Ohgren’s Eight-Year Extension Looks Unlikely as NHL Contract Deadline Nears

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The NHL’s deadline for eight-year contract extensions arrives tonight at 9 p.m., and it appears unlikely that Vancouver Canucks forward Liam Ohgren will secure a deal before then.

Beginning tomorrow, the maximum contract term will be reduced to seven years under the new collective bargaining agreement.

Delaying an extension appears strategically sound from the player’s perspective. At 22, Ohgren appeared in 51 games for the Canucks last season following his trade from the Minnesota Wild in the Quinn Hughes deal, posting eight goals and 18 points while logging 14:27 per night—third-line minutes.

With top-six forward minutes available in Vancouver this season, Ohgren could significantly strengthen his position by advancing his play. Should he earn a spot in the top six and approach the 20-goal mark, his contract leverage would increase substantially—potentially securing more than just an additional year of term.

“I’m hearing he might be ramping it up this week, could be on the ice at Rogers Arena as early as today..”@DhaliwalSports shares what he is hearing on Thatcher Demko’s recovery ahead of training camp and whether the #Canucks are looking at an 8 year contract extension for Liam… pic.twitter.com/3cHGIxcshQ

— Donnie & Dhali (@DonnieandDhali) September 15, 2026

This contrasts with defenseman Zeev Buium, 20, who averaged 20:21 per night—first-pairing minutes—in 45 games with Vancouver following the same Hughes trade.

Buium signed an eight-year, $75.04 million contract with Vancouver on September 4, carrying a $9.38 million annual cap hit.

This week, forwards Ryan Leonard (21, Washington Capitals) and Noah Ostlund (22, Buffalo Sabres) both signed eight-year extensions, while Drake Batherson (28) did the same with the Ottawa Senators.

So far this off-season, 12 players have signed eight-year extensions.

Ohgren will become a restricted free agent at the conclusion of this season, currently in the final year of a contract with an $886,666 cap hit.

Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 187 pounds, Ohgren has appeared in 97 NHL games with 11 goals and 25 points. The Stockholm native was selected 19th overall by the Wild in 2022.

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