1 month ago
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The Florida Panthers are finalizing a semipermanent hold with defenseman Niko Mikkola, sources told ESPN connected Thursday.
The deal, which could beryllium announced arsenic soon arsenic this week, means the two-time defending champions volition person their apical 4 defensemen locked successful until astatine slightest 2030, with Gustav Forsling, Aaron Ekblad and Seth Jones already committed to semipermanent deals.
The Panthers are opening their quest for a three-peat without 2 of their biggest stars. Matthew Tkachuk is recovering from offseason country and is expected backmost astir December. Captain Aleksander Barkov tore his ACL and MCL astatine a preseason signifier and has a projected betterment from country of 7 to 9 months.
Mikkola, 29, has recovered his crippled with the Panthers, wherever helium was a cardinal antiaircraft cog successful each of their Stanley Cup wins. He has appeared successful 46 playoff games implicit the past 2 seasons, averaging 19:23 per contest. He besides scored immoderate clutch, if unlikely, goals, including the crippled victor successful Game 3 of the 2025 Eastern Conference finals against the Carolina Hurricanes. At 6-foot-6, 205 pounds, Mikkola's marque blends physicality with beardown skating.
A autochthonal of Finland, Mikkola was selected by the St. Louis Blues successful the 5th circular (No. 127) of the 2015 NHL draft. After 3 seasons successful St. Louis, helium was traded to the New York Rangers successful 2023 arsenic portion of the Vladimir Tarasenko deal.
He signed a three-year, $7.5 cardinal declaration with the Panthers successful 2023 arsenic a escaped agent. This play is the last twelvemonth of that deal; the hold volition footwear successful for 2026-27.
Mikkola is expected to beryllium named to the Finnish squad for the 2026 Olympics successful Milan.
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