It appears the Toronto Maple Leafs may have a contingency plan if former Dallas defenseman Jani Hakanpaa does not work out in terms of a contract due to major injuries to his knee.
Recent photos have surfaced on Instagram regarding former Leafs defenseman John Klingberg spending time with Maple Leafs forward Pontus Holmberg as he was seen dining with him, his girlfriend and other friends.
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This could suggest that the Maple Leafs could re-acquire Klingberg on a team friendly one year contract which could likely be a league minimum. General manager Brad Treliving had high hopes for Klingberg as he was to bring the Leafs power play to another level especially with his point shot.
After several games with the Maple Leafs it became clear that he could not continue to play for the remainder of the season due to a significant injury to his hip.
He managed only 14 games with the Leafs and scored no goals with five assists and was a - 7. Shortly afterwards he was placed on long term injury reserve where he had to undergo more surgery to fix his hip.
If his health is back to 100% and would seek a contract with the Leafs, it can give them an alternative as the 7th defenseman at a low cost which could give them depth down the stretch.
In the end it'll all come down to what Treliving thinks and could likely just look at the Marlies to see if there are any defensemen ready to make the leap into the NHL.
