In his first interview as a Maple Leaf, defenseman Jani Hakanpää discussed the protracted process of signing a contract with Toronto, the status of his knee injury, and his potential contributions on the ice.
Take us back through the process of joining the Leafs in the summer.
Hakanpää: It feels good. It feels great. It is one of the clubs with great history. I am really excited to be a part of it. That is all great.
I am looking forward to being a Leaf and getting out there and playing with the guys. I have spent a few days here with the guys, and it seems like a really good group. There are a lot of good guys in there. I am looking forward to everything.
What was it like waiting a while to get the deal done this summer?
Hakanpää: It was a good back-and-forth with the team. They visited me, and I came here. We are all on the same page. It is great that we got it done now. We are all looking forward to getting to the real work and getting playing.
What is your timetable for getting into practice and up to game speed?
Hakanpää: We are going to talk more about that with the training staff, but hopefully, it’s as fast as possible. You are itching at this time. We put a lot of work into all of that. We are getting close. It is just about putting the finishing touches on it and getting back out there.
Emotionally, what have the last few months been like? Was there ever any doubt in your mind that you could play in the NHL again?
Hakanpää: In my mind, it has been clear I am going to get back. The team around me back home in Finland had the same thoughts. That was the biggest key: having people around me who trusted it as well.
It is a little bit of a rollercoaster. There are good days and bad days. The underlying trust that “It’s going to happen eventually” has always been there.
How would you describe the injury?
Hakanpää: It is just a knee issue that we have to manage throughout the year. That is about it.
Is it as simple as putting on a brace when you skate?
Hakanpää: I think it is more about finding ways to do stuff off the ice to support it as best we can and then cutting out a bunch of stuff that is not good for it. It is more learning what is good and what is bad for it, and then sticking with the good stuff.
Is golf bad for it?
Hakanpää: I think my golf game is bad, so that is the biggest reason, to be honest.
When you look at the key players Brad Treliving brought in this summer, you and Chris Tanev have been involved in long playoff runs. Last year, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Anthony Stolarz won a Cup. What do you think the experience of going on deep runs will bring to this group?
Hakanpää: I think it is the everyday stuff, to be honest, of bringing that experience into the locker room with how we have done things in the past and maybe adding some fresh ideas here and there.
As long as we move on in the year, it is something we can help with a little more. At the start, it is about getting used to everything around here and the new systems. It is more everyday things we can help with here and there.
How will your game be a good fit for this Leafs team?
Hakanpää: I bring a lot of physicality, some good, solid defense play, and some PK specialty with me. It is something I put a lot of pride in. It is going to help the team as well.
Why did you choose Toronto?
Hakanpää: To me, it’s a gut decision at the end. You have some teams, and then you kind of sit there with that feeling inside of you that, “This is going to be the one.” That is what I have done in the past. That is what I’ve done again.
It is kind of hard to describe. There is just a good feeling about it. You just trust your gut.
