As free agency approaches, the Anaheim Ducks are keeling one of their own. Defenceman Urho Vaakanainen has a new contract with the Ducks for the next season. With the Ducks in a rebuild, he is good building block on a younger blue line. This is a great deal for both sides.
Vaakanainen Signs New Contract With Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks sent Hampus Lindholm to the Boston Bruins and got Vaakanainen in return. With the state of the Ducks, adding a young building block was necessary. As the team looks to continue that trend, keeping Vaakanainen makes sense.
The Ducks are still a ways away from being a contender, but have a nice young team they are building with. Craig McTavish, Leo Carlson, and newly acquired Cutter Gauthier are stellar upfront. In addition, Vaakanainen continues the youth movement on the back end with Pavel Mintyukov. It’s a good start and the foundational work is continuing to be laid. The Vaakanainen contract is good deal for both sides going forward.
What This Means for the Ducks
Continuing to rebuild is huge and keeping Vaakanainen helps fuel that. This was the first true season for Vaakanainen since coming over in the trade to the Ducks. Between the Bruins and Ducks, he never saw more than 20 games. However, this year he was able to play much more and see 68 games. It was great to see him get the opportunity and carve out a role for himself.
He went on to score his first ever NHL goal, while having 14 points. He can now continue to focus on his game and build off his career season. The Ducks are still not a contender. However, they are heading in the right direction and building something special. Good deal for both parties and continue to build on 2024-25.
Main Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
