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Reports emerge that Maple Leafs free agent signing is not actually under contract for next season
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Reports emerge that Maple Leafs free agent signing is not actually under contract for next season

What's the real story here?

Trevor Connors

The story that Toronto Maple Leafs fans have spent a calendar month trying to sort out, just got a lot more interesting.

First, flash back to July 1st and the official opening of the NHL offseason. In his 'state of the union' press conference, Leafs GM Brad Treliving spoke glowingly about the team's free agent signings like Chris Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Anthony Stolarz and Jani Hakanpaa. There's just one problem... Hakanpaa has never officially been added to the team's lineup.

The 32 year old Hakanpaa left the Dallas Stars as a free agent on July 1st and reportedly signed a two year, $3 million deal with the Leafs was never listed on the team's website and his signing was never promoted on the team's social media. The only mention of him signing with the team was from Treliving's mouth when he told media that Hakanpaa, "shines in his ability to kill penalties." He added that Toronto would rather have too many defensemen than not enough.

Since then Leafs insider Steve Simmonds has reported that Hakanpaa may never play in the NHL again due to a severe knee injury. "I was told his knee was bone on bone," Simmonds posted on Twitter just one day after the defender reportedly signed with Toronto. "I asked the Leafs about this. They said their doctors cleared him to be signed. We'll find out in the fall - or later - whether he can play again."

Since that report there's been no update on Hakanpaa... until this past weekend.

Hakanpaa is spending his offseason in his native Finland and this past weekend he was at an annual golf charity fundraiser where he was sporting a Dallas Stars jersey. 

Check it out:

Reports emerge that Maple Leafs free agent signing is not actually under contract for next season

Call me crazy, but that doesn't look like a Leafs jersey...

So... what's the deal here? What's going on?

Is Hakanpaa on the Leafs? Or is still a free agent?

Nick Barden of The Hockey News reportedly reached out to Hakanpaa and the Leafs for clarification but was not given a response. At this point, I think we may have to wait until the beginning of training camp in September to see whether or not he's actually on the roster.

Source: The Hockey News