After missing nine games with an upper-body injury, Auston Matthews has come back and is putting the puck in the net? Is he fully back or will it be a long road ahead? Outside of being named to Team Finland's 4 Nations Face-Off roster on Wednesday, nothing has come easy for Jani Hakanpaa, whose career has been marked by persistent knee issues dating back to his time with the Dallas Stars. These concerns have continued to follow the towering 6-foot-7 defenseman in his tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube shed some light on Hakanpaa’s recent absence from the ice, explaining that the defenseman underwent a procedure to address his lingering knee issues. "He got something done, a procedure done, to help himself out a little bit," Berube said on Thursday. "And he just needs a few days and then he'll be back on the ice and, you know, get up to speed again and be ready to go." The Maple Leafs placed Hakanpaa on injured reserve earlier in the week, retroactive to his last game played on November 16, a 4-3 overtime victory against the Edmonton Oilers. While the team has not disclosed details about the procedure, Hakanpaa was seen walking around Ford Performance Centre in good spirits. Hakanpaa’s knee troubles have been a storyline since the Leafs pursued him last summer. Despite mutual interest, negotiations for a two-year contract stalled in July, reportedly due in part to concerns about his health. Ultimately, the Leafs signed Hakanpaa to a one-year, $1.47 million deal just days before training camp in September, giving the veteran defenseman a chance to prove his durability. Hakanpaa began the season on long-term injured reserve as the team focused on getting him fully prepared for NHL action. He eventually made his Leafs debut on November 13 in a 4-3 overtime win against the Washington Capitals, and he has since played in two games, logging an average of 14:05 of ice time. However, his recurring knee issues have now sidelined him once again. In Hakanpaa's absence, the Leafs recalled Marshall Rifai from the Toronto Marlies. Rifai has been practicing with the team, skating on a day when most of the roster was off. Once Hakanpaa is ready to return, the team will need to find a roster spot for him, though his salary cap implications are already accounted for. Hakanpaa’s persistent knee problems, dating back to his days with the Stars where he was shutdown for the remainder of the 2023-24 following arthroscopic knee surgery. The Leafs are hoping Hakanpaa will provide some depth at the defensive position. Luckily for them, they're already playing better defensive hockey. Toronto's 2.52 goals allowed per game is second best in the NHL through games played on Dec. 4.
