Welcome back to FlamesNation’s 2021 Flames UFA Targets series, in which our team of writers assesses some of the top players still remaining on the market.
Once upon a time, Sami Vatanen was a legitimate top-four defenseman for the Anaheim Ducks who excelled in all situations. He could kill penalties, he drove play at 5-on-5, and he scored plenty.
Vatanen’s game took a slight turn for the worse after he was traded to the New Jersey Devils in 2017 but he remained a positive-impact player throughout both his stints in the Garden State.