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Ducks Sign Frank Vatrano To Three-Year Extension

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In an announcement from himself and his young daughter, Frank Vatrano is committing to Orange County for another three seasons. In a quick follow-up from TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, Vatrano’s three-year pact will pay him $18MM in total but carries an uncommon method of deferred salary.

LeBrun shares that Vatrano will earn a base salary of $3MM each year of the deal with $9MM deferred. From 2035, Vatrano will earn $900K annually from the Ducks until 2044. LeBrun asserts that Vatrano plans to live outside of California in retirement giving him the flexibility to earn his annual disbursement in a tax-free state. Additionally, the creativity of the deferred salary brings Vatrano’s cap hit down to $4.67MM (instead of $6MM) which provides cost-savings to Anaheim.

Being primarily used in Major League Baseball, this is the most creative use of deferred salary in recent memory in the National Hockey League and may be a sign of things to come. There are increasing concerns that teams within states without an income tax have a competitive advantage over other teams, particularly in comparison to the Canadian market in recent years. The use of deferred salary by Anaheim may be a way to show players, particularly unrestricted free agents, that there are creative ways to dodge financial impediments.

For Vatrano’s part, it’s a healthy raise on his modest $3.65MM salary for the last three years. After a disappointing year with the New York Rangers, the Ducks signed Vatrano to a three-year, $10.95MM contract as an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2022.

Subsequently, he’s enjoyed the two most productive seasons of his career. Vatrano scored 22 goals and 41 points in 81 games for Anaheim during the 2022-23 season finishing tied for third on the team in goal-scoring. Vatrano followed up that performance with the best season of his career scoring 37 goals and 60 points in 82 games last year shattering his previous record of 24 goals in 2018-19 with the Florida Panthers.

Vatrano’s goal-scoring output has dissipated slightly this year with nine goals and 20 points in 37 games but he’s still proving to be a physical, offensive threat in the Ducks’ top-six. Unsurprisingly, the defensive side of Vatrano’s game is improving under head coach Greg Cronin’s hard-nosed system, with the veteran sniper managing the best 5-on-5 on-ice save percentage since his time with the Panthers.

The extension reflects Vatrano’s earnest commitment to a rebuilding organization. It also removes an important trade candidate from consideration as the deadline approaches. Vatrano’s style of play would be an asset to almost any contending team’s middle-six, but they will now have to seek such an advantage elsewhere.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Vancouver Canucks Fielding Offers On Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller

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There was one major talking point in tonight’s rendition of ’Saturday Headlines’ with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Friedman reports the Vancouver Canucks are fielding offers on forwards Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller with all options currently on the table.

Friedman asserts the Canucks are “definitely” looking at the market for both forwards but it appears to be a stronger version of due diligence rather than active trade talks up to this point. There’s a possibility neither are traded, one is, or both are traded and Friedman wasn’t willing to commit to any of the options. Still, the trade chatter has gotten to the point of Vancouver telling interested parties they’ll need an NHL-caliber center as a part of the return package for either player.

Due to the complexity of any hypothetical trade involving Pettersson or Miller, there haven’t been many legitimate connections to any teams. Friedman pointed out that neither player had requested a trade from the Canucks although Miller would likely prefer to return to the United States.

There appears to be something brewing in Vancouver though. In a recent interview with Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet, the general manager of the Canucks, Patrik Allvin spoke candidly about Pettersson saying, “Petey has shown up to this point that he is an extremely talented, quality player that could and should be a No. 1 centre. I believe in him. I believe that he’s capable. (But) he needs to mature and understand that there are certain expectations and it does not get easier. And you need to face the music when things don’t go well. Is it (a trade) possible? I guess I would say anything is possible.”

It doesn’t take much scrutiny to notice the apparent rift between them. This year alone, Pettersson scored two goals and 15 points in the 10 games Miller missed from mid-November to mid-December. Throughout 23 games playing with Miller this season, Pettersson has eight goals and 13 points in 23 contests. Miller has been a consistent performer regardless of Pettersson’s availability but he may hold less value in Vancouver given he’s five years Petterson’s elder.

Miller has more control over a potential trade given the no-movement clause in his contract and Pettersson’s not starting until next year. Still, Pettersson’s contract may be more difficult to move given his $11.6MM salary compared to Miller’s $8MM price tag.

It will be an interesting saga to see play out regardless. This is an issue that the Canucks could continue an attempt to solve internally. However, being no stranger to moves of magnitude, GM Allvin may take it upon himself to create a resolution via trade.

Oilers Expected To Wait Until Deadline To Add Defenseman

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To the surprise of few, the Edmonton Oilers are monitoring nearly every available defenseman as the trade deadline approaches. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period lists Ivan Provorov of the Columbus Blue Jackets, David Savard of the Montreal Canadiens, and Brian Dumoulin of the Anaheim Ducks as the most viable candidates.

As hasty as the Oilers are to acquire a top-four defenseman they are severely limited by their salary cap space and Evander Kane’s availability for the rest of the campaign. Kane’s $5.125MM salary is currently on long-term injured reserve giving Edmonton plenty of flexibility in the present but they’ll be handcuffed if he returns for the regular season. PuckPedia gives the Oilers a deadline cap space of only $1.02MM.

Edmonton should be able to acquire any of the aforementioned trade candidates but another fish may become available closer to the deadline. It’s becoming apparent the New York Rangers are headed toward a complex roster retooling after a 5-15-0 record in their last 20 games. Does former Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox make sense for the Oilers? Both sides would have to get creative considering Fox’s $9.5MM salary for the next five years but the 2024-25 campaign is the last year on the deal without a full no-movement clause.

Depending on how aggressively both teams want to be with their respective aspirations, the Oilers could form a package with Kane’s contract, Jeff Skinner’s expiring deal, prospect Matthew Savoie, and their 2027 first-round pick. It’ll be difficult for Edmonton to reach the price of what it would take to acquire a defenseman with Fox’s stature but there are other possible candidates on the Rangers’ roster.

K’Andre Miller and Ryan Lindgren fit the mold of an ideal trade acquisition for the Oilers. They are both on expiring contracts (with the former not becoming an unrestricted free agent until after the 2026-27 season) and hold valuable roles on the penalty kill. Edmonton’s penalty kill is ranked 23rd in the league with a 76.4% success rate while New York’s sits third thanks to help from Miller and Lindgren.

Needless to say, Edmonton is on the hunt to put themselves over the top in preparation for the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. Multiple reports indicate that it’s a matter of when, not if, the Oilers acquire a top-four defenseman to plug into their lineup.

Atlantic Notes: Petry, Bennett, Bryson

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As mentioned yesterday, the Detroit Red Wings’ concerns regarding the availability of veteran defenseman Jeff Petry have unfortunately been realized. According to team broadcast reporter Daniella Bruce, the Red Wings won’t have Petry in the lineup tonight due to an undisclosed injury suffered in the team’s recent game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Petry may be out for longer than just tonight. Head coach Todd McLellan is hopeful it’ll be a shorter-term injury for Petry but did say the team would know more once they get back to Detroit. In the meantime, McLellan will choose between youngster Albert Johansson or recently recalled William Lagesson for tonight’s contest.

There is a valid argument that either option may prove to be an improvement over Petry. He’s experiencing one of the worst offensive seasons of his career, reminiscent of the 2013-14 season when he had only seven goals and 17 points in 80 games with the third-to-last-place Edmonton Oilers. While Petry has performed slightly better defensively this year with the Red Wings, he has not approached the level of the consistent 40-point defenseman he once was.

Other happenings in the Atlantic Division:

  • The NHL’s Department of Player Safety has fined Florida Panthers’ center Sam Bennett $5K for roughing Pittsburgh Penguins’ Drew O’Connor in last night’s contest. It’s the second time Bennett has been issued a fine by the Department of Player Safety and the fourth time he’s faced supplemental discipline. During the incident, Bennett attempted to hit O’Connor behind Pittsburgh’s net and threw his right hand into O’Connor’s face.
  • According to Mike Harrington of Buffalo News Sports, the Buffalo Sabres will be down a defenseman tonight. Jacob Bryson, who has picked up a more consistent role in Buffalo’s bottom defensive-pairing this season, won’t play tonight due to an illness. Dennis Gilbert, seldomly used by head coach Lindy Ruff this season, will draw in for Bryson against the Vegas Golden Knights. Gilbert has tallied one assist in 12 contests this year averaging 10:45 of ice time per game.

Anaheim Ducks Plan To Shop Brian Dumoulin At Deadline

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Despite enjoying a three-game winning streak, the Anaheim Ducks are still expected to be deadline sellers for the seventh consecutive season. They own a fair amount of expiring assets such as Robby Fabbri, Frank Vatrano, and Brock McGinn, and The Fourth Period is adding defenseman Brian Dumoulin to that mix.

It’ll be the second time in Dumoulin’s career he will head into the trade deadline on an expiring contract. His six-year, $24.6MM agreement with the Pittsburgh Penguins expired after the 2022-23 season, but the team held on to him for their playoff push down the stretch despite missing out by one point.

This time, Dumoulin’s two-year, $6.3MM contract originally signed with the Seattle Kraken will end after this campaign. His showing with the Ducks this season proves that last year’s campaign was somewhat of an apparition on the defensive side of the puck.

He scored a career-high six goals with the Kraken last year but failed to total more than 100 blocked shots in a full campaign since the 2016-17 season. It was also the first time since the 2015-16 season that Dumoulin didn’t average more than 20 minutes of ice time per night. Much of that has changed in Orange County.

Dumoulin has tallied eight assists in 37 games for the Ducks this season averaging 19:47 of ice time per night. He’s a left-handed shot defenseman who can play on both sides of a defensive pairing and has been a useful option next to Anaheim’s younger defensemen. Blocking shots has also come back into focus for Dumoulin who’s expected to reach 135 on the year if he continues his current pace.

His career history will also make him an attractive choice for many contending teams. Dumoulin is a two-time Stanley Cup champion from his time with the Penguins and holds an impressive 91.9% on-ice save percentage 5on5 throughout his eight trips to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Given his cost-effective salary and ability to play on both sides of the blue line, he should have several suitors at the trade deadline. Dumoulin has a 10-team no-trade clause in his contract meaning Anaheim can discuss his availability with the 21 teams off his list. The Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Winnipeg Jets are all legitimate contenders who could use more defensive depth on their blue line.

Detroit Red Wings Recall William Lagesson

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Defenseman William Lagesson will join the Detroit Red Wings for their game tomorrow night as an insurance option. The organization announced they’ve recalled Lagesson from their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Lagesson’s recall is likely in response to Jeff Petry’s status tomorrow night. Petry sustained an undisclosed injury in the team’s recent win against the Columbus Blue Jackets last night limiting him to 17:17 of ice time despite averaging nearly 20 minutes for much of the season.

Even if Petry’s injury keeps him out of the lineup tomorrow night, his minutes will likely go to Albert Johansson, who hasn’t factored into Todd McLellan’s scheme since taking over behind the bench on December 26th. Johansson has largely skated in a depth role for Detroit this season, tallying one assist in 17 contests.

That’s more than Lagesson can say. This roster move marks Largesson’s fourth recall to the Red Wings’ active roster this season but he’s only appeared in two games. He skated on a third-pairing role in those contests averaging 15:57 of ice time without finding the scoresheet.

His real value has come in AHL Grand Rapids where Lagesson continues to be a defensive boon. He’s only scored three goals and nine points in 23 games for the Griffins this year but leads the team with an impressive +13 rating.

If Detroit is sure that Petry can suit up against the Jets by tomorrow morning, there’s a real chance that Lagesson could head back to Grand Rapids as early as tomorrow. The Griffins line up against the Milwaukee Admirals tomorrow night but won’t have another game until January 10th meaning Lagesson may not participate in a game for a week.

Winnipeg’s Mason Appleton Out Week-To-Week With Injury

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Jan. 3rd: According to a team announcement, the Jets have placed Appleton on injured reserve (retroactive to Dec. 28th) as expected. Winnipeg takes on the Detroit Red Wings tomorrow night so there may be a corresponding roster move to fill the open roster spot.

Dec. 31st: The Winnipeg Jets will have a major hole on their third line for the foreseeable future. Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press reported yesterday evening that forward Mason Appleton would miss the next few weeks with a lower-body injury.

Appleton didn’t play in last night’s contest against the Nashville Predators. This likely means the lower-body injury was suffered at practice considering Appleton skated in nearly 16 minutes of the Jets’ game against the Ottawa Senators on December 28th.

It’ll be the first time in nearly two years that Appleton has missed an extended period. He played in all 82 games for Winnipeg last season scoring 14 goals and 36 points for the highest-scoring campaign of his career.

The Jets will have big shoes to fill on one of the most consistent third lines over the last several years. Appleton typically plays on the right wing next to Adam Lowry and Nino Niederreiter, so they may need to make a roster move to fill the void.

Winnipeg hasn’t dealt with too many injuries this season but has leaned on Brad Lambert and Nikita Chibrikov for recalls when Nikolaj Ehlers lost time with an injury a few weeks ago. The Jets could again recall one of these better prospects from their system or move stagnating forward Rasmus Kupari to the third line to create an offensive jolt in his game.

Canucks Place Elias Pettersson On IR, Recall Arturs Silovs On Emergency Basis

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There will be a small change to the goaltending position for the Vancouver Canucks tonight. The organization announced they’ve recalled netminder Arturs Silovs on an emergency basis and placed Elias Pettersson on injured reserve retroactive to December 23rd.

Vancouver hasn’t issued any formal updates regarding Thatcher Demko’s status. He left yesterday’s game against the Seattle Kraken during the second period and didn’t join the team’s practice this morning per Jeff Paterson of Canucks Army. There are some obvious concerns with Demko given that he went nearly eight months without participating in an NHL contest due to a popliteal muscle injury.

Still, one player’s misfortune is another player’s opportunity. Silovs will look to rebound on a disappointing start to the 2024-25 NHL season. He filled in for Demko at the beginning of the year but struggled immensely with a 1-4-1 record in seven games with a .847 save percentage and a 4.11 goals-against average.

Silovs has understandably been much better with the Canucks’ AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks. He’s managed a 2-3-0 record in five games with a .900 SV% and 2.44 GAA. It’s a far cry from the performance of a netminder that took the eventual Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers to seven games in the 2024 playoffs. Still, Silovs will look to show he can be a long-term answer to Vancouver’s backup role.

Pettersson’s move to the injured reserve is largely a formal transaction. He’s been out with an undisclosed injury since the team’s matchup against the San Jose Sharks before the holiday break but is expected back soon. The Canucks haven’t offered much context regarding Petterson’s injury but he will join the team for their upcoming five-game road trip starting next Monday. He’s already eligible to be activated during any of those contests.

Pittsburgh Penguins Activate Owen Pickering

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The Pittsburgh Penguins will have their top defensive prospect back in the lineup tonight. The organization announced they’ve activated defenseman Owen Pickering off the team’s injured reserve shortly before their matchup against the Florida Panthers.

Pickering hasn’t played since late December after succumbing to a concussion against the New Jersey Devils. He’s missed Pittsburgh’s last six games but will re-enter the lineup tonight in a third-pairing role next to Ryan Graves.

The next week or two may be Pickering’s last few NHL contests for some time. The recent injury to veteran blue liner Kris Letang likely saved Pickering’s spot in the lineup. Still, there’s an argument to be made he could use more seasoning in the American Hockey League.

He’s primarily played in the NHL over his first full professional season. Pickering played the entirety of the 2023-24 season with the WHL’s Swift Current Broncos scoring seven goals and 46 points in 59 games. He started the year with Pittsburgh’s AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins but was called up in mid-November due to a combination of injuries and poor play in the Penguins’ defensive core.

It hasn’t been the smoothest transition, either. Outside of a mild concussion, Pickering has suited up in 14 games this season for Pittsburgh scoring one goal and one assist averaging 15:47 of ice time per game. His 40.4% CorsiFor% and 88.5% on-ice save percentage in all situations also show a lack of maturity on the defensive side of the puck.

None of his production, or lack thereof, negates his value as a top prospect. He’s only a few days away from his 21st birthday and has plenty of time to become a fixture in the Penguins’ blue line. To preserve his development, it would be wise for Pittsburgh to reassign Pickering back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to build upon his one-goal effort in 12 games this season.

Maple Leafs Place Auston Matthews On IR

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Jan. 3: Rifai is back to the minors today, the team announced. Ekman-Larsson is fully recovered from his illness, so Rifai’s services as a healthy extra are no longer needed. There’s no corresponding move, so the Leafs free up a roster spot.

Dec. 31: The Toronto Maple Leafs needed available depth before their matchup against the New York Islanders this afternoon requiring a formal roster move. The team announced they’ve placed Auston Matthews on injured reserve (retroactive to Dec. 20th) and recalled defenseman Marshall Rifai from their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.

Hindering any new concerns regarding Matthews’ injury, the Maple Leafs also announced defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and forward Pontus Holmberg won’t play today because of the flu. Matthews is eligible to return from the injured reserve at any point but two additional players sidelined necessitated a formal roster move.

There’s no expectation Matthews has suffered a setback in his road back from an upper-body injury. He’s missed five straight games after missing nine earlier in the year but has recently returned to skating.

Still, there should be some concern about Matthews’ constant slate of injuries this season. He’s still been his normal self when healthy scoring 11 goals and 23 points in 24 games this year but his availability is important first and foremost. Thankfully for Toronto, they performed well without their captain this season as they’re one win away from tying the Florida Panthers for the lead in the Atlantic Division.

Although he didn’t suit up in his first go-around, the roster move is the second time Rifai has enjoyed an NHL call-up this month. He’ll likely know by warm-ups if he’ll be in the lineup tonight but Toronto still has six healthy defensemen without Ekman-Larsson.

The Harvard University alumnus has been a serviceable defenseman for the Marlies for the past three years and made his NHL debut with the Maple Leafs last year. He’s registered eight goals and 39 points in 150 career games for AHL Toronto.

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