Panthers sign Niko Mikkola to eight-year contract extension
The Florida Panthers have signed defenseman Miko Mikkola to an eight-year contract extension.
The deal has an annual average value of $5 million. ESPN’s Emily Kaplan was the first to report the signing.
Hearing the Florida Panthers are finalizing a longterm extension with defenseman Niko Mikkola.
Could be announced soon. The two-time defending champs are locking in another key piece just days before the season.
— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) October 2, 2025
Last season, Mikkola finished the season with six goals and 16 assists for 22 points, averaging 20:12 of ice time in 76 regular-season games. He played in 22 playoff games last spring, recording three goals and three assists for six points while averaging 20:13 of ice time, helping the Panthers win their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship.
The Panthers will have Mikkola, Aaron Ekblad, Gustav Forsling and Seth Jones signed through the 2029-30 season.
Mikkola, 29, joined the Panthers ahead of the 2023-24 season, finishing with three goals and 14 assists for 17 points while averaging 20:02 of ice time in 82 regular-season games. He would be a key part of Florida’s first championship group, scoring twice and adding two assists for four points in 24 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Through six NHL seasons, the Kiiminki, Finland, native has 14 goals and 48 assists for 62 points, averaging 18:20 of ice time in 328 career regular-season games with the Panthers, New York Rangers and St. Louis Blues.
Taken by the Blues in the fifth round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Mikkola spent parts of two seasons with St. Louis’ AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage. Before moving to North America, he spent four seasons in Finland’s top domestic league, Liiga, scoring nine goals and 27 assists for 36 points in 171 career games with Tappara Tampere and KalPa Kupio.
The Panthers lost captain Aleksander Barkov during training camp due to injuries to his ACL and MCL, meaning he’ll be out between seven and nine months. Forward Matthew Tkachuk is also out after offseason surgery and may not return until the new year.