TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston Shares Interesting Updates on Tavares, Knies, Hakanpaa
TSN's Chris Johnston has provided a few key injury updates for a trio of Maple Leafs, including John Tavares, Matthew Knies, and Jani Hakanpaa.
Knies left Wednesday's game in the second period after awkwardly falling following the completion of a hit on young Blue Jackets star Kirill Marchenko.
The 22-year-old Knies did not return to the game, but fans will breathe a sigh of relief following Johnston's update on his injury status on Thursday's 'Insider Trading'.
However, Johnston's update on Tavares, who left a practice last week after getting tangled up with Chris Tanev along the boards during a power-play drill, was not as positive.
Initial reports indicated that he would be out for at least two weeks, but given that he has yet to resume skating, a longer absence from the Leafs' lineup appears probable.
At the end of December, Leafs head coach Craig Berube provided a frustrating update on defenseman Jani Hakanpaa, who played in two games for the Leafs in November before undergoing another knee operation.
Berube noted at the time that he was still 'a ways away' and although he has been skating with the Leafs more consistently over the past month, he has yet to be cleared to return to the lineup.
Johnston's update on Hakanpaa will frustrate fans even further, given that Hakanpaa appears to be putting playiny in the 4 Nations Face-Off for his native Finland ahead of the Leafs.
Despite the Leafs working with Hakanpaa since July to get him back to the NHL and then signing him to a 1-year deal, the hulking blueliner skated in two games in mid-November and appears to be placing more emphasis on playing for Finland than helping the Leafs prepare for a deep playoff run.
Given the concerns around his knee since July, if Hakanpaa were to play at the 4 Nations Face-Off and injure it again, he may have already played in his last game as a Leaf.
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