Although the Marlies suffered a loss in Cleveland, the game held significant importance for Maple Leafs defenseman Jani Hakanpää and forward Connor Dewar, as it marked their season debut following injuries. “
It’s been a while since I’ve been able to play,” Hakanpää remarked about the AHL matchup on Saturday night. “It felt incredible to be back on the ice. Just the preparation for the game was a great experience. It truly felt unreal. This was a big milestone for me.”
Dewar, returning from off-season shoulder surgery, incurred a tripping penalty just 4:33 into the game but scored only seven seconds after leaving the penalty box. “It was great for my confidence,” he said on Monday. “I was a bit nervous, but also really excited.” Hakanpää’s future in hockey was uncertain after sustaining a knee injury while with the Dallas Stars, and he hadn’t played since March 16 of last year. Over the weekend, he was paired with Marshall Rifai. “I was just thrilled to be back on the ice,” the 32-year-old Hakanpää expressed on Monday. “I couldn’t stop smiling yesterday; it felt so good to be playing again.”
While some doubted whether he would return to the game, Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving signed him to a one-year, $1.47 million (U.S.) contract, believing the six-foot-seven defenseman would bring much-needed toughness to the blue line. “He plays a straightforward game and knows what type of player he is,” Marlies coach John Gruden said. “I thought he and Rifai worked really well together. It was a pleasure to have him back, and I’m sure he enjoyed getting back into the game and regaining his timing.”
Hakanpää reflected that the highlight of his first minor-league game since 2020 was the chance to deliver a hit. “It felt really good,” he shared. “It definitely gets your adrenaline going. That’s something you can’t really find anywhere else.” Hakanpää and Dewar have spent much of their rehabilitation time together since training camp began, and they were back on the ice for practice on Monday. Both admitted they had some nerves leading up to Saturday’s game. “Before the game, you worry about it… but once I got in there, I felt good,” Dewar said. “I was able to put any concerns aside and just play hockey.”
Dewar centered the line with Nick Abruzzese and Logan Shaw. “He plays a complete game,” Gruden noted about Dewar. “We can use him in any situation. However, after being off the ice for so long, it takes time to get your timing back. I thought he integrated really well with us and did a good job of maintaining structure while working on getting his timing back.” Dewar mentioned that his shoulder felt fine, and Hakanpää felt the same about his knee, which raises some considerations for Treliving. Their conditioning assignments are scheduled to end on Wednesday, but they could be extended if everyone agrees.
The Marlies won’t play again until Saturday in Charlotte, and the Leafs may see the benefit of having them play one more game before possibly calling them up. This would also give Treliving extra time to explore roster changes.
The Leafs have the salary-cap space to accommodate both players, but there are no available roster spots. To create room, they would likely need to place rarely used defensemen Philippe Myers and Matt Benning on waivers. Hakanpää and Dewar are both eager to make their return to the NHL, whether it’s this week or next. “It’s been a long time, to say the least,” Hakanpää remarked. “There have been many long days leading up to this point, but once you’re here, it all feels worth it, right? It’s all good.”
Center Fraser Minten appears ready to return from a high-ankle sprain on Saturday. He was assigned to the Marlies last week and practiced centering Nikita Grebenkin and Alex Steeves. “I want to play,” said the 20-year-old Minten, who got injured during rookie camp. “It’s not the best situation, but once it happens, you can either spend an hour feeling sorry for yourself or you can move on. I choose to put it behind me and focus on what I can do.”
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