NHL teams rush to sign players to 8-year contracts before new CBA deadline

The clock was ticking toward an unusual deadline in the NHL, and teams with players relevant to it rushed to beat the final horn.

The new collective bargaining agreement went into effect Tuesday at midnight ET, at which time a seven-year contract became the longest a player could re-sign with his own team, and six years in free agency. The final eight-year deals were done Tuesday.

Ryan Leonard will tie Alex Tuch as the Capitals' highest-paid player Washington locked up Ryan Leonard for $84 million starting with the 2027-28 season. Making an average of $10.5 million a year through 2035, he will match new Capitals teammate Alex Tuch, who also got eight years in a sign-and-trade with Buffalo, for the highest-paid player on the team when Leonard's new deal kicks in.

"Ryan is a young and talented player who is still years away from entering his prime, and we believe he has tremendous potential to continue growing into an important player for our organization," general manager Chris Patrick said in announcing Leonard's contract.

"While reaching his full potential will take time, we have been impressed with his work ethic and the way he continues to develop his game. We are confident in Ryan's ability to continue improving as a hockey player, and we believe this agreement provides him with the opportunity to grow and develop within our organization, while giving us the ability to keep a talented young player in our lineup for years to come.”

Leonard, a 21-year-old winger, heads into his second full NHL season after breaking in during the spring of 2025. The contract cemented his place as part of the Capitals' young, post-Alex Ovechkin core, which is expected to also include brothers Ilya and Aliaksei Protas.

Washington