Florida Panthers Secure Niko Mikkola with Long-Term Extension
The Florida Panthers are on the verge of closing a long-term extension deal with defenseman Niko Mikkola, according to sources close to the team.
This agreement, which could be announced in the coming days, secures the current champions with their four main defensemen committed until at least 2030, as Gustav Forsling, Aaron Ekblad, and Seth Jones also have long-term contracts.
The Panthers begin their path to a three-peat without two of their main stars. Matthew Tkachuk is recovering from offseason surgery and is expected to return around December. Captain Aleksander Barkov suffered a torn ACL and MCL in a preseason training session, with an estimated recovery of seven to nine months after surgery.
Mikkola, 29, has proven his worth with the Panthers, being a key piece in the defense in each of their Stanley Cup victories. He has participated in 46 playoff games in the last two seasons, averaging 19:23 minutes per game. In addition, he has scored crucial goals, including the winning goal in Game 3 of the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes. At 6 feet 6 inches and 205 pounds, Mikkola combines his physique with solid skating.
Originally from Finland, Mikkola was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the fifth round (No. 127) of the 2015 NHL draft. After three seasons in St. Louis, he was traded to the New York Rangers in 2023 as part of the deal for Vladimir Tarasenko.
In 2023, he signed a three-year contract for $7.5 million with the Panthers as a free agent. This season is the last year of that contract; the extension will take effect for the 2026-27 season.
Mikkola is expected to be selected for the Finnish team at the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan.
