The Ducks closed one of their pending UFAs. It was announced on Sunday that Frank Vatrano had signed a three-year extension. However, instead of a typical salary format, Vatrano will be paid $3 million per year in base salary with $9 million in deferred salary.
Deferred salary agreements in hockey are not common, and so far only a handful of deals have been completed this way. Seth Jarvis’ extension with the Carolina Hurricanes comes to mind. But the frequency of these types of deals could increase in the future, especially as teams find creative ways to stay under the salary cap.
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Now back to Vatrano. By extending him, the Ducks keep one of their most-used forwards. Vatrano, who just played his 600th NHL game, is beloved in the Ducks’ locker room and head coach Greg Cronin has no problem using him in all situations. Vatrano’s tenacity and speed down the stretch helped him to a career-high 37 goals last season, but the offense hasn’t occurred as often this season. If production can be regulated, the Ducks will continue to have a player capable of moving through the top-9 at a modest pace. Vatrano’s $4.75 million AAV is only a small increase from his current $3.65 AAV.
“Frank is an important member of our team and is committed to the further development of the organization,” said general manager Pat Verbeek in a written statement. “He is a competitive player with a hard nose and a knack for scoring goals. We couldn’t be happier if Frank signs for another three years.”
“I see how bright our future is and we are making turns in the right direction to ultimately bring a Stanley Cup to Anaheim,” Vatrano said in a written statement. “I couldn’t be more excited to sign a three-year extension, and I’m excited to help this team grow and be a big part of our future.”
