Ducks commit to Tristan Luneau with six-year extension after 14 NHL games

The Anaheim Ducks have signed Tristan Luneau to a six-year contract extension despite the defenseman having played only 14 NHL games. The deal was announced Thursday, with theScore reporting an annual value of $7.2 million, citing Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. That puts the total reported value at $43.2 million for the 22-year-old.

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New details published by RG on Friday show that discussions began before training camp. Jonathan Lachance, who represents Luneau alongside Will Sports Group founder Ian Pulver, told the outlet that Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek called in mid-August to ask about an extension. The representatives then encouraged Luneau to concentrate on camp while they handled the potential negotiations.

Lachance said Anaheim was impressed by Luneau's camp performances and based its offer on his development and the role it envisioned for him. He told RG there was no straightforward contract comparison for someone with so little NHL experience. The Ducks wanted a lengthy agreement, and the sides settled the annual value after establishing that shared interest.

Luneau's NHL record consists of two goals and two assists, but he has a much larger body of work in the American Hockey League. According to theScore, he recorded 41 points in 70 appearances last season, following 52 points in 59 games the previous year. Anaheim selected him with the 53rd pick in the 2022 draft.

The agreement also follows changes on the Ducks' blue line. John Carlson, Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas, their leading three right-shot defensemen last season, all left during the offseason, theScore reported. Verbeek said in the team's statement that Anaheim regarded Luneau as a long-term top-four defenseman and had made completing the contract before the season a priority.

Lachance told RG that Luneau was surprised by the scale of the commitment and had not questioned his desire to remain in Anaheim. He said establishing himself with the Ducks, rather than pursuing an offer sheet, had been the player's focus. RG reported that the extension begins in 2027-28; the deal therefore secures his future while his NHL career is still developing.