Panthers D Niko Mikkola inks 8-year contract extension

Florida Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola agreed to an eight-year contract extension on Thursday.

Financial terms were not disclosed by the team, but TSN reported the deal was worth $40 million.

Mikkola would have become a free agent at the end of the season. He will play the final season of his three-year, $7.5 million contract with Florida in 2025-26 before the extension begins in the 2026-27 campaign.

The 6-foot-6 Mikkola joins fellow defensemen Gustav Forsling, Aaron Ekblad and Seth Jones in being locked into extensions until at least 2030.

"Niko has proven himself to be a dependable defenseman who uses his speed and physicality to impact both ends of the ice," said Bill Zito, Panthers president of hockey operations and general manager.

"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."

Mikkola, 29, recorded career-high totals in goals (six), assists (16), points (22) and rating (plus-12) in 76 games this past season. He also added 137 hits and 88 blocked shots.

He totaled six points (three goals, three assists) in 22 playoff games this past spring, highlighted by scoring the winning goal in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final versus the Carolina Hurricanes.

Mikkola was second among defensemen last season with 77 wins on puck battles while leading and also No. 2 with 61 wins on puck battles in the third period according to Inside Edge.

A two-time Stanley Cup winner, Mikkola has 62 points (14 goals, 48 assists) in 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 NHL Draft.