The Toronto Maple Leafs shared some news on Friday about Connor Dewar and Jani Hakanpää heading to the AHL for conditioning.
These players will join the Toronto Marlies as part of their recovery, staying on long-term injured reserve until they’re fit for NHL action. Unlike typical loans, these LTIR stints are brief, lasting only up to six days or three games. Once their time is up, if they’re healthy, they can return to the main team.
With Dewar and Hakanpää’s potential return next week, the Leafs need to make some roster adjustments. They have enough cap space after a recent trade with the Sharks that swapped Timothy Liljegren for Matt Benning. However, they need to free up spots on their 23-man roster. Philippe Myers might be waived since he hasn’t contributed much this season; he played just once against the Bruins with a -1 rating in over 12 minutes of playtime. The other necessary move could involve another trade by Brad Treliving.
Roster Moves and Player Impact:
Beyond these changes, Dewar and Hakanpää are valuable assets coming back into play. Dewar has worn the Maple Leaf before in both regular-season and playoff games last year after being traded from the Wild. He played well in his role with a goal and four assists while switching between center and wing positions effortlessly . Fans might think it’s exciting to see him back soon as he’s been practicing hard post-shoulder surgery.
Hakanpää will finally debut for Toronto after dealing with knee issues from his time with Dallas Stars last season. His initial two-year contract wasn’t registered due to medical disagreements but was later revised to a one-year deal worth $1.47M in September. Known for his defensive skills rather than scoring prowess, he brings experience from Anaheim and Carolina before becoming a shutdown force in Dallas.
Upon returning, Dewar aims to compete against Kämpf or Lorentz for a spot among forwards while Hakanpää eyes Simon Benoit or Conor Timmins’ positions on defense.
What do you think about these moves? Are you excited for their comeback?
