Anaheim Ducks forward Frank Vatrano will be headed to Toronto in early February as part of the 2024 NHL All-Star Game. This is the first time the 29-year-old Vatrano has been invited to the midseason exhibition. He was one of 32 players announced to the All-Star Game, with each team having one player represented.
Vatrano is having a career year, leading the Ducks in goals (18) and points (27). He started the season on fire with 11 goals in his first 14 games, but he struggled through most of December with a nine-game goal drought. He’s recently rediscovered his scoring touch, notching four goals in the last five games. He’s one of six players to record multiple hat tricks this season.
Vatrano is Anaheim’s Most Reliable Contributor
Vatrano’s selection to the All-Star Game was an easy choice to make. The Ducks have struggled to score all season, averaging the league’s fourth-fewest goals per game at 2.51. He’s the only player on the Ducks having any sort of breakout season, other than second-year player Mason McTavish. McTavish himself had an interesting case to be the Ducks’ representative. He only has two fewer points than Vatrano despite missing seven games. In fact, it can be argued that McTavish has carried Anaheim’s second line; Vatrano’s previously mentioned scoring drought includes all seven games McTavish was out of the lineup.
McTavish will have a chance to join his linemate in Toronto by being one of the 12 players voted in by the fans. A link to the fan vote can be found here.
All-Star Weekend begins Thursday, Feb. 1 where Vatrano will be drafted to one of the four possible teams. The All-Star Game will be played on Saturday, Feb 3.
Statistics courtesy of Hockey-Reference.