Vatanen Inked to Three-Year Entry-Level Deal

Press Release

The Ducks announced on Monday that they have signed defenseman Sami Vatanen to a three-year entry-level contract. Per club policy, no financial terms of the deal were disclosed.

Vatanen recorded 31 points and a plus-30 rating for JYP Jyvaskyla of the Finnish Elite League in 2010-11. The defenseman also represented Team Finland at the last two IIHF World Junior Championships.

Vatanen, 19 (6/3/91), appeared in 52 contests for JYP Jyvaskyla of the Finnish Elite League in 2010-11, scoring 11-20=31 points with a +30 rating and 30 penalty minutes (PIM). Named the Finnish Elite League’s Defenseman of the Year in 2010-11, Vatanen was also selected to the league’s postseason All-Star team after leading all defensemen in scoring and ranking first overall in plus/minus. He made his debut with Jyvaskyla in 2009-10, collecting 7-23=30 points in 55 games. The 5-10, 165-pound blueliner has also netted 4-5=9 points in 17 career playoff games with Jyvaskyla.

Selected by Anaheim in the fourth round (106th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Vatanen represented Team Finland at the last two IIHF World Junior Championships in Buffalo, NY (2011) and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (2010). He recorded 0-4=4 points in six games as team captain during the 2011 championship and 2-3=5 points in six contests at the 2010 tournament. Vatanen also captained Finland to a bronze-medal win over Canada at the 2009 IIHF Under-18 World Championships in Fargo, ND. In six games during the World tournament, he scored 0-5=5 points with a +6 rating.

A native of Jyvaskyla, Finland, Vatanen spent two seasons with his hometown Jyvaskyla junior team prior to making his Finnish Elite League debut in 2009-10. In 55 games with the junior squad, Vatanen collected 12-36=48 points with 52 PIM between 2007-09.

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)