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Islanders Sign Romanov to $50M Extension Ahead of Free Agency

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | Last updated Jun 30, 2025 2:16 PM ET

The New York Islanders are betting big on 25-year-old defenseman Alexander Romanov, signing him to an eight-year, $50 million contract extension with a $6.25 million annual cap hit. The deal, that is being confirmed by several insiders, is being finalized just ahead of the 2025 NHL free agency window opening. He was a pending RFA who could have been an offer sheet target. This deal secures two RFA years and six UFA seasons.

Romanov posted 20 points in 64 games during the 2024–25 campaign while averaging 20:45 of ice time per night. He’s got a high upside, and while the deal might seem a tad high today, his new $6.25 cap hit is excellent for a player on the upswing. The cap rising to almost $114 million in two years means this should cause problems for the Islanders.

With $20.9 million in cap space, per PuckPedia, the Islanders had the room to make a long-term bet on the defenseman.

It’s not entirely clear what the team’s game plan is for the 2025-26 season. They traded defenseman Noah Dobson and look to be retooling and rebuilding.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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