Confirmed with Link: Leafs sign defenceman Jani Hakanpää (1 year, $1.47M) (official)

[leafsfan5]

Anyone slotting Benoit in at 7 didn’t watch the Leafs last year. All I’ve heard coming out of Leafs circles is they are expecting he has another level to get to.

As for the signing, means the doctors like his progress, if he still has knees, he’s a STEAL.

Who are you taking out for Benoit?

Rielly, Tanev, McCabe, Liljergen, OEL will all be playing based on their cap hits. It's down to #6 and Hakanpaa allows us to have 3RD and 3LD while satisfying the same role that Benoit does.

 

[Rare Jewel]

Why?

Does Tre has a fetish for injured knees?

 

[conFABulator]

How Benoit is not a consensus to start in the top 6 is confusing to say the least.

I like Benoit, but he is a third paring D man and we have a few of them. I am not too worried about it, injuries hit and before you know it Mermis or Myers is in the lineup too. We need at least 7 NHL dmen, likely a few more.

 

[shaner8989]

Love this signing. 0 downside to it.

 

[DarkKnight]

Who are you taking out for Benoit?

Rielly, Tanev, McCabe, Liljergen, OEL will all be playing based on their cap hits. It's down to #6 and Hakanpaa allows us to have 3RD and 3LD while satisfying the same role that Benoit does.

Lil is the 7 for me, cap hits will be out the window when the play dictates. When we signed him I wasn't sold it was too keep him, but given how the D depth didnt fill out, he provably sticks, until we add at TD again. Berube will love Benoit and he only got better and better last year.

 

[notbias]

Lil is the 7 for me, cap hits will be out the window when the play dictates. When we signed him I wasn't sold it was too keep him, but given how the D depth didnt fill out, he provably sticks, until we add at TD again. Berube will love Benoit and he only got better and better last year.

Having a bunch of D who can't move a puck up ice didn't work out well last year, not sure it will this year either.

Benoit sucked in the playoffs.

 

[MarMarSab3]

Reilly Tanev
OEL Liljegren
Benoit McCabe -McCabe Hakanpaa 50/50 split

 

[thusk]

Second, depending on his health, it's completely feasible that Benoit and Hakanpaa go in and out of the lineup.

You can add Liljegren to that list because if hes healthy, i'm pretty sure Liljegren will miss game as healthy scratch

Who said anything about giving Liljegren away? You make a hockey deal and get a young center. As of today I’m not sure Liljegren is cracking the playoff roster if all dmen are healthy.

Exactly, every time year after year liljegren started the ywar strong and when game become closer, more physical and harder, he struggling ans itwas hard just to stay in the line up even huge need in D ( bigger than right now) and a good chance than this story continu again this season

 

[thusk]

Having a bunch of D who can't move a puck up ice didn't work out well last year, not sure it will this year either.

Benoit sucked in the playoffs.

What are you talking about? Benoit had been great for a depht D who had been asked to play on #1 shutdown pair.

 

[Anthrax442]

For me Lilly is in before Benny

 

[leafsfan2point0]

Dewar has a cap hit of 1.18M and only 1.15M can be buried. Maybe this also explains the reduction from 1.50M to 1.47M

 

[Evilhomer]

Dewar has a cap hit of 1.18M and only 1.15M can be buried. Maybe this also explains the reduction from 1.50M to 1.47M

Good point. This makes sense.

 

[notbias]

What are you talking about? Benoit had been great for a depht D who had been asked to play on #1 shutdown pair.

He didn't succeed in an elevated role and we just signed another depth D to fill his role... it's that simple.

I don't see this signing as anything but a Benoit replacement.

 

[Joe n]

Having a bunch of D who can't move a puck up ice didn't work out well last year, not sure it will this year either.

Benoit sucked in the playoffs.

but he's big and hits.

 

[weems]

Hakanpaa doesn't have much offensive ability but he can fire a puck pretty hard.

Hit 100mph in 2023 with Dallas.

 

[REALTALK81]

Some different looks on D. What's your favorite? Who would you pair?

Rielly Tanev
McCabe Liljegren
OEL Hakanpaa

Rielly Tanev
Benoit McCabe
OEL Hakanpaa

Rielly Tanev
OEL McCabe
Benoit Liljegren

Rielly Tanev
McCabe Liljegren
Benoit Hakanpaa

 

[aingefan]

If those in the league think he is as bad, as many Leafs fans do... you'd think he'd need a healthy addition to move him. However, I'd hazard those in the league value him as an actual asset. The return might not be spectacular as he is overpaid... but the Jackets shouldn't care given their cap situation.

Given our lack of C depth, it seems improbable he is moved, unless Holmberg and Dewar show as ready to take the 3/4 spots. Or Minten/Quillan shock us.



Noting... we aren't over the cap, and there is no need to move a forward, unless we sign Patches.

If the team values keeping the roster at 23 to keep Matt Murray or something over the difference between Kampf or Jarnkrok and their replacement, then it’ll make sense.
It’s a little backwards thinking, but I could see the positives outweighing the negatives. I don’t see why guys like McMann and Dewar can’t develop into good two-way shutdown types, of a slightly different ilk.
Back to Hakanpaa tho, I think it’s clear the thinking is all three RH guys have injury histories. If they’re healthy, great, but you’re gonna need a Benny when the likely (hopefully not inevitable and hopefully not more than one at a time) injuries occur.
And hope the order is established diring the season, and healthy for the playoffs.

 

[andora]

~1 million over if they carry 23 players, but assuming Benoit or Timmins are done.

Probably Timmins because we hate D that score or can make a pass.

Why pass when mccabe can rush it

 

[thusk]

He didn't succeed in an elevated role and we just signed another depth D to fill his role... it's that simple.

I don't see this signing as anything but a Benoit replacement.

He just had been probably #2 behind McCabe best leafs d defensive side of the puck all year long...

 

[aingefan]

Having a bunch of D who can't move a puck up ice didn't work out well last year, not sure it will this year either.

Benoit sucked in the playoffs.

That was a big part of Lili’s struggles in the playoffs. His partner didn’t do well accepting his passes when pressured, contributing just as much if not more to being hemmed In.
Which is why I think Lil will get time with OEL and McCabe.

 

[aingefan]

Some different looks on D. What's your favorite? Who would you pair?

Rielly Tanev
McCabe Liljegren
OEL Hakanpaa

Rielly Tanev
Benoit McCabe
OEL Hakanpaa

Rielly Tanev
OEL McCabe
Benoit Liljegren

Rielly Tanev
McCabe Liljegren
Benoit Hakanpaa

All are viable behind the top pair and could be effective with complementing skills. Pretty interchangeable and flexible, makes Berube a lucky guy.
I wouldn’t sleep on an OEL-Liljegren pairing though. They’ll be able to move the puck well.

 

[jaric1862]

Sounds like they’re going into training camp heavy on purpose to drive competition.
Let’s see who performs.
They’ll have contingency plans for all guys on the fringes of the roster, whether that be trade or waivers.

 

[LaPlante94]

Some different looks on D. What's your favorite? Who would you pair?

Rielly Tanev
McCabe Liljegren
OEL Hakanpaa

Rielly Tanev
Benoit McCabe
OEL Hakanpaa

Rielly Tanev
OEL McCabe
Benoit Liljegren

Rielly Tanev
McCabe Liljegren
Benoit Hakanpaa

I feel like the 1st one you listed might be the best complimentary pairings because you'll have 1 good puck mover and offensive guy and 1 stay at home guy. I could also see OEL and Lily together and McCabe and Hakanpa/Benoit together.

 

[TorMapleJays]

Man this D core is going to light this building up.

it’s going to have a knock on effect come playoff time will be electric.

Looking forward to it.

 

[DarkKnight]

Benoit sucked in the playoffs.

You said that all year, and he made an ass out of you routinely. The minute Tre signed him you went full Dubas lover and twisted all his success to fit your bs narratives. Meanwhile Lil was a laughing stock who was benched in the playoffs, but you're actually arguing it was Benoit who was bad. Go find some stat to fit your narrative, there's one for every partisan. Benoit completely outplayed Lil in the playoffs, I can't find a single real hockey person who would side with you. As Chris Johnston said in the playoffs, Lil moved the puck like it's someone else's problem. That's why he was actually benched for Brodie, meanwhile Benoit flourished. Watch some hockey instead of forming a bias and trying to make everything fit later. I know you think you're brilliant, I think you're predictable and boring. Have a nice season bud.

And as aside, go look at what I said about Benoit last preseason, I literally said he was one of the worst D men I'd seen. When he was called up I said he frightened me. My opinion changed based on his evolution, give it a try sometime.