Alex Gallardo-Imagn Images
As the Anaheim Ducks traverse the road to respectability, there was a question about where right winger Frank Vatrano would fit into their picture. The 30-year-old would’ve been a tantalizing trade target if he had made it to the NHL’s March 7 trade deadline – but instead, Ducks GM Pat Verbeek doubled down on Vatrano’s services, signing him Sunday to a three-year, $18-million contract extension.
Vatrano’s new extension – which kicks in next season – gives him a substantial raise on the $3.65-mllion salary he’s earning this year. And considering that Vatrano is currently second on the Ducks in goals, with nine markers in 37 games, it’s clear that Verbeek valued his veteran presence and scoring knowhow. And they obviously want him to be part of Anaheim’s blueprint for success in the immediate years ahead.
The Ducks will still have plenty of salary cap space even after Vatrano’s raise, but they have to spend to the cap floor, and Vatrano’s new deal helps them do that. The new contract also serves as an example of the riches that await Anaheim’s young players as they develop into bona fide NHLers. There’s a clear career path here for Ducks prospects to try and emulate, and Verbeek is now showing them what’s possible financially if they produce as hoped.
With nine goals and 20 points in 37 games, Vatrano is on pace this season to generate 19 goals and 43 points – numbers that would be a full-season low-water mark for him in recent years. But the high-end of Vatrano’s capabilities was seen last season when he posted 37 goals and 60 points in 82 games. Clearly, the Ducks are betting that he’ll get back on that kind of pace – and if Vatrano does rebound to that level of production, he’ll be a bargain.
Vatrano has bounced around the NHL since debuting in 2015-16, and Anaheim is the fourth team he’s played on (with the others being Boston, Florida, and the New York Rangers). But he’s obviously found a home with the Ducks, and his new contract is a reflection both of his belief in the team and the team’s belief in him. Vatrano can now relax knowing he’s got job security in the Anaheim market, and the Ducks can keep him for the long haul without any further speculation he might be traded.
Even the most talented NHLers can have trouble establishing a long-term home for their services, and it’s taken Vatrano into his prime years to solidify his status with Anaheim. And as the Ducks focus on growing into a Stanley Cup playoff threat, Vatrano will be an important component of their attack. He can be comfortable for at least the next few seasons, and if that results in better production on offense, that would be the goal of Verbeek and Ducks brass who OK’d the contract extension.
Anaheim wants Vatrano to be part of the solution, and Vatrano wants the same thing. So Ducks fans can rest assured they’re going to see Vatrano in an Anaheim jersey for the foreseeable future. The two sides have invested in each other, and now it’s about Vatrano producing the offense that he’s already shown he’s capable of.
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