Leafs' Jani Hakanpaa Opens Up About His Hopes For the Remainder of the 2024-25 Season

When it was first reported the Leafs signed Jani Hakanpaa to a two-year deal on July 1st, there were immediate concerns about his health. The deal was not finalized at the time, and instead, Hakanpaa signed a one-year deal ahead of training camp with the Leafs, believing he was healthy enough to contribute.

Unfortunately, after a late-October conditioning stint with the Marlies, Hakanpaa was only able to get into two games for the Leafs before having to undergo another procedure on his knee.

Despite the flare up, the Finland native was named to Team Finland for the 4 Nations Face-Off and was hopeful he would be able to play. Disappointingly, the towering blueliner was forced to withdraw from the tournament after not being able to recover quickly enough.

Hakanpaa recently sat down with The Athletic and provided an update on his rehab process, noting that he is still hopeful to play for the Leafs again this season.

What will it take for him to get back into the Leafs' lineup? Well, Hakanpaa says that now it's just about getting more comfortable.

With the uncertainty around his injury, Brad Treliving and the Leafs may look to add another defenseman ahead of Friday's trade deadline for some added depth, but the Finnish native is hopeful that he will be able to contribute to a lengthy playoff run for the Leafs.