'He's Got To Be Comfortаble Wіtһ Gettіng In Tһere And Plаyіng A Gаme': Jаnі Hаkаnраа Tаkes Pаrt іn Full Mарle Leаfs Prасtісe But Return to Aсtіon Remаіns Unсleаr

Wednesday was the first time Hakanpaa participated in a full practice with Toronto since signing with the team in early September.

Although Jani Hakanpaa was on the ice for a full practice with the Maple Leafs in Muskoka on Wednesday, head coach Craig Berube still wasn't sure when the defenseman could be ready for game action.

Since training camp opened two weeks ago, Hakanpaa has been skating with Toronto's injured players, and at times, the Maple Leafs' development group as he worked his way back from arthroscopic knee surgery earlier this year. 

Wednesday was the first time the defenseman participated in a full practice with the team. Toronto didn't do line rushes, but had the defensemen skating in pairs, where Hakanpaa was the ninth defender in the group.

His status as to when the 32-year-old might appear in a game remains up in the air.

"Yeah, that's a tough one. I can't really answer that question right now. We have to wait and see," Berube said in Muskoka on Wednesday. "We got a little bit of time yet and see where he gets to and where he's at. He's got to be comfortable with getting in there and playing a game."

Along with getting in a full practice with the team, Hakanpaa was also able to shed the red non-contact jersey he had been wearing for the last two weeks.

"I think this was kind of like the first test to kind of see where we're at and how everything's going to go. We'll see where we are tomorrow morning and then we'll go from there again," said Hakanpaa after practice in Muskoka. 

"It's really to see how you feel every day and then we make adjustments if you have to, but hopefully we don't and we can keep going here."

Hakanpaa signed a one-year, $1.47 million contract with the Maple Leafs after a summer filled with question marks regarding his future following a report that he signed a two-year deal with Toronto on July 1.

The team brought Hakanpaa in early in the summer, and Toronto's staff travelled to Finland to witness the defenseman's rehab process, before ultimately, becoming comfortable enough to give him a contract.

"It's been a long time coming for sure. Been doing a lot of work to get here, so it was a lot of fun," Hakanpaa said about what it was like to skate in a full practice with his new team. 

"To actually be with the guys out there, get to know them a little more, it was a lot of fun."

The veteran defender of nearly 300 NHL games is often found on the penalty kill of his perspective teams, though he didn't skate there on Wednesday in practice. Instead, Hakanpaa was one of the defenders during the team's 5-on-3 drill, protecting the net.

He was going up against Toronto's top forwards, who got a first-hand taste of what Hakanpaa could provide to the Maple Leafs in due time.

"Yeah, he's big. He's really big. Obviously, with the skates on, too, it's a different animal. I think he's just continuing to progress health-wise throughout camp. I don't know what his status exactly is, but it's good to see him out there with the team in a group team setting, taking reps and stuff like that," Matthews said. 

"I think he could be a big help for us, obviously, on the back end, just with his size and his physicality, different areas, special teams, stuff like that. It'll be good to see him continue to get better and progress."

This was a step in the right direction for Hakanpaa. Stepping onto the ice and taking in a full practice, in a team setting, can only mean he's approaching a point where getting into games could be a possibility.

However, Hakanpaa — nor the Maple Leafs — isn't rushing into that situation with a rapid timeline.

"We're just going day by day right now. Trying to do everything we can, and then hopefully sooner or later [get into a game], but right now it's just like day-to-day."