A contract signed on July 1st hasn't been approved yet

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William Austin
July 9, 2024 (7:34 PM)

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Jani Hakanpaa reportedly signed a two-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1st, but the contract has not yet been registered with the NHL for one specific reason.

The Leafs have not officially announced the signing of the towering defenseman, despite reports confirming the deal. Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos and The Toronto Sun's Steve Simmons revealed that the Dallas Stars opted not to re-sign Hakanpaa due to a knee issue that sidelined him in March last season.

While there are health concerns, TSN's Chris Johnston noted on 'The SDPN' podcast that Leafs' GM Brad Treliving mentioned Hakanpaa during his media availability after the first day of free agency.

Johnston explained why the deal hasn't been officially announced:

"I think they reviewed his records, but now they will get their own doctors to look at him. That's my understanding... The Leafs don't officially have him under contract, I think they agreed to a contract pending physical and I don't know if he is going to do so or not...it's not a bad bet though."

Given that Hakanpaa already had surgery, the Leafs are likely assessing his recovery process to ensure he will be ready to play when the regular season begins in October. In 64 games for the Stars last season, Hakanpaa tallied 12 points, 33 penalty minutes, 123 blocked shots, and 196 hits, making him an ideal third-pairing defenseman for the Leafs.

Source: Maple Leafs Daily
Insider reveals why Jani Hakanpaa's contract hasn't officially be announced