Anaheim Ducks Acquire Urho Vaakanainen, John Moore, 2022 First-Round, 2023 And 2024 Second-Round Selections From Boston

Mar 19, 2022

The Anaheim Ducks announced today that the National Hockey League (NHL) club has acquired defensemen Urho Vaakanainen and John Moore, a first-round selection in 2022, and second-round selections in 2023 and 2024 in the NHL Draft from Boston for defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Kodie Curran.

Vaakanainen, 23 (1/1/99), has recorded six points (0-6=6) in 31 career NHL games with Boston. The 6-2, 200-pound defensemen collected four assists (0-4=4) in 15 games with Boston this season and added 1-7=8 points with a +6 rating and 20 PIM in 23 games with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Originally selected by Boston in the first round (18th overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft, Vaakanainen earned 11-28=39 points with a +27 rating and 54 PIM in 118 AHL contests with Providence. He also skated in 111 career Finnish Liiga games with SaiPa and JYP, tallying 8-16=24 points with a +7 rating and 46 PIM.

A native of Joensuu, Finland, Vaakanainen represented Finland at three consecutive World Junior Championships, including 2017, 2018 and 2019, winning gold in 2019. He also helped Finland to medals at the 2016 World U-18 Championship (gold) and 2017 World U-18 Championship (silver).

Moore, 31 (11/19/90), has appeared in 544 career NHL games with Boston (2018-22), New Jersey (2015-18), Arizona (2014-15), New York Rangers (2012-15) and Columbus (2010-13), registering 38-80=118 points and 227 PIM. He has also appeared in 49 career Stanley Cup Playoff contests, earning four assists and 30 PIM.

The 6-3, 207-pound blueliner has earned one assist with a +2 rating and four PIM with Boston this season in addition to 1-5=6 points in 11 games with Providence (AHL). Originally selected by Columbus in the first round (21st overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft, Moore set single-season career highs in scoring (12-10=22) and goals in 2016-17 with New Jersey. The Winnetka, Ill. native helped Team USA earn a bronze medal at the 2015 World Championship, earning one assist in nine tournament games.

Lindholm, 28 (1/20/94), collected 57-165=222 points with a +74 rating and 314 PIM in 582 career NHL games with the Ducks. The 6-4, 216-pound defenseman ranked third among all-time Ducks defensemen in scoring, goals, assists and blocked shots (743), and is one of three defensemen in Ducks history to record 200 points (also Cam Fowler and Scott Niedermayer). 

Selected by Anaheim in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft, Lindholm recorded 5-17=22 points and 42 PIM in 61 games in 2021-22. A native of Helsingborg, Sweden, Lindholm recently represented Sweden at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He has also participated in multiple international tournaments at the junior level, earning silver at the 2012 Under-18 World Junior Championship.

Curran, 32 (12/18/89), recorded 1-15=16 points with 29 PIM in 37 games with San Diego (AHL) this season. In 81 career AHL games with San Diego and Hartford, the 6-1, 185-pound defenseman earned 7-27=34 points and 62 PIM.

Signed by Anaheim as a free agent June 1, 2020, the Calgary, Alberta native collected 24-62=86 points with a +13 rating in 97 career SHL games with Rogle BK from 2018-20. He was named the SHL’s 2019-20 MVP and Defenseman of the Year after picking up 12-37=49 points with a +8 rating in 48 games, leading all league blueliners in points and assists.