Oct. 2 (UPI) -- The Florida Panthers agreed to an eight-year contract extension with veteran defenseman Niko Mikkola, the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions announced Thursday.
Mikkola's extension will begin next season. The 29-year-old joined the NHL franchise as a free agent in 2023. He recorded a career-high 22 points, with six goals and 16 assists, over 76 games last season.
"Niko has proven himself to be a dependable defenseman who uses his speed and physicality to impact both ends of the ice," Panthers general manager Bill Zito said in a news release.
"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, who is from Finland, entered the league as a fifth-round pick by the St. Louis Blues in the 2015 NHL Draft. He has totaled 62 points, with 14 goals and 48 assists, over the first 328 appearances of his career. He also suited up for the New York Rangers.
