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Jani Hakanpaa

Morning Notes: Broberg, Stadium Series, Hakanpaa

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The Edmonton Oilers aren’t planning on trading former top prospect Philip Broberg for a rental, says Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Saturday Headlines. Friedman added that he thinks Broberg has been garnering plenty of interest thanks to his strong AHL play. The 22-year-old defenseman has one goal and 19 points in 29 games with the Bakersfield Condors this season. He’s also appeared in 10 NHL games, going without a point and recording a -2.

Broberg was originally selected with the eighth overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, seeing his name called amidst a historic first round. But he’s one of just two players in that year’s Top 10 to not yet play in at least 100 NHL games. Broberg has managed just 79 appearances with the Oilers since making his NHL debut in 2021-22, scoring a measly two goals and 11 points in those outings. Scoring wasn’t Broberg’s strength before his NHL career, totaling just 21 points across 89 games in the SHL, but his performances in North America have still left a lot to be desired. Still, per Friedman, there are still teams interested in whether they can turn around Broberg’s career. With the Oilers not looking to move him for a rental, it’s likely that the team will still want a hardy return for their most recent Top 10 draftee.

Other notes from around the league:

Injury Notes: Stars, Avalanche, Martinez, Savoie

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Saad Yousuf of The Athletic relayed several injury updates from the Head Coach of the Dallas Stars, Peter DeBoer this morning. All of the injury reports being on the milder side, the Stars could reasonably expect most of the players to be ready for opening night next week.

Being two of the more high-profile players on the list forwards Roope Hintz and Wyatt Johnston are both working their way back from injuries. Hintz has returned to skating following an upper-body injury, while Johnston had a non-surgical procedure performed, and is expected back skating this weekend.

Following those two, Yousuf reports that Radek Faksa has received stitches, but is not in concussion protocol after receiving a solid check in Tuesday night’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. Not playing in Tuesday night’s game, DeBoer also mentions that defenseman Jani Hakanpaa is out with an undisclosed injury, and is currently being evaluated by the team’s medical staff.

It goes without saying that injury news of any kind is negative news, but luckily for Dallas, a team that could very well win the NHL’s Central Division this season, all should be back in due time.

Other injury notes:

  • Staying in the Central Division, Corey Masisak of the Denver Post similarly relayed injury news from the Head Coach of the Avalanche, Jared Bednar. Bednar expects both Mikko Rantanen and Josh Manson to be ready for opening night but is unsure in regards to the status of Andrew Cogliano. For the entirety of this year’s preseason, Rantanen and Manson have each only suited up in one game, while Cogliano is still working his way back from a fractured neck in last year’s opening-round playoff matchup against the Seattle Kraken.
  • Ben Gotz of the Las Vegas Review-Journal is reporting that three-time Cup champion defenseman, Alec Martinez, will not participate in any team activities for the next few days due to a lower-body injury. Losing a step since his time with the Los Angeles Kings, the Vegas Golden Knights will surely use the next few days to make sure Martinez is ready for opening night, as he was a part of the defensive core that was fundamental in the Knights winning their first Stanley Cup in franchise history last season.
  • With his eligibility still up in the air for the AHL this season, Buffalo Sabres’ prospect, Matthew Savoie is progressing nicely in recovery of an upper-body injury, and will likely be rejoining the team tomorrow morning. Having the talent to crack Buffalo’s roster out of the gates this upcoming season, Savoie’s play to finish up training camp may resolve any questions the Sabres had regarding his eligibility.

Jani Hakanpää To Undergo Knee Surgery

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Dallas Stars defenseman Jani Hakanpää is slated for offseason knee surgery, general manager Jim Nill said Thursday morning. The 31-year-old defensive stalwart missed four playoff games, including Games 1 and 2 of the Western Conference Final, with a lower-body injury.

Nill also mentioned Hakanpää was dealing with a separate back injury during the postseason, which will not require further action. While the team hasn’t confirmed his recovery timeline, don’t expect the 6-foot-7, 220-pound Finn to be ready for training camp in September.

Dallas’ shutdown pairing of Hakanpää and his fellow countryman, Esa Lindell, was among the most-used pairings in the league this season. They spent nearly 1,000 minutes paired together during the regular season and were the only pairing to see the ice together in all 82 games, per MoneyPuck.

The physical defensive specialist developed into a legitimate top-four defender in 2022-23, recording career-highs in nearly every category. While averaging over 19 minutes per game, Hakanpää recorded 16 points and a +18 rating in all 82 games.

It’s been a very long path to the NHL for Hakanpää, and hopefully, he can return to form for the Stars after fully recovering. Originally part of the St. Louis Blues’ 2010 draft class, Hakanpää didn’t make his NHL debut until nearly a decade later, playing five games at the tail end of the 2019-20 season with the Anaheim Ducks.

He’s made strong defensive impacts since, playing over 200 games during the past few seasons with the Ducks, Stars, and Carolina Hurricanes. He’s locked in at a $1.5MM cap hit for next season and is slated for unrestricted free agency in 2024.

If Hakanpää is not available to start the regular season, expect more opportunities for youngster Nils Lundkvist to begin 2023-24. The 22-year-old stayed in the NHL full-time this year, recording 16 points in 60 games, but was a healthy scratch for the entirety of Dallas’ run to the Western Conference Final.

Nill also told reporters that pending UFA forward Evgenii Dadonov, who left in the first period of Dallas’ Game 3 loss to Vegas, sustained a Grade 2 MCL strain in his knee and likely would not have played in the Stanley Cup Final, had Dallas advanced. The 34-year-old found new life in Dallas after coming over near the trade deadline from the Montreal Canadiens, recording seven goals and 25 points in 39 combined regular season and playoff games.

Jani Hakanpaa Returns To Stars Lineup

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Saad Yousuf of The Athletic reports that Dallas Stars defenseman Jani Hakanpaa will be back in the team’s lineup for Game 3. Hakanpaa is yet to play in the Western Conference Final, and has been out of the Stars lineup since Game 6 of the team’s second round series victory over the Seattle Kraken. He has missed the past three games, and also missed Game 4 of the Kraken series.

Injury details are often kept quiet in the NHL postseason and Hakanpaa’s ailment is no exception. It was labelled as a lower-body injury but there was never a timeline given on his return nor was there any more details mentioned about how the injury actually occurred or what exactly is bothering him.

The 31-year-old defenseman will step back into the Stars lineup and provide a physical presence in his defensive role. The 6-foot-6 defender does not put up a ton of points, but regularly was playing over 20 minutes per game before injury knocked him out of the lineup. He had one goal and two points in 11 playoff games so far this spring and also scored six goals and 16 points while playing all 82 regular season games for the Stars.

The Stars have lost the first two games of the series, both in overtime, and will look to avoid a nearly insurmountable 3-0 series deficit with a win on home ice tonight.

Injury Notes: Stephenson, Hakanpää, Hamilton

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The Vegas Golden Knights may face a slight hiccup tonight when they try and take a 3-0 stranglehold in the Western Conference Final. Center Chandler Stephenson missed this morning’s practice with an illness, although head coach Bruce Cassidy still expects him to be available tonight.

Stephenson sits third on the team in scoring with 13 points in 13 games so far in the postseason, and he’s been an invaluable secondary scorer for Vegas over the past number of seasons. His seven goals are tied for the team lead with William Karlsson, and he’s averaging over 18 minutes per game. If Stephenson isn’t well enough to play tonight, expect the 27-year-old Michael Amadio to draw back into the lineup. He’s been scratched from the team’s last four games to make way for Teddy Blueger to enter the lineup.

  • Dallas Stars defenseman Jani Hakanpää took pregame skate this morning and is expected to play in tonight’s Game 3 against Vegas, per Stars radio analyst Bruce LeVine. The 31-year-old defensive stalwart missed the last three games with an upper-body injury. The 6-foot-7 Finn contributed a career-high 16 points and +18 rating during the regular season.
  • New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton wasn’t 100% when his team bowed out to the Carolina Hurricanes in the Second Round, and today, The Fourth Period’s James Nichols reports Hamilton had surgery to repair his right wrist. Per Nichols, Hamilton is expected to be ready for the start of the 2023-24 season, although he doesn’t offer clarity on whether this affects his availability for training camp. The 29-year-old is entering the third season of a seven-year, $63MM contract signed with the Devils in 2021.

Jani Hakanpaa To Miss Game One

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As the Western Conference Finals begin this evening, the Dallas Stars will be out a defenseman, as Tracey Myers of the NHL reports that Jani Hakanpaa will miss Game One, and Colin Miller will take his place in the lineup. Hakanpaa has not played since Game Six against the Seattle Kraken, and may still be out with the lower-body injury that hampered him during that semifinal series.

This will be the third game that Hakanpaa has missed for the Stars so far this playoffs but has proven to be a serviceable defenseman when he has played. In 11 games in this postseason, Hakanpaa has scored one goal and one assist, averaging nearly 21 minutes a night in the process.

Miller, who will be replacing Hakanpaa in the lineup against the Vegas Golden Knights, managed to play in five games for Dallas when they took on the Kraken. In their previous series, Miller added one assist, averaging just over 15 minutes a game.

The Stars’ ability to replace a player in their lineup with seemingly a similar caliber player is a testament to the depth that this team has put together. With currently eight defensemen on their playoff roster, Dallas has built up a formidable blueline staff and is a major reason for their progression in this year’s playoffs.

Stars Notes: Marchment, Hakanpaa, Dellandrea

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The Dallas Stars will be without a key forward as they take on the Seattle Kraken in Game 5 of their second round series. Mike Heika of NHL.com reports Mason Marchment will not play tonight in a pivotal game as one team will split the deadlock and take a 3-2 series lead. Marchment left Game 4 early after taking an elbow to the face from Kraken forward Alex Wennberg, which appeared to be accidental.

Marchment put up decent numbers for the Stars in his first season in Dallas, scoring 12 goals and 31 points in 68 regular season games as well as five points in ten postseason contests. The 6-foot-4 and 210 pound winger also brings a physical presence that teams are always searching for to find an edge in a lengthy playoff series.

  • In better news for the Stars, Heika also reports defenseman Jani Hakanpaa will be back in the lineup. He missed Game 4 of this series with a lower-body injury but will be back on the ice as the Stars look to take a series lead. Hakanpaa has quietly earned a big role with the Stars, playing over 20 minutes per game in this postseason and taking care of business in the defensive end.
  • Youngster Ty Dellandrea also missed Game 4 with what was called a sickness, but Heika also mentions the 22-year-old forward is returning to the ice for Game 5. He will slot in on the fourth line after his first full NHL season saw him score nine goals and 28 points in 82 games. Dellandrea has one point in nine playoff games this spring as well.

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