As of Jan. 1, 2026, NHL players who signed one-year contracts are eligible to sign extensions with those teams. Several veterans did, but only a select few are deserving of an early extension.
The Tampa Bay Lightning signed defenseman Ryan McDonagh to a three-year, $12.3 million contract extension on Dec. 4. As a result of this, he will continue to be a big part of their top four. With the ...