Johnston: Injury concerns continue to hold up Hakanpaa signing

Defenceman Jani Hakanpaa appeared to be one of several additions for the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1, but he remains without a contract as training camp nears.

TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston told TSN Radio 1050’s First Up with Aaron Korolnek and Carlo Colaiacovo that the Leafs continue to have concerns about Hakanpaa’s knee, and the longer he and the team go without an agreement, the less likely him playing for the Leafs becomes.

“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 said. “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 fact it’s gone on this long probably doesn’t suggest good things, encouraging things. You know, when they made Auston Matthews captain a couple weeks ago, [general manager] Brad Treliving said at that time to reporters he thought it would be resolved one way or another pretty soon.

“But 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 reported on July 1 that Hakanpaa and the Leafs had agreed on a two-year, $3 million deal. But just days later, Postmedia’s Steve Simmons reported serious concerns had emerged about Hakanpaa’s injured knee stretching back to the end of last season while he was with the Dallas Stars.

The 32-year-old Hakanpaa had two goals and 10 assists in 64 games with the Stars last season prior to the injury, averaging 18:38 of ice time. Stars general manager Jim Nill confirmed after the season that Hakanpaa had an arthroscopic procedure on his knee, but was not expected to require any additional surgeries.

Selected in the fourth round of the 2010 draft by the St. Louis Blues, the Finnish blueliner didn't make his NHL debut until the 2019-20 season with the Anaheim Ducks. He has 15 goals and 45 points in 288 career games with the Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes and Stars. 

No resolution in sight for Leafs, Robertson

It appears there's been little to no movement between the Leafs and restricted free agent Nick Robertson since he requested a trade from the team on June 30.

The 22-year-old winger, who posted 14 goals and 27 points in 56 games with the Maple Leafs last season, remains unsigned as training camp creeps closer and TSN Johnston does not believe a solution is imminent.

"It's kind of at a standstill right now," Johnston explained on OverDrive Monday. "My understanding is Nick Robertson's desire to move on hasn't changed, but the fact remains he's a restricted free agent. He only has so many rights. Especially if he doesn't want to sign a contract and the organization decides not to move him, really all he could do is miss time and try to put pressure on the team that way. But obviously it comes at a cost to him, both in terms of getting up to speed in training camp and potentially playing games, and obviously a financial cost.

"I don't know how it will be resolved but as we're getting really close to the start of September here, there doesn't seem to be a resolution in sight and one thing Brad Treliving said back on July 1 is the Leafs have a need for Nick Robertson. He's got a great opportunity this season, both because of what he showed last year, the fact that you anticipate someone his age to get better, but also they don't have as much depth at left wing as they have in some years gone by. Maybe there's a path to rebuild things, but right now there's not an obvious solution out there that I see."