The Florida Panthers are finalizing a long-term extension with defenseman Niko Mikkola, sources told ESPN on Thursday.
The deal, which could be announced as soon as this week, means the two-time defending champions will have their top four defensemen locked in until at least 2030, with Gustav Forsling, Aaron Ekblad and Seth Jones already committed to long-term deals.
The Panthers are beginning their quest for a three-peat without two of their biggest stars. Matthew Tkachuk is recovering from offseason surgery and is expected back around December. Captain Aleksander Barkov tore his ACL and MCL at a preseason practice and has a projected recovery from surgery of seven to nine months.
Mikkola, 29, has found his game with the Panthers, where he was a key defensive cog in each of their Stanley Cup wins. He has appeared in 46 playoff games over the past two seasons, averaging 19:23 per contest. He also scored some clutch, if unlikely, goals, including the game winner in Game 3 of the 2025 Eastern Conference finals against the Carolina Hurricanes. At 6-foot-6, 205 pounds, Mikkola's brand blends physicality with strong skating.
A native of 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 Vladimir Tarasenko deal.
He signed a three-year, $7.5 million contract with the Panthers in 2023 as a free agent. This season is the final year of that deal; the extension will kick in for 2026-27.
Mikkola is expected to be named to the Finnish team for the 2026 Olympics in Milan.
