The Florida Panthers have signed defenceman Niko Mikkola to an eight-year, $40 million contract extension.
The deal carries an average annual value of $5 million as the 29-year-old becomes the 11th member of the Panthers signed through at least 2030.
Mikkola, who was a pending unrestricted free agent, posted a career-high six goals and 22 points in 76 games last season, adding three goals and six points in 22 playoff games as he and the Panthers repeated as Stanley Cup champions. He had two goals and four points in 24 playoff games during Florida’s 2024 run to the Cup, averaging 18:38 of ice time per game before seeing the number jump to 20:12 this past spring.
“Niko has proven himself to be a dependable defenseman who uses his speed and physicality to impact both ends of the ice,” said Zito. “He was an indispensable piece of our past two championship campaigns, and we are thrilled that Niko will be continuing his career with the Florida Panthers.”
The towering 6-foot-6 blueliner carries a cap hit of $2.5 million this season on his expiring three-year contract signed with the Panthers in 2023 as an unrestricted free agent.
The Kiiminki, Finland native has 14 goals and 62 points over 328 career games with the St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers and Panthers. He was selected by the Blues in the fifth round of the 2015 draft.
Mikkola becomes the latest Panthers player to sign long-term with the club, with forwards Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, Brad Marchand, Anton Lundell all signed through at least 2030, as well as defencemen Seth Jones, Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling.
Panthers goaltenders Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov are both slated to enter the season as pending unrestricted free agents.
