Former Toledo Walleye and Utah Grizzlies defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous became the 771st former ECHL player to reach the National Hockey League when he debuted with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday against Anaheim.
D’Astous is the third former ECHL player to make his NHL debut during the 2025-26 season. He totaled 79 points (29g-50a) in 98 career ECHL games. During the 2021-22 season with Utah, he earned ECHL Defenseman of the Year honors with 57 points (26g-31a) in 52 games. D’Astous’ 26 goals that season are tied for the third most by a defenseman in a single-season in ECHL history. In the 2022 Kelly Cup Playoffs, he set ECHL postseason records with 19 goals and 11 power-play goals, as Utah advanced to the Western Conference Finals.
He also represented the Grizzlies in the 2022 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic in Jacksonville, as he becomes the 74th player to reach the NHL after appearing in the All-Star Game, and the 58th since 2002 when the format was changed to feature younger prospects.
A native of Rimouski, Quebec, D’Astous has tallied nine points (3g-6a) in 27 career games in the American Hockey League with Syracuse, Colorado and Grand Rapids. Prior to returning North America this season, he spent the previous three seasons in Finland and Sweden, totaling 108 points (36g-72a) in 159 games.