Anaheim Ducks Reportedly Sign Jani Hakanpää to One Year Contract
By Ciara Durant
The Anaheim Ducks have reportedly signed Finnish Defenseman, Jani Hakanpää, to a one-year, one-way, contract.
The Anaheim Ducks are almost a month into the postseason and things at the Ponda have been rather silent. Bob Murray has a summer checklist more than a mile long, and it seems like he is finally starting the process of checking a few boxes, starting with Jani Hakanpää.
It has been no secret that Murray has been on the hunt for a physical, right-handed, European defenseman. With both Brandon Montour and Sami Vatanen gone, the addition of Brendan Guhle, and the possibility that Korbinian Holzer and Jak Dotchin won’t be joining the Ducks next season, the right side is looking very lethargic.
Cam Fowler had tremendous success moving to the right side this season, and there is a big possibility we could see him back on the right side next year. However, aside from Holzer, Josh Manson is the only natural right-handed defenseman. Of course, that’s not to say that the Ducks other defensemen couldn’t transition to the right side, we saw it happen last season, but for some players, the transition can be awkward and uncomfortable.
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That is why signing a player like Hakanpää could potentially benefit the blueline. Hakanpää was originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues, 104th overall, in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. He has gone unsigned and aside from a few short seasons in the AHL, he has spent a majority of the last few years playing for Kärpät in the Finnish Elite Leauge, Ligga.
During his last season, he posted 23 points (11g, 12a) with Kärpät and an additional 3 points (1g, 2a) in 14 playoff games. It is currently unknown how his game will translate to the NHL. Hakanpää has a reputation for being a defensively minded defenseman, almost to a fault, with no offensive upside. His skating skills have also been called into question.
However, he isn’t meant to be a player who is a game changer for the Anaheim Ducks. The fact of the matter is, he will likely spend most of the season in the bottom pairing. With Cam Fowler, Brendan Guhle, Josh Manson, and Hampus Lindholm most likely in the top 4, Hakanpää will most probably be utilized when the Anaheim Ducks need a physical edge over their opponent or just need someone to eat up minutes.
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Do you think Bob Murray made the right decision by signing Jani Hakanpää or do you think GMBM has gone dumpster diving again? Let us know by leaving a comment for us with your thoughts down below.