It’s now been two whole weeks since it was reported that the Leafs would be signing free agent blue liner Jani Hakanpaa, and still, nothing’s been made official.
By all accounts, on the opening day of free agency, the Leafs and the 32-year-old right-handed shooting defender agreed to terms on a two-year, $3-million contract.
Taking things a step further, general manager Brad Treliving even commented on what Hakanpaa would potentially bring to the roster when he met with the media on July 1.
&#8220;A penalty killer, one of the areas looking back at last season we wanted to address was our penalty kill and that&#8217;s an area Jani really shines in his ability to kill penalties. You saw that in Dallas over the years and specifically this past season,&#8221; Treliving said.
So, what’s the hold up?
That&#8217;s the big question.
In short, Hakanpaa’s knee.
Just a few hours after word leaked about Toronto inking the 6-foot-7 Fin, the Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons reported that he had heard that Hakanpaa’s knee is essentially “bone-on bone with not much knee left.” Furthermore, Simmons added that there was growing speculation around the league wondering if Hakanpaa would ever play another NHL game. Having said all that, the long-time beat reporter did disclose that the Leafs told him that their doctors cleared Hakanpaa.
14 days later, this has turned into a mini soap opera.
Any way you slice it, if the Leafs learned anything from the John Klingberg situation last season, it might be in their best interest to walk away outright before anything is officially signed. On paper, Hakanpaa could prove to be a big-time add to a squad looking to bulk up on the blue line. That said, in this scenario, the risk may outweigh the reward. If there are any doubts, they should back off immediately —regardless of what the team doctors have to say. There&#8217;s no need to dish out a multi-year contract to someone with substantial health concerns. Not for anything, but at least Klingberg came in on a one year deal. Somehow, some way, they found a way to send him off to Robidas Island.
At the end of the day, there’s a reason why the Dallas Stars, who’ve been a perennial contender for years now and one of the best teams when it comes to assessing talent, moved on from the player.
Needless to say, the Leafs need to be smart here.

It’s now been two whole weeks since it was reported that the Leafs would be signing free agent blue liner Jani Hakanpaa, and still, nothing’s been made official.

By all accounts, on the opening day of free agency, the Leafs and the 32-year-old right-handed shooting defender agreed to terms on a two-year, $3-million contract.

Taking things a step further, general manager Brad Treliving even commented on what Hakanpaa would potentially bring to the roster when he met with the media on July 1.

"A penalty killer, one of the areas looking back at last season we wanted to address was our penalty kill and that's an area Jani really shines in his ability to kill penalties. You saw that in Dallas over the years and specifically this past season," Treliving said.

So, what’s the hold up?

That's the big question.

In short, Hakanpaa’s knee.

Just a few hours after word leaked about Toronto inking the 6-foot-7 Fin, the Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons reported that he had heard that Hakanpaa’s knee is essentially “bone-on bone with not much knee left.” Furthermore, Simmons added that there was growing speculation around the league wondering if Hakanpaa would ever play another NHL game. Having said all that, the long-time beat reporter did disclose that the Leafs told him that their doctors cleared Hakanpaa.

14 days later, this has turned into a mini soap opera.

Any way you slice it, if the Leafs learned anything from the John Klingberg situation last season, it might be in their best interest to walk away outright before anything is officially signed. On paper, Hakanpaa could prove to be a big-time add to a squad looking to bulk up on the blue line. That said, in this scenario, the risk may outweigh the reward. If there are any doubts, they should back off immediately —regardless of what the team doctors have to say. There's no need to dish out a multi-year contract to someone with substantial health concerns. Not for anything, but at least Klingberg came in on a one year deal. Somehow, some way, they found a way to send him off to Robidas Island.

At the end of the day, there’s a reason why the Dallas Stars, who’ve been a perennial contender for years now and one of the best teams when it comes to assessing talent, moved on from the player.

Needless to say, the Leafs need to be smart here.

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