'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Fans reacted as Jani Hakanpaa joined a charity golf event in Oulu, Finland, wearing a Stars jersey, increasing uncertainty about his future with the Maple Leafs. Reports say Hakanpaa signed a two-year deal with Toronto as Nick Barden from The Hockey News pointed out the unusual choice of jersey.
NHL analyst David Alter shared Barden's post on X (formerly Twitter) and said he didn't get a response from Hakanpaa's reps last week.
"We reached out to Hakanpaa’s reps last week for clarity on his status and received no response," Alter tweeted.
Trending
Hakanpaa's appearance in a Stars jersey has led to reactions from hockey fans on X.
"This is a very strange and sketchy situation…," one fan said.
"It's pretty obvious that he failed his medical or they hit some sort of injury related roadblock that killed the deal," another fan commented.
"Reach out to Treliving," one X user said.
Take a look at some more reactions from NHL fans on X.
"Anyway I broke the Myers signing," a fan commented.
"It appears that no one has told him yet..," a fan tweeted.
"This isn’t going to go over well," a fan said.
Jani Hakanpaa's status uncertain after Maple Leafs' signing
The Toronto Maple Leafs' defense situation is unclear with Jani Hakanpaa's status in doubt.
On July 1, they reportedly signed him to a two-year, $3 million deal. Hakanpaa, who had knee surgery in March, hasn't played since then. Postmedia’s Steve Simmons said that his knee was "bone on bone," but the Leafs' medical team cleared him for signing.
"I was told his knee was bone on bone. I asked the Leafs about this. They said their doctors cleared him to be signed. We'll find out in the fall - or later - whether he can play again," Simmons shared on X.
Despite his key role with the Stars last season, he's not listed on Toronto's roster. Leafs GM Brad Treliving mentioned that the team prefers to have more defensemen and noted Hakanpaa's penalty-killing skills.
Last season, Jani Hakanpaa scored two goals and had 10 assists in 64 games with the Dallas Stars. He injured his knee late in the season and needed arthroscopic surgery, missing the last 13 regular-season games and the playoffs.
