Red Wings Sign Defenseman Janik to One-Year Deal

The Detroit Red Wings added some defensive depth to their roster last Wednesday by signing defenseman Doug Janik to a one-year, two-way contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Janik appeared in 15 games for the Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadiens last season, scoring one assist. He was traded to the New York Rangers by the Canadiens on June 30 along with forward Chris Higgins and prospect defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Pavel Valentenko in exchange for forward Scott Gomez and prospects Tom Pyatt and Michael Busto. This is an unnecessary signing for the Red Wings, as they already have plenty of defensive depth on their team. Janik will likely play most of next season in the minors and only see any NHL action if injuries begin to mount on the Red Wings’ blueline. However, Janik does play with some grit, which the Red Wings need a lot more of on their team.