Jani Hakanpää, known for his imposing stature at 6'7" and weighing 222 pounds, brings a highly physical game to the ice, excelling particularly in penalty killing. His signing was announced alongside those of
Chris Tanev and
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who joined the Leafs on six-year and four-year deals respectively. While Tanev and Ekman-Larsson's contracts are considerably more lucrative, Hakanpää's addition is seen as a strategic, albeit risky, bet by the Leafs.