The Ducks should give Tristan Luneau more playing time.
Choosing to let Tristan Luneau represent Canada in the 2024 World Junior Championship was the right move made by the Anaheim Ducks. He is predicted to finish in the top four and play time on the second power play unit for the Canadian defense corps during the competition. His NHL background will probably help him become a team leader as well. As he did when he was a member of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Luneau ought to be able to perform exceptionally well offensively when facing players in his own age group (QMJHL). Being a Canadian representative at the World Juniors in Gothenburg, Sweden, will boost his self-esteem and help him advance as a player.
The 19-year-old blueliner made the Ducks roster out of training camp, and he has already had a busy 2023–24 season. Observing Luneau’s journey thus far has been fascinating, and it will be intriguing to see what the Ducks do with Luneau after the competition is over. Does he join the NHL again? Or does he work for the Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL? We will look at the two options that await Luneau and the Ducks, though it’s unclear currently what the team plans to do.
Ducks Could Keep Luneau at the NHL Level
Luneau was a surprising addition to the NHL team when the 2023–24 season got underway. On October 19, against the Dallas Stars, he made his major-league debut. In a 3-2 loss, he had one shot on goal and played nearly 16 minutes of ice time. Before being sent to the San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League (AHL) for a conditioning stint, he was a healthy scratch for six straight games. In six minor-league games, Luneau recorded two assists and twelve shots on goal before making his way back to the Ducks on November 17.
Luneau’s time in the AHL paid off, as on November 22, in his first game back in the lineup, he recorded his first NHL point with an assist in a 4-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Luneau’s goal against the Washington Capitals on November 30 marked his fifth-youngest Ducks defenseman career goal score, with one goal and one assist. Luneau was 19 years, 322 days old when he scored his first goal. Before being loaned to Canada’s National Junior Team, he played in five games with an average of 18:50 minutes on the ice. In the NHL, Luneau has played with a number of different defense partners, but he has primarily played with Cam Fowler.
Speaking with Alexis Downie on Ducks Stream’s “The Beeker,” general manager Pat Verbeek praised Luneau’s play but quickly acknowledged that the circumstances have been difficult. “Well, he hasn’t played too bad. It’s difficult to kind of come in and play one game a week, which he kind of has, for a guy who hasn’t seen a lot of action,” Verbeek said. “It was really beneficial for him that we were able to get him down to San Diego, where he got to play six games over the course of two weeks. I think it got him jump-started. It’s a big adjustment. Tristan likes to carry the puck a little bit too much, and we’ve been working with him on that to move it quicker, and he’s adjusting.”
It would make some sense to keep Luneau in the NHL for the remainder of the 2023–24 season if the Ducks want him to give up junior habits like holding onto the puck for too long. But it might be a waste of time to gradually deduct a year from his entry-level contract if he isn’t playing frequently. With just seven games under his belt, he still has two games left to play before the Ducks are forced to make a tough decision.
After winning the World Junior Championship, Luneau will need to play in the NHL or QMJHL since he is not eligible for a full-time assignment to the AHL. If Jamie Drysdale is able to return from a lower-body injury while Luneau is playing overseas, the Ducks will have seven healthy rearguards on the roster. That could make the call much easier to return Luneau to the junior ranks.
Ducks Might Put Luneau in Charge of Gatineau
Despite missing the majority of the 2020–21 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Luneau has accomplished a great deal in the QMJHL. Despite this, he was still able to record 18 points (four goals, fourteen assists) in the QMJHL season, which helped him win both the Rookie of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year titles. Before exploding for 83 points (20 goals, 63 assists) over 65 appearances in 2022–23, Luneau improved to 43 points (12 goals, 31 assists) over 63 games in 2021–22. He led all defenders in the QMJHL in assists and points, earning him the Emile Bouchard Trophy in 2023 as the QMJHL Defenseman of the Year.
One could argue that Luneau is too good for the QMJHL and that it wouldn’t be wise for him to play there again next season. It is also possible to argue that sitting in the press box for extended periods of time in the NHL is not as good for his long-term development as more seasoning and another strong junior campaign.
A similar scenario involving Los Angeles Kings player Brandt Clarke occurred last season. He began with the Kings before suffering prolonged scratches. After receiving a conditioning assignment from the AHL’s Ontario Reign, Clarke was later loaned to Team Canada for the World Juniors. After his nine-game trial, he was traded to the Ontario Hockey League’s Barrie Colts. This season, through 25 AHL games with the Reign, Clarke has five goals and 26 points. Though Luneau might go in the same direction, the Ducks prefer to approach things a little differently, as seen by Leo Carlsson’s strength and development plan.
The Ducks’ Choice Should Be Based on Playing Time
Carlsson plays a pivotal role for the team; Luneau’s situation is not the same. As the season goes on, Carlsson should establish himself as a mainstay in the lineup, but Luneau’s spot on the squad is far less certain. Call-ups from the minor leagues could be made for Robert Hagg, Drew Helleson, or Colton White if the Ducks wish to keep a defenseman around for depth or injury insurance.
Olen Zellweger or Tyson Hinds should see NHL action down the stretch, but they need to be playing, and so does Luneau. Working on details at the pro level is a valuable experience, but putting them into practice is where the real progress is made. If Luneau is going to keep spending time in the press box as a healthy scratch with the Ducks, he is probably better off going to the QMJHL for the rest of the 2023-24 season so that he can see as much game action as possible.