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Toronto Maple Leafs Defenseman Ruled Out of 4 Nations Face-Off
It’s been a difficult year of injury for Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jani Hakanpaa. The veteran blue liner has been held to just two regular season contests in his first season in Toronto as he battles through various injuries and ailments.
The 32-year-old’s season has received another blow as it’s been shared that he’s been ruled out for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off.
There was minimal hope that the Maple Leafs’ defenseman would be ready to go, but Hakanpaa and his native country of Finland were clinging on to it. With the pool of active NHL defensemen from Finland being drastically thin, the Finns were desperate not to replace him. Unfortunately, Hakanpaa’s not cleared to play and will miss the tournament. NHL insider Chris Johnston shared the disappointing update via his X account.
“Jani Hakanpää has been ruled out of the 4 Nations Face-Off because of his ongoing injury issues,” he wrote. “Finland now needs two replacements on “D” with Miro Heiskanen already out.”
Jani Hakanpää has been ruled out of the 4 Nations Face-Off because of his ongoing injury issues.
Finland now needs two replacements on “D” with Miro Heiskanen already out.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) February 1, 2025
As Johnston indicates, Finland must now find two more defensemen to fill out their tournament roster. Henri Jokiharju of the Buffalo Sabres is a logical next choice, but the final defenseman to make the squad is likely down to Urho Vakaanainen of the New York Rangers or Ville Heinola of the Winnipeg Jets.
Hakanpaa was originally selected in the fourth round of the 2010 NHL Draft by the St. Louis Blues. He wouldn’t make his NHL debut until nearly a decade later, however, when he played in five games with the Anaheim Ducks in 2019-2020.
Where he’s grown his reputation as a stay-at-home defender was with the Dallas Stars over the past few seasons. He skated in 80, 82, and 64 games in each of this three seasons with the Stars, and developed a physical and gritty style of defense that goaltenders and coaches love to have. Now Finland will need to replace him and hope their blue line can hold up at the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off.
Toronto Maple Leafs Defenseman, Jake Muzzin, has been ruled out of the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off tournament due to an undisclosed injury. The news comes as a blow to both the Maple Leafs and Team Canada, as Muzzin was expected to be a key player in the tournament.
Muzzin has been a consistent performer for the Maple Leafs this season, providing solid defensive play and contributing offensively as well. His absence will surely be felt on the ice, but the team is confident that they have the depth to fill the void left by Muzzin’s absence.
We wish Jake Muzzin a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him back on the ice soon. In the meantime, the Maple Leafs will have to regroup and adjust their game plan as they prepare for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.
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