Anaheim Ducks sign forward Frank Vatrano to 3-year, $18 million contract extension, AP source says

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Forward Frank Vatrano has agreed to a three-year contract extension through the 2027-28 season with the Anaheim Ducks.

The Ducks announced the deal Sunday for the 30-year-old Vatrano, who is in his third season with Anaheim. He has 68 goals and 53 assists in 200 games for the Ducks, including nine goals and 11 assists this season.

A person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press that the contract will pay Vatrano $3 million in each of the next three seasons, and he will make another $9 million in deferred salary beginning in 2035.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the Ducks don’t announce the financial details of their contracts.

Vatrano has been a dependable top-six forward since joining Anaheim as a free agent in 2022, scoring the most goals on the roster since he arrived at the club. While he led the Ducks last season with 37 goals and 60 points, general manager Pat Verbeek declined offers to trade him to a contender, preferring to keep Vatrano as a key part of his rebuild in Anaheim.

The Ducks and Vatrano agreed to the deferred salary structure of his contract to keep Vatrano’s cap number low. He also is likely to reap tax benefits based on where he lives in 2035, because California’s comparatively large state income tax is sometimes a factor in athletes’ contract decisions.

Anaheim also is planning ahead to have salary cap room when its large group of young talent enters free agency and the Ducks push against the limits of the cap, as they intend to do.