UNDATED (AP) — Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov has accepted the largest contract in team history.
Two people with direct knowledge of the negotiations tell The Associated Press that the Panthers and their top scorer have worked out an eight-year, $80 million extension with an annual cap hit of $10 million.
The center scored team highs of 26 goals and 58 points in 50 games for the Cats last season. He has totaled 108 goals and 294 points in 277 games over the last four seasons.
In other NHL news:
— Alex Ovechkin left the Capitals’ preseason finale against Philadelphia on Friday night with what the team called a lower-body injury. He is set to be examined further Saturday. Washington’s captain was slow to get up and skated off on his own while not putting much weight on his left leg.
— Blackhawks defenseman Caleb Jones has a sprained left wrist that is expected to keep him out about six weeks. The 24-year-old brother of Chicago defenseman Seth Jones was acquired in a July trade with Edmonton that moved Duncan Keith to the Oilers.
— Ontario’s major indoor professional sports teams have been given the green light to host capacity crowds. That means the Maple Leafs and Senators will be able to play in front of full arenas when their seasons start this month, as well the NBA’s Raptors. The move leaves the Canucks as the only NHL team without full-capacity crowds.
