Ducks sign Jackson LaCombe to eight-year contract extension
The Anaheim Ducks have agreed to terms on an eight-year contract extension with defenseman Jackson LaCombe, the club announced Thursday morning.
LaCombe, 24, collected 14 goals and 43 points while averaging 22:18 of ice time in 75 games with the Ducks during the 2024-25 regular season.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, LaCombe’s new contract carries a $9 million annual cap hit over all eight years, making him the highest-paid player in franchise history. The Eden Prairie, Minnesota product was already signed through the 2025-26 season at a $925,000 AAV.
Another big deal: the Ducks are making Jackson LaCombe the highest-paid player in franchise history. An 8x$9M AAV extension for the talented young defenceman.
Ryan Getzlaf, Paul Kariya and Corey Perry had higher AAVs, but this is the most in total dollars. https://t.co/bKnbwzPsyH
The Ducks originally selected LaCombe in the second round (No. 39 overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft. The 6’2″, 208-pound left-shot defender spent his first four post-draft seasons at the University of Minnesota, being named a Big Ten first- or second-team all-star in his sophomore, junior, and senior years.
After helping the Golden Gophers reach the National Championship in the 2022-23 season, LaCombe signed his entry-level contract with the Ducks and appeared in his first two NHL games that year. He subsequently skated in 71 games with the club in the 2023-24 campaign, primarily as a bottom-pairing option.
The Ducks opted to use LaCombe on their top pairing for the majority of the 2024-25 season and it paid immediate dividends, with the club breaking even with him on the ice at 5-on-5 (despite struggling enormously on the power play). Now, the Ducks have LaCombe under contract through 2034.
LaCombe’s new deal mirrors the seven-year, $9 million AAV contract that Luke Hughes signed with the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday, and potentially sets the stage for Lane Hutson to sign for a similar figure on his next deal with the Montreal Canadiens.
The Ducks have a handful of other young defenders in line for new contracts of their own, although none are likely to be for as much as LaCombe received. Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger are both one year away from RFA status, while Tristan Luneau and Drew Helleson have two years left on their deals.