Defenseman With Just 14 NHL Games Signs $43 Million Contract

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Tristan Luneau has signed a new six-year contract worth $43.2 million in total, averaging $7.2 million per season. That is a record salary for a player who has appeared in only 14 NHL regular-season games so far.

Path to the NHL

Luneau was drafted only in the second round in 2022, as teams were concerned about an injured knee. After recovering, he was named the best defenseman in the Quebec junior league the following season, and in the fall of 2023 he earned a roster spot with the Anaheim Ducks following training camp, making his NHL debut.

Around the turn of the year he was loaned to Canada's U20 national team, but before the world championship in Sweden he developed a respiratory illness that required surgery and forced him to miss the rest of the season.

Cautious use in the minors

Afterward, Anaheim chose to proceed cautiously, keeping Luneau mostly in the farm club. Last season he played in just one NHL game, scoring a goal, while the year before he appeared in six games. In the minors, however, he has been productive offensively.

Crevier stays in Buffalo

In a separate deal, the Buffalo Sabres extended defenseman Louis Crevier for four years and $16 million. The agreement takes effect next summer, when the 25-year-old would otherwise have been eligible for restricted free agency. Crevier joined Buffalo this summer from the Chicago Blackhawks in a trade that sent Bowen Byram the other way. Last season he recorded 25 points in 78 games.