Jani Hakanpaa's lack of playing time is leading to some uncomfortable questions
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jani Hakanpaa has only played two games with the team so far this season and it has led to some very uncomfortable questions about his status.
Overall, Jani Hakanpaa was always going to be a risk when the Maple Leafs signed him as he was injured at the time of his Free Agency campaign.
In fact, there were all sorts of fears that Hakanpaa was never going to play again and that the Leafs had made a grave mistake.
The Leafs and Jani Hakanpaa only signed their contract deep into the summer, even though they had already made a commitment weeks earlier.
To start the season, Hakanpaa remained on the long-term injured reserve and his rehab was an arduous one.
Eventually, he was taken off of the LTIR and he got to play a couple of games with the Toronto Marlies as part of a conditioning stint.
Jani Hakanpaa has some greatness in him
However, since that time, Hakanpaa has only managed to get into two games for the Maple Leafs.
In those games, he has recorded zero points and has a net rating of -1. Needless to say, he is not setting the world on fire.
Craig Berube hasn't had a ton of reasons to play him, and now, the Maple Leafs have to answer some tough questions as it pertains to the defenseman.
Chief among them is whether or not Hakanpaa is perhaps still injured, and that is why he can't crack the lineup.
Another question is whether or not the Leafs should just trade him as a rental player.
The Leafs have Hakanpaa on a one-year deal so they wouldn't be losing very much. For a team that is looking to add defensive depth, Hakanpaa could certainly be an option.
No matter what, it is a very sticky situation and it cannot be easy for Hakanpaa who went through a very difficult recovery process.
Hopefully, both sides can figure something out before the season becomes too far gone.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 1 | 169 ANSWERS Jani Hakanpaa's lack of playing time is leading to some uncomfortable questions Do you believe Jani Hakanpaa deserves more opportunites with the Maple Leafs? | ||
| YES | 113 | 66.9 % |
| NO | 56 | 33.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
