NHL Contract News: The Tampa Bay Lightning and defenseman JJ Moser have agreed on a big, long-term extension. Insider Elliotte Friedman tells us it’ll be an eight-year extension with a $6.75M AAV.
Moser, in his second year with the Bolts, is having a tremendous season, with a plus/minus rating of +24 through 34 games, with 12 points, and a career-high 21:43 average ice time logged per night.
Moser, 25, has stepped up big-time this season, helping to make up for the repeated absence of top d-man Victor Hedman, who is out once again and not expected to return until February. Hedman has only played 18 games.
Moser came to Tampa last season, and made a big impression, posting a +20 rating in 54 games, while blocking 70 shots. He played an average of 18:51 per game. Unfortunately, he missed significant time due to a lower-body injury.
The smooth-skating d-man brings composure and a solid defensive presence to the Lightning blueline, and he’ll be around now through 2034 and his age-34 season.
Moser spent the first three years of his career in Arizona with the Coyotes, after they made him a second-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.
