Yahoo Finance Here’s what new Hurricanes defenseman Jani Hakanpaa brings to the team
Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour summed up his first impression of Jani Hakanpaa in six words: “He’s a big dude out there.”
Hakanpaa put in his first practice with the Canes on Wednesday at PNC Arena after his trade Monday from the Anaheim Ducks. The defenseman was paired mostly with Jake Bean and No. 58, the jersey number Hakanpaa will wear, did have a physical presence on the ice.
Bean is listed at 6-foot-1 and 186 pounds, which might be generous. Hakanpaa is listed at 6-5 and 218, which might be a little understated. He is a big dude.
For Hakanpaa, it was a blur of 48 hours since the trade. He said he was in San Jose and at a pregame meal when he got the call Monday from Anaheim general manager Bob Murray. He soon hopped a flight to Raleigh, went through COVID-19 testing and other protocols, took part in the Hurricanes official team photo taken Wednesday morning and then skated with his new team.
“Everything happened real quick,” Hakanpaa said on a Wednesday media call.
The Canes traded defenseman Haydn Fleury, who was popular with his teammates, for Hakanpaa and a 2022 draft pick. He gives the Canes another right-shot D-man, which they wanted to balance the D pairings, but also a rugged stay-at-home type who can be a body-banger, much like defenseman Joel Edmundson was for Carolina last season.
“I think I’ll bring the tenacity of playing hard and being hard to play against out there,” Hakanpaa said. “Be really solid on the back end, get that physicality up. That’s what I’ve been trying to do and expect of myself in games.”
Brind’Amour expects it, too. Hakanpaa has 168 hits in 42 games this season, second among NHL defensemen. That’s a big part of what he does.
“I want him to play the way he plays,” Brind’Amour said Wednesday. “We got him here because of that. We don’t need him to do anything differently. We know what he’s about.
“I think we’ll get to know him and maybe there’s other things to his game where we can say, ‘Hey, you can do this.’ But he better bring what we know he brings.”
The Nashville Predators will be the first opposing team to learn what Hakanpaa has added to the Canes lineup. The Preds (24-19-1) face the Canes Thursday and Saturday at PNC Arena, and will come in for the two games surging, clawing for playoff position in the Central Division, having gone 8-2-0 in their past 10 games.
Canes center Sebastian Aho expects Hakanpaa to be an easy fit for the Canes. The two played together for Karpat in Finland’s Liiga in 2015-16 after Hakanpaa returned to Finland from North America, and Aho is helping his fellow Finn with the transition.
“He’s a team-first guy,” Aho said Wednesday. “He does everything for the team. He’s a hard-working, honest player. Big, strong, fast. He’s a great guy, so it’s good to have him here.”
Hakanpaa, 29, does face some challenges in making the move during the pandemic. He has played against just West Division teams with the Ducks, so must get a quick feel for the teams in the Central in the final 15 games of the regular season. He also must try to get a feel for his new coaches and teammates at a time when COVID restrictions prevent much bonding time.
“I’ve never really been in this kind of situation before,” Hakanpaa said. “I think it’s different, for sure. You’re supposed to be on your own away from the rink but I think we’re going to make it work. At least you get to see the guys around the rink and try to get to know them as fast as I can and make the transition as smooth as possible.”
And make his presence felt on the ice as soon as he can. Obtaining Hakanpaa was the Canes’ only move at the NHL trade deadline, which Brind’Amour liked.
“Absorbing one body, we should be able to assimilate that into this group without too much chaos,” Brind’Amour said.
Carolina Hurricanes vs Nashville Predators
When: Thursday, 7 p.m.
Where: PNC Arena, Raleigh.
TV: BSSO (Bally)
