Sami Vatanen

Sami Vatanen (born 3 June 1991) is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the fourth round, 106th overall, by the Anaheim Ducks at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
==Playing career==
Vatanen was drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in the fourth round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. In the following season, he earned a spot on defending Finnish champions JYP's roster. He broke a record for most points by a rookie defenceman in both the Finnish SM-liiga regular season and playoffs.
Vatanen made his NHL debut with Anaheim in the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, on 1 February 2013. Vatanen was also selected to the AHL First All-Star Team, as well as the AHL All-Rookie Team, despite playing in just 62 games of the 76-game season.
On 22 July 2014, Vatanen signed a new two-year, $2.525 million contract with Anaheim. He recorded 12 goals and 25 assists during the 2014–15 season, his first full NHL season.
At the completion of the 2015–16 season, Vatanen amassed a new career high with 38 points in 71 games. As a restricted free agent, on 18 June 2016, he signed a new four-year contract with Anaheim.
On 30 November 2017, during the 2017–18 season, Vatanen was traded (along with a conditional third-round pick in 2019 or 2020) to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Joseph Blandisi, Adam Henrique and a third-round pick in 2018. He finished the season with 32 points in 72 games.
On 24 February 2020, Vatanen was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Janne Kuokkanen, Fredrik Claesson and a conditional 2020 fourth-round pick. He appeared in seven postseason games for the club, recording three assists.
On 7 January 2021, Vatanen returned to the Devils on a one-year $2 million contract. On 12 April, Vatanen was claimed off waivers by the Dallas Stars.
==International play==
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In 2010, Vatanen represented Finland internationally at the junior level (2010 World Junior Championships held in Saskatchewan) and at the senior level (2010 World Championships held in Germany). At the end of the 2009–10 season, Vatanen also became the highest-drafted Finnish player in Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) history when he was selected second overall in the 2010 KHL Junior Draft by Metallurg Novokuznetsk.
At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Vatanen won a bronze medal when Finland defeated the United States 5–0.
Vatanen represented Finland at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey held in Toronto in September 2016.
==Career statistics ==
===Regular season and playoffs===
 	 	 		Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season		Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
2007–08 	JYP 	FIN U18 		26 	7 	25 	32 	20 		1 	0 	0 	0 	0
2007–08 	JYP 	Jr. A 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 		2 	0 	0 	0 	0
2008–09 	JYP 	FIN.2 U18 		2 	2 	3 	5 	0 		1 	1 	1 	2 	14
2008–09 	JYP 	Jr. A 		20 	3 	7 	10 	22 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2008–09 	D Team 	Mestis 		5 	1 	1 	2 	8 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2009–10 	JYP 	SM-l 		55 	7 	23 	30 	44 		14 	3 	4 	7 	6
2010–11 	JYP 	SM-l 		52 	11 	20 	31 	30 		3 	1 	1 	2 	0
2011–12 	JYP 	SM-l 		49 	14 	28 	42 	40 		4 	2 	0 	2 	4
2012–13 	Norfolk Admirals 	AHL 		62 	9 	36 	45 	44 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2012–13 	Anaheim Ducks 	NHL 		8 	2 	0 	2 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2013–14 	Anaheim Ducks 	NHL 		48 	6 	15 	21 	22 		5 	0 	1 	1 	0
2013–14 	Norfolk Admirals 	AHL 		8 	2 	5 	7 	4 		5 	0 	3 	3 	4
2014–15 	Anaheim Ducks 	NHL 		67 	12 	25 	37 	36 		16 	3 	8 	11 	8
2015–16 	Anaheim Ducks 	NHL 		71 	9 	29 	38 	20 		7 	1 	3 	4 	6
2016–17 	Anaheim Ducks 	NHL 		71 	3 	21 	24 	30 		12 	1 	5 	6 	4
2017–18 	Anaheim Ducks 	NHL 		15 	1 	3 	4 	8 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2017–18 	New Jersey Devils 	NHL 		57 	3 	25 	28 	32 		4 	1 	0 	1 	0
2018–19 	New Jersey Devils 	NHL 		50 	4 	13 	17 	22 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2019–20 	New Jersey Devils 	NHL 		47 	5 	18 	23 	22 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2019–20 	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 		7 	0 	3 	3 	6
2020–21 	New Jersey Devils 	NHL 		30 	2 	4 	6 	18 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2020–21 	Dallas Stars 	NHL 		9 	0 	0 	0 	2 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals		473 	47 	153 	200 	212 		51 	6 	20 	26 	24
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	Result 		GP	G	A 	Pts	PIM
2008 	Finland 	U17 	6th 		5 	2	3 	5 	8
2008 	Finland 	WJC18 	6th 		6 	0	3 	3 	4
2009 	Finland 	WJC18 	 		6 	1	1 	2 	2
2010 	Finland 	WJC 	5th 		6 	2	3 	5 	0
2010 	Finland 	WC 	6th 		7 	0	0 	0 	6
2011 	Finland 	WJC 	6th 		6 	0	4 	4 	4
2014 	Finland 	OG 	 		6 	0	5 	5 	0
2016 	Finland 	WCH 	8th 		3 	0	0 	0 	2
Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals		29	5	14	19 	18
Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals		16	0	5 	5 	8
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
==Awards and honours==
Award 	Year 	Ref
Liiga 	Liiga 	Liiga
Pekka Rautakallio trophyAwarded to the best defenceman in SM-liiga 	2010–11	
Matti Keinonen trophyAwarded to the player with the best +/- rating	2010–11	
Pekka Rautakallio trophy 	2011–12	
SM-Liiga championship with JYP Jyväskylä 	2011–12	
==References==
==External links==
*
Category:1991 births
Category:Anaheim Ducks draft picks
Category:Anaheim Ducks players
Category:Carolina Hurricanes players
Category:Dallas Stars players
Category:Finnish ice hockey defencemen
Category:Ice hockey players at the 2014 Winter Olympics
Category:JYP Jyväskylä players
Category:Medalists at the 2014 Winter Olympics
Category:New Jersey Devils players
Category:Norfolk Admirals players
Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Finland
Category:Olympic ice hockey players of Finland
Category:Olympic medalists in ice hockey