Anaheim Ducks Re-Sign Christian Djoos and Jani Hakanpaa
The Anaheim Ducks have re-signed both Christian Djoos and Jani Hakanpaa to a one-year contract extension into the 2020-21 season.
There hasn’t been a lot of news to come out of the Anaheim Ducks organization regarding their plans for next season. However, Wednesday, the organization announced that it had resigned both Christian Djoos and Jani Hakanpaa to one-year contract extensions that will extend their time with the Ducks into the 2020-21 season.
Has Jani Hakanpaa Finally Found a Home in the NHL?
Fans were not able to see Jani Hakanpaa on the NHL stage much last season. The 28-year-old spent the majority of his season with the San Diego Gulls (procuring 13 points in 47 games) after a tough showing in pre-season. However, after the Ducks top 4 was wiped out from injury, Hakanppa was given his chance and appeared in 5 games with the Anaheim Ducks. His patience was rewarded when he scored the game-tying goal in the second period during the Ducks final game against the St. Louis Blues.
Hakanpaa’s one-way contract with the Anaheim Ducks will see him make $750k during the 2020-21 season. To some, this extension may not make much sense, since the sample size available isn’t enough for Bob Murray to make an accurate assessment of how the Finnish defenseman can perform at the NHL level.
Nevertheless, Hakanpaa fits Murray’s M.O. almost perfectly, as was the assessment when he was signed out of Liiga last year. He is the kind of player that Murray loves displaying on his team. He has the body type, standing at 6’5” and 218lbs, and physicality. With guys like Nick Ritchie and Ryan Kesler no longer on the roster, it’s an area the Ducks are currently lacking in.
He also addresses another need, seeing as the Ducks have found it very hard to come by right-handed defensemen. With Korbinian Holzer no longer on the team, Hakanpaa could take on a role as the Ducks new 7th defenseman.
The Djoos is Loose!
Bob Murray’s trade deadline moves were shockingly abundant, and Christian Djoos was a result of one of those trades. Daniel Sprong, who had, for whatever reason, fallen out of favor with the Anaheim Ducks organization was sent to the Washington Capitals, in exchange for 25-year-old Swedish native, Djoos.
The former Stanley Cup Champion spent the majority of his season with the Hershey Bears after only two games with the Washington Capitals. Procuring 32 points in 42 games in the AHL, Djoos was given a new opportunity to showcase his skills on the Anaheim Ducks crumbling blueline.
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Before we go any further, might I just add, how can you not resign a player with the last name Djoos to a team located in Orange County? Not only does his name fit perfectly in OC, but he seemed to be a perfect fit for a team in the midst of so many changes.
Appearing in 9 games with the Anaheim Ducks prior to the premature ending to the 2019-20 season, Djoos produced one goal and two helpers. He was confident and poised in his debut. He had good energy with the handful of new faces also acquired by the Ducks during the trade deadline.
While 9 games isn’t a huge sample size, Djoos has impressed fans, and with a new contract freshly signed, he impressed the front office and coaching staff as well. He seems to be a lock to start the season, likely on the third pairing, which could offer a big boost to the Ducks struggling defense.
Pay Cuts to Stay in Anaheim
Both Hakanpaa and Djoos took pay cuts on their new contracts. Hakanpaa’s current contract is $100k less than last season and Djoos’ $1M contract is $250k less than his previous. While the reasons they took these pay cuts have been speculated, there is no clear answer as to why. However, it shows that they believe Anaheim is a good fit and they are dedicated to both the team and their fans. Whenever next season starts, it will be exciting to see where the 2020-21 season takes both Jani Hakanpaa and Christian Djoos.
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