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

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Rare Jewel

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Jan 11, 2007
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He's still not even healthy... lol

You've signed Myers, Niemela is there as well, and they still persisted with this?

If you need another body, why not offer a contract to someone like Gustav Lindstrom, who's actually healthy?
 

tmlfan98

No More Excuses #MarnerOut
Aug 13, 2012
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So basically he's not healthy yet? Did we really need to do this signing?
He's healthy enough that the league approved the registration of the contract, which means he passed his physical.

Not suggesting that he's at 100%, but I'm pretty sure you can't sign injured UFAs because they would fail their physical while they're too injured to play, so at the very least he's probably at the point in his recovery where he's healthy enough to play through it.
 

HockeyVirus

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Nov 15, 2020
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He's still not even healthy... lol

You've signed Myers, Niemela is there as well, and they still persisted with this?

If you need another body, why not offer a contract to someone like Gustav Lindstrom, who's actually healthy?

Probably wanted a commitment or would move on. No sense waiting with the Leafs for them to never sign him when another team will do it today.

He waited for the Leafs to feel comfortable with him. Only fair they give him something with some security.

Worst case you waive him, no one claims him because he is injured, and then his cap hit is buried.
 

seanlinden

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Apr 28, 2009
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Somebody correct me if I'm wrong here...let's assume the "plan" is to start Hakanpaa on LTIR.

Does Connor Timmins need to "go down" in order to be covered under Hakanpaa's LTIR?

Edit: I guess that's why his number ended up being $1.47m instead of $1.5m.

There's probably some permutation where they get to almost exactly the cap, sending down Matthew Knies, and waiting to sign Max Pacioretty, to provide them with the maximum relief, and then bring on both of those guys.
 

Rare Jewel

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Jan 11, 2007
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Probably wanted a commitment or would move on. No sense waiting with the Leafs for them to never sign him when another team will do it today.

He waited for the Leafs to feel comfortable with him. Only fair they give him something with some security.

Worst case you waive him, no one claims him because he is injured, and then his cap hit is buried.
Sure, but they don't really need RD depth and why, for the 2nd summer, are they signing a player with knee problems?

The best he should be here on his PTO, but I would guess management doesn't want to get caught with pants around their ankles, making it look like they don't research the player before offering them contracts.
 
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Ianturnedbull

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Jun 11, 2022
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Sure, but why are they signing more RD depth, and why, again, for the 2nd summer, are they signing defenceman with knee problems?
I see your point. The reason has probably something to do with their upside. If they can get back to full heath, they can be an asset for the Leafs.

A few years ago Ottawa felt that Zaitsev was worth the risk.
 

Rare Jewel

Patience
Jan 11, 2007
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I see your point. The reason has probably something to do with their upside. If they can get back to full heath, they can be an asset for the Leafs.

A few years ago Ottawa felt that Zaitsev was worth the risk.
Well, that's their reasoning, and Zaitsev didn't have these kinds of concerns where you're not sure if they'll pass the physical at training camp.
 
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TIGERCOOL

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Sep 29, 2014
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this sounded completely different in the context of the actual interview and there is a slight language barrier. He was talking about his journey getting back into playing form over the summer and the ups and downs that came with that, not suggesting that he was still in recovery.

Sounds like he's ready to go, but is working with the staff to change his off-ice routine for maintainance purposes
 

notbias

Registered User
Feb 16, 2017
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So basically he's not healthy yet? Did we really need to do this signing?

Yes, he's over 6'5, his puck skills are questionable and so is his skating, it was required.

Half this board would have had a heart attack if we didn't sign him.

this sounded completely different in the context of the actual interview and there is a slight language barrier. He was talking about his journey getting back into playing form over the summer and the ups and downs that came with that, not suggesting that he was still in recovery.

Sounds like he's ready to go, but is working with the staff to change his off-ice routine for maintainance purposes

If he is changing training to manage the injury, I wouldn't say that he is 100%...

I think the signing was questionable from the start since you had Benoit already...
 

Knies iT

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Mar 6, 2015
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So many posters frothing at the mouth to paint this 1yr 1.4m deal as a negative on the GM. What an albatross!

"He's not healthy?!" Listen to the actual interview. It's an older guy talking about getting back up to speed after missing significant time to a serious injury.

Play it by ear and if he comes into camp looking like a corpse, it was still a logical roll of the dice for something you typically spend a 2nd/3rd for at the TDL like Schenn/Lyubushkin/etc. Definitely prefer the 1yr and expecting him to be a Polak esque piece for the bottom pair.
 

Stephen

Moderator
Feb 28, 2002
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So many posters frothing at the mouth to paint this 1yr 1.4m deal as a negative on the GM. What an albatross!

"He's not healthy?!" Listen to the actual interview. It's an older guy talking about getting back up to speed after missing significant time to a serious injury.

Play it by ear and if he comes into camp looking like a corpse, it was still a logical roll of the dice for something you typically spend a 2nd/3rd for at the TDL like Schenn/Lyubushkin/etc. Definitely prefer the 1yr and expecting him to be a Polak esque piece for the bottom pair.

Too lazy to look it up, but the number of draft picks we've surrendered in Lyubushkin I and II and Schenn trades adds up. So if you can stash a guy on the wing at a low cost and know he'll provide some physicality and defense later in the year when you need it, that's fine... you don't accrue cap to go on a shopping spree later, but if you're trying to mend some organizational depth and build the next wave, this is a completely low cost way to get that kind of player.
 

notbias

Registered User
Feb 16, 2017
10,991
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So many posters frothing at the mouth to paint this 1yr 1.4m deal as a negative on the GM. What an albatross!

"He's not healthy?!" Listen to the actual interview. It's an older guy talking about getting back up to speed after missing significant time to a serious injury.

Play it by ear and if he comes into camp looking like a corpse, it was still a logical roll of the dice for something you typically spend a 2nd/3rd for at the TDL like Schenn/Lyubushkin/etc. Definitely prefer the 1yr and expecting him to be a Polak esque piece for the bottom pair.

We have $2.5 million in a #7/#8 right now... our #7 will have an AAV close to $1.5 million.

We have a 13th forward making $1.35 million.

We keep signings low-skilled players because they are big... it isn't bad to have some as they play a role, but we keep signing more, and our issue is always scoring.

That's probably why.

Having said that, it isn't a huge deal... I just don't understand the obsession with collecting bottom pair D.
 

TheBeastCoast

Registered User
Mar 23, 2011
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We have $2.5 million in a #7/#8 right now... our #7 will have an AAV close to $1.5 million.

We have a 13th forward making $1.35 million.

We keep signings low-skilled players because they are big... it isn't bad to have some as they play a role, but we keep signing more, and our issue is always scoring.

That's probably why.

Having said that, it isn't a huge deal... I just don't understand the obsession with collecting bottom pair D.
I mean yes, scoring goals has been an issue....but so was our PK last year in a pretty major way. Hakanpaa if healthy should help on the PK.
 

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