Ice chips: Toronto Maple Leafs send Hakanpää, Dewar to AHL on conditional loans

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Maple Leafs designated defenseman Jani Hakanpää and forward Connor Dewar to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL on LTIR conditioning loans on Friday.

Both players are due to play this season, with Hakanpää recovering from a knee injury last season with Dallas Stars and Dewar undergoing offseason shoulder surgery.

TSN Hockey pundit Darren Dreger reported Thursday that the return of injured players could lead to more moves for the Maple Leafs, who traded Timothy Liljegren earlier this week.

“I would expect Brad Treliving to either have to put another player on waivers, maybe there’s an American Hockey League conditioning period that can be applied, or the idea of ​​a trade, because Toronto right now is stuck with them. 23-man roster,” Dreger told Insider Trading. “But beyond that, it was a fresh start for Timothy Liljegren. Right? He didn’t fit head coach Craig Berube’s eye. So, he gets this start with the San Jose Sharks. The Toronto Maple Leafs get some draft picks, which they need Matt Benning – a veteran defenseman – for whom Treliving could also add an extra asset.

Hakanpää, 32, had two goals and 10 assists in 64 games with the Stars last season before the injury, averaging 18:38 of ice time. Stars general manager Jim Nill confirmed after the season that Hakanpaa had an arthroscopic knee procedure but was not expected to require additional surgery.

TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported on July 1 that Hakanpää and the Leafs agreed to a two-year, $3 million deal. Treliving listed the defenseman among the team’s additions later that day, but his signing wasn’t made official until he completed a one-year, $1.47 million deal last month.

Selected in the fourth round of the 2010 draft by St. Louis Bluesthe Finnish blueliner didn’t make his NHL debut until the 2019-20 season with Anaheim Ducks. He has 15 goals and 45 points in 288 career games with the Ducks, The Carolina Hurricanes and Stars.

Dewar had 11 goals and 19 points in 74 games, split last season between Minnesota Wild and the Maple Leafs. He added an assist in six playoff games as the Maple Leafs fell Boston Bruins in seven first-round games.

The 25-year-old re-signed with the Maple Leafs in July on a one-year, $1.18 million deal.

Drafted 92nd overall by the Wild in 2018, Dewar has 19 goals and 43 points in 190 career games split between the Wild and Leafs.