Ducks’ Jackson LaCombe ‘Surprise’ Extension Proves He Is Underrated

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The Anaheim Ducks recently announced that they had agreed to an extension with defender Jackson Lacombe, and the response from fans around the league was one of shock and surprise. Shortly after, it was confirmed that the Ducks had signed Lacombe to an eight-year extension with a $9 million average annual value (AAV), and fans were quick to question it.

The extension makes LaCombe the highest-paid player in their franchise’s history, and it seemed as though some fans were quick to call it an overpay, considering Luke Hughes and the New Jersey Devils agreed to an extension with the same price point recently, and fans seem to believe Hughes is miles better than LaCombe.

Related: Ducks Sign Jackson LaCombe to Record-Breaking Contract Extension

After seeing some of the pushback from fans on the extension that LaCombe signed, it’s hard not to view him as the most underrated player in the league. His defensive play is outstanding, his willingness to drive the play is evident, and his analytics back up the fact that he is an elite player who deserves that extension. If anything, he is being underpaid.

LaCombe played in every situation on a rebuilding team and was able to remain at an elite level regardless of the competition he was facing. He has almost no holes in his game, and as a young player with plenty of room to grow, this is some smart business from the Ducks.

Jackson LaCombe Anaheim Ducks
Jackson LaCombe, Anaheim Ducks (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

LaCombe’s two-way game and ability to create plays while simultaneously being able to shut down an opposing team’s top players are off the charts. He could find himself in talks for the Norris Trophy in the next couple of seasons if he continues to elevate his offensive game, but for now, he will have to settle for being underrated.

LaCombe vs Hughes

LaCombe and Hughes are going to be making the same amount of money for the foreseeable future, so it’s natural to want to compare the two. Compared to LaCombe, though, Hughes’ underlying aren’t quite as solid.

Now, Hughes is younger and has some more room to grow and likely has a bit more leeway, but as of right now, LaCombe is stronger in every aspect of the game, which makes it surprising they are getting the same pay for the next little while.

The other thing to think about here is that Hughes mainly played second-pairing minutes with the Devils, while LaCombe played first-pairing minutes and in a lot of clutch moments for the Ducks. The closer comparison for LaCombe would be Edmonton Oilers’ Evan Bouchard, who faced criticism for a while but has established himself as one of the most elite defensemen in the NHL, and recently signed a new four-year deal worth $10.5 million annually.

At the end of the day, both the LaCombe and Hughes extensions are risky to some degree. They are both young and could start to slip up and prove to have been overpaid, as is the risk with every extension, but in terms of what is more likely to happen, which is that they are both going to establish themselves as elite two-way defenders who are among the league’s best, these deals are fantastic business by the respective teams.

LaCombe’s extension should not have come as a surprise, but playing in a rebuilding market like the Ducks takes away from the possibility of him being in the spotlight. However, his stats and underlying numbers prove he is elite, and currently, he is the most underrated player in the league.

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