Anaheim Ducks forward Frank Vatrano has been mentioned in trade rumors and one trade pitch has the New York Rangers re-acquiring the All-Star forward.
Vatrano is entering the final year of his three-year $10.95 million deal with the Ducks this season. He was linked to the Rangers at last year’s trade deadline, but no deal came to fruition. Now, ahead of the 2024-25 NHL season, rumors are once against swirling that Vatrano could be moved.
The website PuckPedia has a new tool called PuckGM that lets users create their own trades, and one user proposed a deal that would see the Rangers getting Vatrano.
Rangers get:
- Frank Vatrano
Ducks get:
- Kaapo Kakko
- 2026 third-round pick
In the proposed deal, the Rangers would get Vatrano in exchange for Kaapo Kakko who is a former second-overall pick who hasn’t lived up to the hype, as well as a third-round pick.
New York acquired Vatrano on March 16, 2022, from the Florida Panthers in exchange for a fourth-round pick. With the Rangers, Vatrano recorded 8 goals and 5 assists for 13 points in 22 games. He added 5 goals and 8 assists for 13 points in 20 playoff games.
After his stint with the Rangers, Vatrano signed a three-year deal with the Ducks. He was an All-Star in the 2023-24 NHL season.
Vatrano would add some scoring on the right wing that already features Alexis Lafreniere and Reilly Smith.
Kakko, meanwhile, was drafted second overall in 2019 but has struggled to be a consistent player in the NHL. He signed a one-year, $2.4 million contract extension with the Rangers this offseason. Kakko could slide into the second-line right winger spot which is currently Vatrano’s role.
New York Had Interest in Vatrano at The Deadline
At the 2024 NHL trade deadline, the Rangers had interest in Vatrano, and according to ESPN’s Amy Kaplan, New York and Anaheim had discussed a potential deal.
In Kaplan’s March 7 column, she reported that the Ducks proposed a multi-player deal involving Vatrano and Kakko.
“I’ve heard the Ducks offered the Rangers a package deal a few weeks ago that included Henrique and Vatrano for Kakko and a first-round pick. The Rangers clearly thought that was too rich for their liking,” Kaplan wrote.
In the trade pitch above, the Rangers wouldn’t have to part with a first-round pick which would entice New York to accept the deal and bring Vatrano back.
Rangers Haven’t Been Thrilled With Trade Offers For Kakko
Although the Rangers had signed Kakko to a one-year extension in June, it didn’t rule out the team trading the former second-overall pick.
Instead, Kakko was still available for trade, but USA Today reporter Vincent Mercogliano says the Rangers haven’t been thrilled with the trade offers they have received.
“Even more ice time could be available if Kakko is ultimately traded, but one source indicated the Blueshirts weren’t thrilled with the offers that came in around the draft,” Mercogliano wrote. “Teams were trying to buy low on the former No. 2 overall pick, with Drury rightly holding off unless someone ups the ante.”
Kakko has skated in 300 NHL games recording 57 goals and 60 assists for 117 points.
