Both have played one game with the Marlies and are set to play two more.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jani Hakanpaa and forward Connor Dewar are expected to use up the maximum of their long-term injured reserve conditioning stint by playing two more games with the Toronto Marlies.

Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube was asked where both injured players stand after having completed one game with the AHL club.

"Hopefully, (they'll) get a couple more games down there," Berube said following Maple Leafs' practice on Thursday. "I think it's important for both of them since they've been out a long time. So I think they need more games down there to get up to speed."

Hakanpaa and Dewar both started the season on long-term injured reserve (LTIR)  and have already missed more than the 10 games/24 days required before they were eligible for activation. Last week, the club sent both players to the Marlies as part of the bonafide long-term injured reserve (LTIR) conditioning stint. The NHL CBA clause allows players to be sent down (with their permission) to get some games in the AHL to determine if they are fit to play. Teams are permitted to send a player down for the longer of three games and six days, so it's clear the Leafs intend to use the maximum time allotted.

It is possible that the conditioning loans for both players could be extended by an additional two games beyond this weekend, but that would require approval from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.

Hakanpaa has not played an NHL game since Mar. 16 while with the Dallas Stars due to knee issues. The defenseman signed a one-year, $1.47 million contract with the Maple Leafs just before the season started.

Dewar had off-season shoulder surgery. He scored a goal in his game with the Marlies in a 4-2 loss to the Cleveland Monsters. 

While with the Maple Leafs, both players were active participants in practice and returned to those sessions on Oct. 3 when the club practiced in Bracebridge, Ontario.

Why the delay for both players if they've been practicing and seem healthy?

The Maple Leafs are in a roster crunch at the moment. They have the salary cap space to activate both Hakanapaa and Dewar, but they are currently at the maximum allowable roster limit of 23 players. 

Activating one or both players requires them to free up a spot, meaning placing someone on waivers with the purpose of sending them down to the Marlies, sending Matthew Knies down (which they will not do given his role with the club) or make a trade. The Leafs are simply buying time by extending the window of both players' stints. If an injury or shift occurs to the Maple Leafs roster as they get set to take on the Detroit Red Wings on Friday and the Montreal Canadiens 

Auston Matthews remains injured and if he misses seven days, the Leafs could get a roster spot by placing the star forward on injured reserve. But the Leafs are just buying time at the moment with a lot of moving parts.