The Detroit Red Wings are heading into this season looking to bolster their depth across the board. One area in particular that the Wings would address is their defensive depth. The club has a bona fide top-pairing defenseman in Moritz Seider. But beyond that, some questions emerge.
The second pairing of Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson looks good. But it’s the third pairing that may raise some questions. According to Daily Faceoff, Erik Gustafsson and Jacob Bernard-Docker are slated for the bottom two.
But there could be room to for the Red Wings add depth. That situation opens the door to take a flyer on a veteran defenseman looking for another shot. Specifically, that could be former Maple Leafs blue liner Jani Hakanpaa.
The towering 6’7” blue liner had a tough year last season while recovering from knee surgery. He was limited to two regular-season games before being shut down for good. But it seems that he’s feeling good now and totally healthy. That could be good news for the Red Wings.
According to the Finnish hockey outlet NHLSuomi, Hakanpaa is playing well in his native Finland and eyeing an NHL comeback. If that’s the case, Hakanpaa could be a solid addition to any team looking to bolster its defensive depth.
Not long ago, Hakanpaa was a massive shutdown defenseman for the Dallas Stars. So, why couldn’t the 33-year-old blue liner play a meaningful role if fully healthy?
Of course, the Red Wings would be taking a calculated gamble much the same way the Maple Leafs did. But for the right price, it wouldn’t be much of an issue.
Hakanpaa Would Make Sense for Red Wings on Cheap Contract
Last offseason, the Maple Leafs inked Hakanpaa to a one-year, $1.47 million deal. However, that hardly worked out. So now, Hakanpaa may be willing to join an NHL club like the Red Wings on an incentive-laden contract.
For instance, Hakanpaa could sign a deal like the one the Colorado Avalanche gave Brent Burns. Burns got a one-year, $1 million base with incentives that could surpass the $3 million mark. Many of those incentives are related to games played and point production.
Such a deal could be a motivator for Hakanpaa to prove to the Red Wings he’s still an NHL-caliber defenseman. Those sorts of deals often give veteran players incentive enough to prove they’ve still got plenty left in the tank.
Detroit Fans Must Be Realistic about Hakanpaa
Realistically, Jani Hakanpaa is a seventh defenseman for the Detroit Red Wings. It would be naïve to believe that he could step into a full-time role this upcoming season. If anything, he could be a decent replacement option in case of injuries. Since injuries are a normal part of NHL life, Hakanpaa could be a nice piece to have.
Considering that the Red Wings are looking to compete for a playoff spot this upcoming season, depth will be crucial.
That’s why the Red Wings could take a flyer on a veteran defenseman who’s reportedly fully healthy again. It would be a low-risk move with a potentially solid upside. It could be the sort of savvy move that pays off for contending clubs.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Red Wings Could Take a Flyer on Former Maple Leafs Blue Liner appeared first on Heavy Sports.