ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Defenseman Sami Vatanen has re-signed with the Anaheim Ducks, agreeing to a four-year, $19.5 million deal.
The Ducks retained the restricted free agent Saturday.
Vatanen had nine goals and a career-high 29 assists last season. The aggressive, puck-moving Finn also filled a prominent role on Anaheim's NHL-best power play.
Vatanen made $1.275 million last season. He will be the Ducks' highest-paid defenseman next season, making $5 million in each of the next three seasons.
The Ducks still have several free agents to re-sign, including four key restricted free agents: defenseman Hampus Lindholm, goalie Frederik Andersen and forwards Rickard Rakell and Brandon Pirri. Their unrestricted free agents include David Perron and Jamie McGinn.
With so many players to re-sign, Vatanen had been a prominent feature in trade rumors around the Ducks.
Red Wings: Datsyuk officially leaving for Russia
WEST BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- Pavel Datsyuk is leaving the Detroit Red Wings with a year left on his contract, saying it's time to return home and play in the Russia-based Kontinental Hockey League.
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The 37-year-old Datsyuk announced his plans Saturday at a news conference at his youth hockey camp in the Detroit area. The move was not a huge surprise. Toward the end of the season, he was quoted in a Detroit Free Press story saying he would retire from the NHL, but Datsyuk later told reporters there was a chance he could change his mind.
He said Saturday his final decision came when he was on vacation with his family recently.
Datsyuk, a native of Sverdlovsk, Russia, says he intends to play in the KHL. He did not say for how much longer.
