Maple Leafs place Calle Jarnkrok, Jani Hakanpaa and Dakota Mermis on long-term injured reserve

The Toronto Maple Leafs revealed its opening-day roster for the 2024-25 season, formally announcing that Calle Järnkrok, Jani Hakanpää, and Dakota Mermis will start the season on long-term injured reserve. Forwards Connor Dewar and Fraser Minten have also been placed on injured reserve.

Hakanpää’s placement doesn’t come as much of a surprise given his current status. The Finnish defenseman suffered a knee injury late last season while with the Dallas Stars, which kept him out for the entirety of the team’s run to the Western Conference Final. The Maple Leafs reportedly signed Hakanpää to a two-year contract once free agency opened on July 1, but the contract was never registered with the league.

Toronto and Hakanpää finally got a deal done last month, signing the 6-foot-7 defender to a one-year, $1.47 million contract. He didn’t join the Leafs on the ice until the beginning of October.

Järnkrok had been dealing with a lower-body injury throughout most of training camp, and reaggravated it during Toronto’s preseason game last Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings. It is another ailment on a list that has grown since last season. The Swedish forward had multiple injuries that kept him out of good chunks of the 2023-24 campaign, limiting him to just 52 games during the regular season.

Mermis signed a one-year contract with the Leafs this past offseason, with a cap hit of $775,000, after spending the last four seasons with the Minnesota Wild organization. Unfortunately, the defenseman underwent jaw surgery last month, which has kept him off the ice. Mermis played a career-high 47 games in the NHL last season, scoring three goals and eight points for the Wild.

Dewar didn’t start training camp on time with the Leafs, as he still recovering from shoulder surgery he had this past offseason. He was acquired by Toronto right before the trade deadline from the Wild, and was expected to make the team once again.

Minten had a disappointing start to the year, as he suffered a high-ankle sprain during a rookie prospect tournament last month, which has kept him out of action. It is a shame for Minten, a forward many expected to challenge for a spot on the main roster in training camp.

The Maple Leafs open their 2024-25 season on Wednesday night against the Montreal Canadiens.