<a href='https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>The Leafs</a> have unfortunately placed Jani Hakanpaa on the injured reserve list as his condition has not improved, and in return have called up Marshall Rifai. The Toronto Maple Leafs have placed defenseman Jani Hakanpaa on injured reserve retroactive to November 16 with a lower-body injury. Hakanpaa can be activated at any time when he's cleared to play, but the team hasn't released any specific details on the injury or a timeline for recovery. <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/DailyFaceoff/status/1863612129913548878'> </a></blockquote></div> The Leafs have called up defenseman Marshall Rifai from <a href='https://www.marlies.ca/' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>the Toronto Marlies</a> to fill the gap. This marks Rifai's first NHL call-up this season after being assigned to the AHL on October 7 following a waiver clearance. <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/nickbarden/status/1863607820702126200'> </a></blockquote></div> It's uncertain whether Hakanpaa's current lower-body issue is related to <a href='https://www.hockeylatest.com/nhl-team/toronto-maple-leafs/brad-treliving-breaks-his-silence-on-if-leafs-jani-hakanpaa-is-ever-going-to-play' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>the knee injury that delayed his season debut</a>. He underwent arthroscopic surgery last spring after his 2023-24 campaign ended prematurely in mid-March. The procedure didn't need any additional testing, and Hakanpaa signed a two-year deal with Toronto on July 1. The deal was later changed to a one-year contract before it was finalized on September 11. Hakanpaa wasn't fully healthy until November 13 and has appeared in two games since then, notching four blocked shots, a minus-1 rating, and no points. He suffered the latest injury during his second appearance and has missed the last four games. Hakanpaa had been rotating in Toronto's bottom-pairing defensive role alongside Simon Benoit and Conor Timmins, a spot now set to be filled by Rifai. <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/1863603334042505518'> </a></blockquote></div> Rifai has tallied four points (two goals, two assists) in 17 games with the Marlies this season and leads the team with a +10 rating. The undrafted free agent, who signed with Toronto in 2022, and was later <a href='https://www.hockeylatest.com/nhl-team/toronto-maple-leafs/marshall-rifai-handed-two-year-extension-by-the-toronto-maple-leafs' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>handed a two-year extension in September 2024</a>, made his NHL debut last season, going pointless in two games with a +1 rating while averaging just under 12 minutes of ice time per game. Over the past two seasons, he's accumulated 25 points in 126 AHL games.