Jani Hakanpää signs a one-year deal.
Originally set to ink a two-year deal on July 1, that contract was held up over medical concerns. It was for $1.5 on the AAV.
Hakanpää, likely to be a third-pairing defender, seriously hurt his knee last season and had surgery.
For a full and complete picture of his medical state now, you can likely just go with any random Twitter user.
Hakanpää, 32, recorded 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in 64 games with the Dallas Stars during the 2023-24 season. In 288 career NHL regular season games, the Kirkkonummi, Finland native has registered 45 points (15 goals, 30 assists) and 173 penalty minutes split between Anaheim, Carolina and Dallas while adding four points (one goal, three assists) in 33 career playoff games.
The 6’7, 225-pound defenceman was selected by St. Louis in the fourth round (104th overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft.
Jani Hakanpää is 32, shoots right, and is 6’7″ tall.Those last two things are why he’s an NHL regular as a depth defender. He also has some genuine skill at defending, which is all you want in a third pairing guy. Pair him up with Simon Benoit and watch the bodies fly and the pucks stay out of the zone.Specifically, the Evolving Hockey model shows him having an impact on quality of shots allowed. Which means he clears the net-front well.Do not mistake him for an offensive force of any kind.
This afternoon, the Maple Leafs announced that they’ve agreed to terms on a one-year contract worth $1.47 million with Jani Hakanpaa.
“The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has signed defenceman Jani Hakanpaa to a one-year contract. The value of the contract is $1.470 million.” The team said in a press release.
On July 1st, it was announced that the Maple Leafs and Jani Hakanpaa had agreed to terms on a two-year contract, but the deal was never registered with the National Hockey League. Hakanpaa suffered a knee injury late in the 2023-24 season which required surgery and it was unclear if he’d be healthy enough to play this year, which is likely why the contract was never registered.
In 64 games with the Dallas Stars last season, the Kirkkonummi, Finland native had 12 points (two goals, ten assists), 33 penalty minutes and was a plus-ten.
