Fri Dec 06 19:30:00 UTC 2024: ## Ducks Veteran Fowler Returns, Vaakanainen Injured

**Anaheim, CA –** The Anaheim Ducks announced a pair of roster moves today, activating veteran defenseman Cam Fowler from injured reserve while placing young defenseman Urho Vaakanainen on IR.

Fowler, 32, returns after missing the last 11 games due to an upper-body injury. In 12 games this season, he has recorded two assists. A long-time Duck, Fowler, drafted 12th overall in 2010, has played his entire NHL career in Anaheim, accumulating 455 points (96 goals, 359 assists) in 986 games. His current contract runs through the 2025-26 season with a $6.5 million annual average value.

Vaakanainen, 25, will be sidelined with his own upper-body injury, having missed the Ducks’ last eight games. This season, he has appeared in just five games, registering one assist and averaging over 13 minutes of ice time. The Finnish defenseman, acquired from Boston in the 2022 trade that sent Hampus Lindholm to the Bruins, has struggled with injuries and inconsistency throughout his Anaheim tenure. The trade also brought the Ducks a first-round pick (Nathan Gaucher) and two second-round picks. Gaucher, currently playing for the AHL’s San Diego Gulls, has one point in 18 games this season.

The Ducks, currently 10-10-3, sit at the bottom of the Pacific Division but remain within striking distance of a Western Conference wildcard spot, only five points behind.

Read More