AP
Deadline Deals Hockey
FILE - Washington Capitals right wing Ryan Leonard (9) in action during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Utah Mammoth, March 3, 2026, in Washington.
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NHL teams are rushing to re-sign players to eight-year contracts while they still can, before midnight when the new collective bargaining agreement kicks in and sets a new ceiling of seven years. Washington locked up Ryan Leonard for $84 million and Ottawa signed Drake Batherson for $86 million, the richest contract in franchise history. Buffalo did the same with 22-year-old center Noah Ostlund, who has played just 71 games in the league. Players signing maximum-length extensions this summer will be under contract through 2035.