Frank Vatrano Signs Intriguing Extension To Stay With Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks have taken a top trade candidate off the board this season, by agreeing to terms on a 3-year extension with impending UFA Frank Vatrano. The deal is worth $18 million, but will only cost the Ducks a $4.57 million annual cap hit.

Frank Vatrano’s 3-year, $18M extension is an interesting one. He will get paid $3M a year in base salary but then $9M in deferred salary. Starting 10 years from now in 2035, will make $900,000 a year for 10 years, and his plan is to live outside of California (and its tax system)…
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) January 5, 2025

As noted by Pierre LeBrun, Vatrano will take $3M a year in base earnings over the term of the contract, while the other $9M will come in deferred salary starting 10 years from now in 2035, over the course of a decade through 2044.

Because of California's oppressive income tax system, Vatrano will be able to keep a lot more of his $18M in the long run, as he plans to live outside of the state in retirement. According to PuckPedia, this is the first time an NHL contract has contained salary deferrals such as this, and could be a sign of things to come.

The 30-year-old Vatrano himself broke the news with this announcement on the Ducks' social media account, along with his daughter:

A message from Frank Vatrano. #FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/FISmD6fqPF
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) January 5, 2025

As we noted earlier this weekend, the Ducks had said they were interested in re-signing Vatrano if it made sense for the long-term goals of the rebuilding team.

Using this unique deferred salary structure (a la his fellow Anaheim resident Shohei Ohtani), the two sides were able to make it happen.

Vatrano set a career-high last season with 37 goals. He's off to a slower start in 2024-25, but he immediately scored two goals in his first game after signing the new deal and now has with 11 goals in 38 games.