Chris Hajt
# Chris Hajt

Christopher William Hajt (born July 5, 1978) is a Canadian-born American former ice hockey defenceman. He played 6 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Edmonton Oilers and Washington Capitals during the 2000–01 and 2003–04 seasons. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1998 to 2008, was mainly spent in the minor leagues. After his playing career Hajt became a coach, and has been an Assistant Coach with the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League since 2019. Hajt's father, Bill Hajt, also played in the NHL.

## Career

Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and raised in Amherst, New York when his father, Bill Hajt was a member of the Buffalo Sabres. He attended Williamsville North High School and graduated in 1996. Hajt was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the second round, 32nd overall in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft after playing junior hockey with the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He became an excellent defenseman in his junior career with the Storm. Hajt spent time in the National Hockey League, playing in six games, one with the Oilers during the 2000–2001 season, the other five with the Washington Capitals in the 2003–2004 season, and did not record a point in the NHL.

Hajt played for Hockey Club Bolzano-Bozen of the Italian Serie A in 2007, before retiring in May 2008.

## Coaching career

Hajt worked as an assistant coach with the Guelph Storm of the OHL from 2008 to 2014. In the 2014–15 AHL season, he was the assistant coach of the Manchester Monarchs. From 2015 to 2017, he served as the assistant coach of the Ontario Reign serving under Mike Stothers.

From 2017 to 2019, he served as the assistant coach of the Buffalo Sabres. Hajt returned to the Ontario Reign of the AHL on June 25, 2019.

## Career statistics

### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1993–94 | Amherst Knights U16 | U16 AAA | 38 | 8 | 20 | 28 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1994–95 | Guelph Storm | OHL | 57 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 35 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 9 |
| 1995–96 | Guelph Storm | OHL | 63 | 8 | 27 | 35 | 69 | 16 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 13 |
| 1995–96 | Guelph Storm | M-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1996–97 | Guelph Storm | OHL | 58 | 11 | 15 | 26 | 62 | 18 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 25 |
| 1997–98 | Guelph Storm | OHL | 44 | 2 | 21 | 23 | 46 | 13 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 11 |
| 1997–98 | Guelph Storm | M-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 1998–99 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 64 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1999–00 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 54 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 30 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2000–01 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000–01 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 70 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001–02 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 39 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 34 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| 2002–03 | Portland Pirates | AHL | 71 | 11 | 15 | 26 | 61 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003–04 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003–04 | Portland Pirates | AHL | 66 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 53 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| 2004–05 | Portland Pirates | AHL | 53 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004–05 | Augusta Lynx | ECHL | 13 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005–06 | Lowell Lock Monsters | AHL | 60 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2006–07 | Füchse Duisburg | DEL | 44 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2006–07 | Lukko | FIN | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 82 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 2007–08 | HC Bolzano | ITA | 32 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 30 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| AHL totals | AHL totals | AHL totals | 477 | 20 | 71 | 91 | 283 | 33 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 18 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1997 | United States | WJC | | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 1998 | United States | WJC | | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 12 |
