The forward is entering the last year of his $10.95 Million contract with the Ducks. Despite being linked to the Rangers last year, nothing materialized however rumors are picking up that he could be traded once again.
Using PuckPedia's PuckGM we hypothesized a trade between the two teams:
The Rangers would get Vatrano in return for Kakko, who had been struggling in New York, and a 3rd round pick attached.
Vatrano originally arrived in New York on March 16th, 2022 from the Florida Panthers for a fourth-round pick. With the Rangers, Vatrano scored 13 points( 8 G, 5 A) in 22 regular season games, while in the playoffs scored 13 points( 5 G, 8 A) in 20 games.
A consistent producer, and would sign in Anaheim after his short stint in New York, and in 2023-2024 earn an All-Star nod.
Vatrano would add excellent scoring depth that already contains, Reilly Smith, and Alexis Lafreniere.
Kakko would be a great reclamation project for the Ducks, with a one-year $2.4 Million dollar cap hit, and could be a piece for the rebuild too.
According to ESPN's Emily Kaplan, the two were in talks to trade Kakko and Vatrano including multiple pieces at the trade deadline.
The Rangers weren't obviously wanting to part ways with their 1st round pick which could be why it never went through.
Source: Heavy
Trade Pitch Has Rangers Re-Acquiring $10.9 Million All-Star Forward
POLL | ||
AOUT 8 | 69 ANSWERS Transaction: Frank Vatrano To the Rangers Do the Ducks Say No? Should GM Chris Drury trade for Frank Vatrano? | ||
Yes | 50 | 72.5 % |
No | 19 | 27.5 % |
List of polls |