The Florida Panthers are closing on a long-term contract extension with defenceman Niko Mikkola, Emily Kaplan of ESPN reports.

Mikkola, a pending unrestricted free agent, posted a career-high six goals and 22 points in 76 games last season, adding three goals and six points in 22 playoff games as he and the Panthers repeated as Stanley Cup champions. He had two goals and four points in 24 playoff games during Florida’s 2024 run to the Cup, averaging 18:38 of ice time per game before seeing the number jump to 20:12 this past spring.

The towering 6-foot-6 blueliner carries a cap hit of $2.5 million this season on his expiring three-year contract signed with the Panthers in 2023 as an unrestricted free agent.

The Kiiminki, Finland native has 14 goals and 62 points over 328 career games with the St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers and Panthers. He was selected by the Blues in the fifth round of the 2015 draft.

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

Mikkola would become the latest Panthers player to sign long-term with the club, with forwards Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, Brad Marchand, Anton Lundell all signed through at least 2030, as well as defencemen Seth Jones, Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling.

Panthers goaltenders Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov are both slated to enter the season as pending unrestricted free agents.