The Florida Panthers took care of a little business on Sunday. While much of the league was enjoying an off day, and the Panthers were preparing to hit the road for the first time this season, the team announced a contract extension for forward Jonah Gadjovich. The big, bruising winger signed a two-year extension to stay on with the Cats through 2028 after establishing himself as a reliable option on Florida’s fourth line. “Jonah has become an integral part of our locker room and a strong contributor for our group on the ice,” Panthers GM Bill Zito said in a statement released by the team. “He possesses a fearless attitude and unrelenting competitiveness, and we are excited for Jonah to continue with us in South Florida.” The two-year extension carries an AAV (average annual value) of $905,000 [https://x.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/1977390601323659556], which is a nice little pay bump from the $775 AAV his previous deal came with. News of the deal came on Sunday, which also happened to be Gadjovich’s 27th birthday. During his first two seasons with the Panthers, Gadjovich accumulated six goals, eight points and 164 penalty minutes over 81 regular season games while adding another two goals and an assist in 16 playoff outings during Florida’s latest Stanley Cup run. So far this season, he’s picked up an assist and a plus-one on-ice rating over the Cats’ first three games. Gadjovich and the Panthers will be back in action on Monday night when Florida begins a five-game road trip against the Philadelphia Flyers. LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA Three Takeaways: Special teams giving Panthers a major boost, as is their depth scoring [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/three-takeaways-special-teams-giving-panthers-a-major-boost-as-is-their-depth-scoring] Panthers wrap up perfect season-opening homestand with 6-2 victory over Ottawa [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/game-day/panthers-wrap-up-perfect-season-opening-homestand-with-6-2-victory-over-ottawa] Panthers pay tribute to former forward Nick Cousins during Senators visit to Sunrise [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/players/panthers-pay-tribute-to-former-forward-nick-cousins-during-senators-visit-to-sunrise] Dmitry Kulikov placed on IR, could miss several months with upper-body injury [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/dmitry-kulikov-placed-on-ir-could-miss-several-months-with-upper-body-injury] Panthers Den: Opening the season with a pair of tight wins, previewing Ottawa matchup [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/panthers-den-opening-the-season-with-a-pair-of-tight-wins-previewing-ottawa-matchup] Photo caption: Oct 2, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Jonah Gadjovich (12) warms up before a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Benchmark International Arena. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)
