Almost everything general manager Brad Treliving has touched has turned to gold in his second year with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Their moves, including the addition of a new coach, have the Leafs in first place in their division. They lead the defending champions and Treliving’s work has played a huge role in helping them get there.
However, not everything has gone well. The signing of defender Jani Hakanpaa for $1.47 million is a good example of this. One hockey analyst believes that’s the only blemish on Treliving’s resume this year.
In Jonas Siegel’s latest column in The Athletic, the analyst finds Hakanpaa, who hasn’t played since mid-November and has only two games under his belt all year, under “not working out.”
“The 32-year-old has recently been on the ice to work regularly with player development coach Denver Manderson, but has not participated in practice for a month,” the analyst said. “Hakanpaa was a high-flyer when the Leafs finally signed him in the fall to a one-year deal and not the two-year deal that was prematurely reported in July.”
According to Siegel, Hakanpaa’s signing was initially controversial due to knee problems, and “the first half of the season has done nothing to alleviate those concerns.”
The NHL insider said concerns have only grown given the defenseman’s lack of playing time and the apparent slowness in which he played when healthy. Siegel said it could be “huge” if Hakanpaa returned to fitness, but it doesn’t seem likely.
NHL expert praises Brad Treliving’s addition of Chris Tanev to Maple Leafs
Brad Treliving made the blockbuster move by signing defenseman Chris Tanev to a six-year contract. So far, the move has aged like a fine wine for the Maple Leafs in many ways.
Something crucial, especially when compared to his Tanev teammates, is how many games he has played. While Auston Matthews, Anthony Stolarz and others suffered injuries, Tanev did not.
“Tanev has played all but one game. It’s only half a season into a six-year contract; a full decision on his contract, which expires in 2030, won’t come for some time. But from the start, he’s been excellent. “said Jonas Siegel.
Tanev outperforms his teammates in shots, scoring opportunities, high-danger opportunities, high-danger goals, and expected goals at five-on-five.
Edited by Krutik Jain.