Hakanpää underwent knee surgery in December.
The Finnish men’s national ice hockey team received promising news on Monday, when Jani Hakanpää was involved in the training of the NHL club Toronto Maple Leafs.
According to the NHL’s website, Monday’s practices were Hakanpää’s first after knee surgery in December.
The defender has been chosen to represent Leijon in the four-country tournament to be played in February, which is intended only for NHL players.
After last season, Hakanpää had a knee replacement and then played two matches in November until he had to have another operation.
Toronto head coach Craig Berube could not say yet how long Hakanpää will take to recover to playing condition. He considered the defender’s return to ice practice to be a good sign anyway.
If Hakanpää does not recover by the national team tournament in February, the head coach of the Lions Antti Pennanen has to supplement his team with one defender. The choice will probably go to the Buffalo Sabres Henri Jokiharjuu.