Some may remember a defenseman hailing from Sweden who played for the Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers organizations in the early 1990s, by the name of Par Djoos. His son, Christian Djoos, is now playing in the AHL with the Hershey Bears for the Washington Capitals organization, and like his father, is a blue-liner.
Draft Selection and Contract
Selected by the Capitals in the seventh round of the 2012 NHL draft, and having signed his entry-level contract with the Capitals in 2014, Djoos is in year two of his three-year agreement. According to capfriendly.com, he’s on a two-year contract, paying him $70,000 at the AHL level and $675,000 (for this season) if he makes the big club.
Scouting Report
Djoos is tabbed as a puck-moving defenseman with good offensive instincts, as you’ll see below.
One knock on Djoos is his size. Listed at 5’11” and 158 pounds, his height isn’t an obstacle as much as his weight. If he can bulk up with muscle, there will be much less concern regarding his stature.
Recent Play
As a member of Sweden’s team at the World Junior Championships in 2013, he notched three assists in six games, helping his team win the silver medal. One year later, he helped Sweden earn another silver medal by notching two goals and an assist.
Djoos began playing in the Washington Capitals’ organization with their AHL affiliate Hershey Bears by picking up one assist in one game during the 2014-15 season. Previous to that, he was with Brynas IF of the Swedish Hockey League where he put up 17 points (5 goals, 12 assists) in 50 regular season contests.
Most recently, Djoos has been full-time with the Hershey Bears, notching 19 points (7 goals, 12 assists) in 50 games. Djoos has been described by Bears’ head coach Troy Mann as “a cerebral player, who does not panic, and makes an excellent first pass.”
Potential
The Washington Capitals’ strength this season is clearly their offense, and they may have some room for growth in their defensive corps, bringing some young blue-liners up from Hershey. We know, in particular, that current Capitals’ defenseman Mike Weber will become an unrestricted free agent after this season.
Djoos doesn’t quite have the size of a player like Dmitry Orlov, but has the potential for Orlov’s type of offensive production. If Djoos can add some bulk to his frame, he could be in prime contention for some time at the NHL level with Washington.