Maple Leafs sign defenceman Jani Hakanpaa to two-year contract
The Toronto Maple Leafs have continued to remodel their blueline after signing another former Dallas Stars defender.
Though the team has already locked up Chris Tanev to a long-term deal, the Leafs announced this afternoon that they have also managed to secure Jani Hakanpää on a two-year deal that carries a cap hit of $1.5 million.
Jani Hakanpaa has signed a two-year, $3M contract with the Maple Leafs, per @FriedgeHNIC. 🇫🇮#NHLFreeAgency | @BET99ON pic.twitter.com/cjv0g7Cuel
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 1, 2024
Hakanpää has spent the last three seasons playing for the Stars and is more well-known for his defensive ability than his scoring. In 64 games in Dallas last season, the Finnish defender managed two goals and 12 points. An injury prevented him from appearing in any playoff games with the Stars this season.
He may not be a top-line defender for the Leafs while on this deal but Hakanpää does present as a solid depth option for a Toronto team that is looking to defend better on a nightly basis. Add in the addition of Tanev and this is a blueline that may have lost a little bit of offence, but added much more defensive prowess.
At such a cheap number and short term, the signing is also relatively low risk for the Leafs. If things don’t wind up working it will be easy to move or potentially bury if needed.
Hakanpää will now join a Toronto blueline that has seen mass changes be made to it. All of Tanev, Hakanpää, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson will be new faces on defence when the season starts in October.
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