Jani Hakanpaa could still be a Maple Leaf without officially signing original contract

When he Maple Leafs announced they had signed former Dallas Stars defenseman Jani Hakanpaa to a 2-year, $3M deal deal this offseason the hopes were high; Toronto had acquired a towering elite shutdown defenseman which is something they've desperately needed for years.

But questions arose once the contract was signed, with many analysts and pundits wondering if the deal was even feasible.

But while Toronto can sit and wait to hear word from an otherwise silent Hakanpaa camp; they could utilize a different type of contract to see if he's up to snuff.

While not out of the ordinary, using a PTO on Hakanpaa would allow Toronto to be able to assess his on-ice ability through training camp and the preseason before making any type of dollar commitment. His contract isn't official yet as he has not yet passed the Leafs standard for physical health.

Throughout the years many veterans and bounce back players sign them in hopes of being able to latch onto an NHL squad; Hakanpaa's camp should do the same. If they're worried about Toronto feeling buyer's remorse; they could negotiate with Toronto to give Hakanpaa a chance on a PTO with the idea that they would be more than likely to sign him it's just a matter of seeing and believing.

If the Leafs truly want Hakanpaa, and he is willing to sacrifice money at the start for the chance to prove himself; it might be in everyone's best interest to take a quick look.

Source: HockeyDB
Jani Hakanpaa Statistics and Player Bio