Yesterday saw the most contract extensions/entry-level deals since the start of the playoffs, all beginning in 2026-27. Both Pittsburgh signings were extensions. Forward/valuble depth pivot Connor Dewar signed a two-year extension, carrying a cap hit of $2.25 million per annum. Depth d-man Ilya Solovyov‘s deal is for 1 year, and has an $850,000 cap hit. Solovyov was acquired in 2025-26 to add depth to the Penguins D corps, and saw his first NHL playoff action this year. More information on Dewar is contained in the article I published yesterday, the link to which is attached.
Both Washington signings were entry-level contracts. Forward Petr Sikora‘s deal is for 3 years, and carries an annual cap hit of $995,000. Fellow pivot Theodor Niederbach signed a one-year deal with a cap hit of $1,025,000. Sikora is renowned for being a relentless forechecker, and Niderbach for his shutdown approcah. Each player is scheduled to begin 2026-27 in the AHL.
Like the Sikora and Niederbach signings, the deal involving Utah forward Yegor Borikov also is an entry-level contract. Borikov is signed for three years, and his contract carries with it an annual cap hit of $995,000. Considered to have a high offensive upside, Borikov recorded 30 points (16G 14A) in 59 regular season games with the KHL’s Dinamo Minsk in 2025-26. Also, Borikov’s seven goals in the 2025 KHL Playoffs tied Evgeny Kuznetsov’s league record for the most goals scored in a single postseason by any player aged 20 or younger. Like Sikora and Niederbach, Borikov is scheduled to begin 2026-27 in the AHL.
https://thehockeylawyer.net/2026/05/07/5-7-26-dewar-pit-signs-extension-with-pens/