NHL analyst Jonas Siegel thinks the $1,470,000 defenseman is ‘not working’ after Brad Treliving’s second offseason with the Maple Leafs

Almost everything general manager Brad Treliving touched turned to gold in his second year with the Toronto Maple Leafs. His moves, including bringing in a new coach, led the Leafs to first place in their league. They lead the defending champions and Treliving’s work has played a big part in helping them get there.

However, not everything worked out. The $1.47 million signing of defenseman Jani Hakanpao is a good example of that. One hockey analyst believes that’s the only blemish on Treliving’s resume this year.

In Jonas Siegel’s latest column on The Athletic, the analyst lists Hakanpau, who hasn’t played since mid-November and has just two games under his belt all year, under “not working.”

“The 32-year-old has been on the ice recently for regular skating work with player development coach Denver Manderson, but has not participated in training for a month,” the analyst said. “Hakanpaa was a flyer when the Leafs ended up signing him to a one-year deal in the fall, not the two-year deal that was prematurely announced in July.”

According to Siegel, Hakanpa’s signing was initially controversial due to knee issues, and “the first half of the season did nothing to alleviate those concerns.”

The NHL The insider said the concern only increased given his lack of playing time and the apparent sluggishness with which he played when the defenseman was healthy. Siegel said it could be “big” if Hakanpaa returns to form, but it doesn’t look likely.

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NHL insider praises Chris Tanev’s addition to Brad Treliving’s Maple Leafs

Brad Treliving made a successful move and signed defender Chris Taneva to a six-year contract. So far, the move has aged like fine wine for the Maple Leafs in many ways.

Something crucial, especially compared to Tanev’s peers, is how many games he played. While Auston MatthewsAnthony Stolarz and others suffered injuries, Tanev did not.

“Tanev played in all but one game. That’s only half a season into a six-year deal — a full decision on his contract, which expires in 2030, won’t come for a while. But he was great early on,” Jonas Siegel said.

Tanev is outscoring his teammates in shots, scoring chances, high-danger chances, high-danger goals and expected goals in five-on-five play.