On Friday, the Lightning signed defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous to a one-year, one-way extension worth an average annual value of $875,000.
D’Astous’ path to the NHL has been anything but linear, with the past three seasons spent developing his game in Europe, including a standout year in Sweden’s top professional league. He appeared in 49 games with Brynäs IF and was named SHL Defenseman of the Year after recording 12 goals and 39 points with a plus-26 rating. Prior to his stint in Sweden, D’Astous spent two seasons in Finland, where he established himself as one of the league’s top offensive defensemen.
“If I look back on my journey and my career so far, if you would have told me when I was 21 or 22, or when I was in Europe, that today I would sign a one-way deal for next year, it would have been hard to believe,” D’Astous said Friday. “I think it has been an incredible journey for me, and I am really happy about the new contract with Tampa.”
Originally signed by the Lightning as an undrafted free agent, D’Astous is currently playing on a one-year contract worth $775,000. The 27-year-old was called up from Tampa Bay’s AHL affiliate early this season after a wave of injuries to key defensemen.
© Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images“I’m very fortunate that the coaches have confidence in me and are putting me in all those situations, and I’m playing a lot of minutes. Obviously, it hurts when you see guys like Mac, Heddy, or Cerny, who missed a bunch of games. And now we’re missing Lilly,” said D’Astous. “In one way, it’s good for me because I have an opportunity to prove myself and help the team, but in another way, it’s hard because those guys are big pieces of our defensive core.”
D’Astous has quickly become a trusted piece of the Lightning’s blue line, averaging 19:04 of ice time. General manager Julien BriseBois reached out to D’Astous’ agent in the middle of November to express the team’s interest in an extension, and after roughly a week of negotiations, the deal was finalized.
“It went pretty fast, to be honest,” said D’Astous. "When Julien came up with the offer, my agent reached out to me and we didn’t take that much time. I wanted to stay here, and I think the team wants me to stay here, too. So I’m so happy and grateful that I can continue my journey with Tampa.”
“Now that I proved that I can be here, I want to prove that I can make a difference. I think I’ve been playing pretty good since I got called up, but I know, deep down, that I can be better, making more of a difference. That would be my goal.”