What Happened
The Anaheim Ducks have agreed to a six-year, $43.2-million extension with defenceman Tristan Luneau, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Thursday. The deal carries a $7.2-million average annual value. Luneau, 22, has appeared in 14 career NHL games, and according to Friedman the Ducks believe he can develop into a top-four defenceman. The contract is the largest in NHL history for a player with only 14 games of experience.
Key Details
- Six-year, $43.2-million extension with a $7.2-million AAV, per Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
- Luneau, 22, has 14 career NHL games: seven in 2023-24, six in 2024-25, one last season.
- He has two goals and two assists in those 14 NHL games.
- Last season with the AHL's San Diego Gulls he had 10 goals and 31 assists in 70 games.
- His lone NHL game last season came April 16 against Nashville, scoring one goal in 11:37.
- Drafted 53rd overall by Anaheim in 2022; junior hockey with the QMJHL's Gatineau Olympiques.
What It Means
Anaheim is committing significant money to a defenceman with a small NHL sample, reflecting the organization's view of his top-four potential, according to Friedman. The $7.2-million AAV would place Luneau among the higher-paid blueliners, a notable bet for a 22-year-old whose recent work came primarily in the AHL with San Diego.