The Anaheim Ducks have signed defenseman Tristan Luneau to a contract extension. The Hockey News reported the deal on Oct. 1, 2026, and said Luneau signed it on Thursday morning. The team is committing $43.2 million to the 22-year-old, who was on track to become a restricted free agent after the 2026-27 season.
According to The Hockey News, general manager Pat Verbeek said at the start of training camp that the Ducks planned to act sooner with players nearing restricted free agency. Luneau's extension fits that approach.
The deal is a bet on what Luneau could become, not on what he has done so far. He has played 14 NHL games over three seasons. Last season he made one NHL appearance, in the final regular-season game against the Nashville Predators. He scored a goal in that game as the Ducks headed into the postseason.
Changes on the Ducks defense have opened the door for him. Jacob Trouba, Radko Gudas and John Carlson are gone, and Drew Helleson and Ian Moore are currently injured. The Hockey News called this the biggest opportunity of Luneau's NHL career so far.
Luneau said his agent told him the Ducks wanted to move ahead with an extension. "I said I want to be part of this group, and I'm ready to get things going, too," he said, as quoted by The Hockey News.
The outlet also noted the risk in paying $43.2 million to a player with fewer than 20 NHL games. It compared the move to the Ducks' earlier deal with Jackson LaCombe, who has since played more than 200 NHL games. Anaheim is hoping to get ahead of the curve by signing Luneau before his breakout.