The Anaheim Ducks have signed two defencemen to one-year contract extensions. Christian Djoos‘ new deal is worth $1 million while Jani Hakanpaa‘s will cost Anaheim $750,000. The Ducks announced the deal late Wednesday evening.
NEWS:
We have signed Christian Djoos and Jani Hakanpaa to one-year extensions. https://t.co/kMkjCF6JSP— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) May 6, 2020
Ducks Extend Djoos, Hakanpaa
Neither defender played much to this point in 2019-20. Christian Djoos started the year with the Washington Capitals but was traded near the deadline for Daniel Sprong. He scored one goal and three points in 11 games split between Anaheim and Washington before play was stopped. The seventh-round selection in the 2012 Draft has just five goals and 27 points in 119 NHL games.
Hakanpaa signed with the Ducks last summer but spent most of this year with the team’s AHL affiliate in San Diego. He scored one goal and 13 points in 47 games for the Gulls. He had been with Karpat in Finland’s Liiga where he scored 11 goals and 23 points in 52 games in 2018-19. Hakanpaa also had 94 penalty minutes.
It is difficult to say what their roles will be moving forward because neither of them did much this year. Both are likely no more than third-pairing penalty killers even on a rebuilding team like Anaheim. Hakanpaa looks like a classic player of that type at 6’5″, 218 pounds. He has only five NHL games to his credit but already accumulated 15 hits and seven blocks. Djoos is smaller at 6’0″, 169 but has 95 blocks in his career. Both will help support the Anaheim blueline while more talented offensive options develop.
What This Means for the Future
Both players could factor into the Ducks’ plans when hockey resumes either this year or for 2020-21. The team has decisions to make regarding defenders Michael Del Zotto and Matt Irwin. They could let both of them walk and let Djoos and Hakanpaa compete for those spots in training camp.
Anaheim has very few pending free agents left to sign. Sonny Milano and Jacob Larsson are the two big names left but neither will have much leverage as restricted free agents. The Ducks are far away from contention right now but their rebuild is one to watch this offseason.
Main Photo
