- The Ducks signed defenseman Tristan Luneau to a six-year extension worth $7.2 million per season
- The 22-year-old has played only 14 games in the NHL
- Read below for full details on the record-setting deal and where Luneau fits in Anaheim
The Ducks are betting big on a defenseman with 14 NHL games to his name.
Anaheim signed Tristan Luneau to a six-year, $43.2 million contract extension on Thursday. The deal carries a $7.2 million cap hit and kicks in next season, running through 2032-33.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman had the terms out first, and he pointed out it’s the largest contract in NHL history for a player with only 14 games played:
Friedman added that the Ducks kept Luneau in the AHL all of last season after some earlier injuries. Anaheim believes he can be a top-four defenseman.
General manager Pat Verbeek explained the push to get it done before opening night in the team’s announcement.
“Signing Tristan to a long-term contract was a priority as we see him as a top-four defenseman for years to come,” Verbeek said. “Getting the deal done before the season started was a key part of our planning for now and the future.”
The 22-year-old has two goals and four points in his 14 career NHL games. His only appearance for Anaheim last season came on April 16 in Nashville, and he scored in a 5-4 win over the Predators.
Most of his development has happened in San Diego. Luneau put up 52 points in 59 games as an AHL rookie in 2024-25, then posted 10 goals and 41 points in 70 games last year while working on the defensive side of his game.
We posted the numbers on X right after the news hit, and the 2022 second-round pick (53rd overall) getting paid like an established top-four guy turned plenty of heads:
There’s a real opening for him this season. Anaheim lost four regulars from last year’s blue line in Jacob Trouba, Radko Gudas, Olen Zellweger and John Carlson.
San Diego Gulls coach Dave Manson talked about what Luneau brings when he gets the chance.
“Tristan has a high ceiling. I would say he can eat a lot of minutes,” Manson said. “He’s got some offensive upside. He can defend.”
Locking up young pieces has been the theme of the Ducks’ offseason. They matched the Flyers’ offer sheet to keep Leo Carlsson at five years and $90 million, signed Pavel Mintyukov for five years in July, and gave Cutter Gauthier a six-year deal in September.
Before the new money kicks in, Luneau still has to play out the final year of his entry-level contract. The Ducks open their season Friday night in Vegas.
