leafs were believed to have struck a deal with the Finnish defender, pending a physical. Additional reports suggested that he may not be physically fit to play in the NHL again.

To add another layer of intrigue to the situation, Hakanpaa was recently seen wearing the jersey of his former team, the Dallas Stars, at a charity golf tournament in Finland. This does not seem like something a current Maple Leaf would do.

As per LNNinstagram on X:

If Hakanpaa is healthy, he would be a perfect addition to a revamped Maple Leafs blueline, as his size, defensive abilities and penalty killing are all things the team has a need for. Unfortunately, the deal between he and the Leafs appears to have been celebrated prematurely.

Source: HockeyDB
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