J.J. Moser Secures £42M Eight-Year Deal With Tampa Bay Lightning After Stunning Breakout Season

The Tampa Bay Lightning have locked down one of their rising stars, inking defenseman J.J. Moser to a massive eight-year contract extension worth £42 million ($54 million) on Saturday.

The 25-year-old Swiss blue-liner will earn an average of £5.3 million ($6.75 million) annually through the 2033-34 season, keeping him in Tampa Bay until he's 34. His new deal kicks off with the 2026-27 campaign.

Moser had been headed for restricted free agency with arbitration rights this summer, but Tampa Bay moved quickly to secure his services long-term.

Breakout Campaign Earns Massive Payday

The Biel native has been nothing short of exceptional this season. Through 34 of Tampa Bay's 36 games, he's logged a career-high 21 minutes and 43 seconds per night, leading all Lightning defenders in ice time.

His plus-24 rating sits atop the team standings and ranks third amongst all NHL defensemen. Moser also leads Tampa Bay blue-liners in games played, takeaways (14) and blocked shots (43).

With three goals and 12 points already this season, he's trending towards surpassing last year's 14-point output over 54 games, his first campaign with the Lightning.

Stepping Up Amid Injury Crisis

Moser's value has skyrocketed due to Tampa Bay's injury woes on the back end. Captain Victor Hedman has managed just three appearances since early November, forcing the young Swiss defender into a much larger role.

He's responded brilliantly. With Erik Cernak and Ryan McDonagh also missing significant time, Moser has anchored a depleted defence corps and kept the Lightning competitive in the Atlantic Division race.

Since the start of the 2024-25 campaign, his 37 takeaways lead all Tampa Bay defenders. His 60 hits and 113 blocked shots both rank third on the club.

Over his two seasons in Tampa Bay, Moser has posted a remarkable plus-44 rating in 88 games, tied for fourth-best amongst all NHL defensemen during that span.

Trade Acquisition Becomes Franchise Cornerstone

Tampa Bay acquired Moser last June as part of the blockbuster deal that shipped Mikhail Sergachev to Utah. The Lightning also landed prospect Conor Geekie and two draft picks in the swap.

What looked like a depth move at the time has evolved into something far more significant. Moser has established himself as a legitimate top-pairing defender and a building block for the future.

The Arizona Coyotes selected him 60th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft. He spent three seasons in the desert before the trade brought him to Florida's Gulf Coast.

Across 293 career NHL games between Arizona and Tampa Bay, Moser has amassed 21 goals and 98 points with a plus-17 rating whilst averaging over 20 minutes per match, according to NHL.com.

Olympics Await Before Contract Begins

The timing works perfectly for Moser, who'll represent Switzerland at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics before his new contract takes effect.

He's one of 11 active Swiss players in the NHL this season, giving the Alpine nation genuine medal hopes at next year's Games. The long-term security of his extension means he can focus entirely on international glory without contract concerns looming.

The new deal makes Moser the sixth-highest-paid player on Tampa Bay's books and the second-highest-paid defender behind Hedman, who carries an £6.3 million ($8 million) annual cap hit through 2029.

Tampa Bay now boasts four defensemen signed through at least 2029. McDonagh is locked in through that season, whilst Cernak remains under contract until 2031. That defensive stability could prove crucial in the Lightning's hunt for a fourth Stanley Cup, their first since back-to-back triumphs in 2020 and 2021.

The Lightning (21-13-3) sit third in the Atlantic Division, four points behind Detroit whilst level on points with Washington for the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth.