Deleted through most of this Maple Leafs season, Jani Hakanpaa is now scratched from the 4 Nations Face-Off.
It already seemed doubtful that the defenceman, who missed all but two of the Maple Leafs first 52 games with a lingering knee issue, could still play a full-time role for his native Finland in the best-on-best event in just 10 days. The club announced Saturday that Hakanpaa would not play ‘because of injury’.
Signing the 32-year-old, 6-foot-7 Hakanpaa after a long recovery from knee surgery while with the Dallas Stars almost a year ago carried some risk for the Leafs. He did make two starts in November, but after more needed recovery time, he underwent a minor surgical procedure aimed at improving his condition. Though he practised regularly the past few days, he was kept behind for extra work when Toronto flew to Edmonton Thursday to start a four-game, pre-break road trip.
Leaf coach Craig Berube ominously said he had “no timeline” on Hakanpaa’s return when asked on Friday. Finland has already lost its star defenceman Miro Heiskanen, with a knee injury in Dallas’s game Tuesday against Vegas.
Auston Matthews (Team USA), Mitch Marner (Canada) and William Nylander (Sweden) are the principal Leafs in the 4 Nations event.
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