Former Maple Leaf, Now UFA, Jani Hakanpaa Has Interest From NHL Teams

UFA Jani Hakanpaa has interest from some teams this summer

It's been a rough 18 months for big defenseman Jani Hakanpaa. Signed to a two-year deal by the Toronto Maple Leafs hastily on Day One of free agency ahead of the 2024-25 season, they eventually had to scale back his contract to just one year after concerns about his chronically injured knee surfaced. He then only managed to play in two games for Toronto. His previous season in Dallas ended in March of 2024 because of the knee.

But the behemoth blueliner says he's all good to go now, cleared and fully healthy, and has been in contact with some NHL teams.

Hakanpaa told the Finnish outlet Ilta-Sanomat’s Ville Touru that he was even given clearance to play in the playoffs this past spring, if the Leafs had called on him. The 6'7" right-shot d-man also said that "a few teams have been interested in him" this summer an an unrestricted free agent.

But he added that he wants to wait things out to see how teams' bluelines are shaping up around the league before making a decision on where to sign.

Whether it will be a standard deal or a professional tryout offer (PTO) remains to be seen. One might surmise that after the turmoil that surrounded him in a "roller coaster" of a year (his words) last season with the Leafs, it could very well be the latter.

Hakanpaa has spent six years in the NHL, playing a total of 290 NHL games for four different clubs, the Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars and Toronto). He has recorded 899 hits and 457 blocked shots, while notching 45 points with a plus/minus rating of +33.

If truly fully healthy, the 33-year-old Finn can certainly help teams with some size on the back line.