The Anaheim Ducks 2025/26 season was one of their best in franchise history, and after making the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2017/18 and taking down the Edmonton Oilers in round one, they came into the summer looking to build on that.
However, from the moment their season ended, things have gone downhill in a hurry, with the team moving both Mason McTavish and Olen Zellweger before losing veteran Jacob Trouba to a long-term contract with the division rival San Jose Sharks.
The worst of it all came this past week though, with the Philadelphia Flyers shaking up the landscape of the entire National Hockey League, getting Leo Carlsson to sign a five-year, $18 million AAV offer sheet. The Ducks still have some time to decide whether or not they want to match the offer, and now, they may be planning other moves as they look to build towards a future either without Carlsson, or with him as the highest paid player in the league.
Frank Vatrano Could be Traded by the Ducks
GettyFrank Vatrano of the Anaheim Ducks.
Clearly, the Ducks want to retain their franchise superstar, but to do so, they’ll likely need to open up salary cap space as they also need to sign players such as Cutter Gauthier, Pavel Mintyukov and Beckett Senecke to long-term deals in the near future. Simply put, the team don’t have the cap space to make that happen, and according to insider David Pagnotta, that means they will have to trade someone, with veteran Frank Vatrano identified as the odd-man out.
“Given Anaheim’s cap gymnastics they are practicing as a result of Leo Carlsson’s offer sheet with Philadelphia, the early word is the Ducks are seeing how they are create more cap space for other moves/signings and Frank Vatrano may be the odd man out,” Pagnotta said.
Just two years ago with the Ducks, Vatrano posted a career high in points with 60 across 82 games, being named an All-Star for the first time in his career. Unfortunately, he’s taken a significant step back since then, with the 32-year-old tallying just nine points in 50 games played a year ago.
Can the Ducks Clear cap Space by Moving Vatrano?
Right now, Daily Faceoff are predicting that Vatrano will play on the Ducks third line next year, but with two years left on his current deal that carries an AAV of $4.571 million, moving him out could allow them to absorb Carlsson’s new contract while potentially still extending some of their other young stars.
Given the lack of performance over the past two seasons however, moving him out is a lot easier said than done, with the team likely needing a rebuilding team to take on the entire two years remaining on his current contract along with an asset to absorb the deal. No matter how things play out with Carlsson, it’s safe to say that the salary cap planning from GM Pat Verbeek has been flipped on its head completely, and if the team are to retain their young star, it may mean one of their most important veterans is moved before the end of the summer.
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