Highmore's deal carries an average annual value of $725,000 while Lankinen's pact is worth $800,000 annually. Both are two-way contracts in the first year and transition to one-way deals in the second.
The team also signed forwards Evan Barratt and Andrei Altybarmakyan to three- and two-year, entry-level contracts, respectively. Chicago selected both players in the third round of the 2017 NHL Draft.
Highmore, 24, appeared in 36 games for Chicago in 2019-20, contributing two goals and six points. He also netted four goals and 12 points through 21 games with the AHL's Rockford IceHogs.
Lankinen, 24, owned an 8-10-2 record with a 3.09 goals-against average and .909 save percentage with the IceHogs this season. He led Finland to a gold medal at the 2019 IIHF World Championship, posting a 7-1-0 record with a 1.50 goals-against average and .942 save percentage.
The New York Rangers signed free-agent forward Justin Richards to an entry-level contract beginning in 2020-21, the team announced Thursday.
The 22-year-old played three seasons for the University of Minnesota Duluth, winning two national championships and earning the honor of Best Defensive Forward in the conference in 2019-20.
In 120 collegiate games, Richards notched 26 goals and 40 assists.
With the 2019-20 NHL season on pause - if not over altogether - some players have been left hoping for a chance to redeem their underwhelming campaigns.
Here are seven players, including former Vezina Trophy netminders and perennial goal-scorers, who disappointed before the hiatus.
Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers
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Bobrovsky was supposed to take the offensively gifted Panthers to the next level after he signed a seven-year, $70-million pact last summer. Instead, it was the same old story for a franchise that was on track to miss the playoffs for the 17th time in the last 20 seasons.
During 2019-20, the Russian netminder conceded four or more goals in 19 of 50 starts and owned a save percentage south of .906 in four of five months. And, when comparing Bobrovsky's goals-against average (3.25) to his expected goals against per 60 (2.82), it's clear he simply didn't stop nearly as many pucks as he should have. Of the 49 goalies who made at least 25 starts this season, Bobrovsky ranked 45th in goals saved above average (-14.91).
Overall, watching your $70-million puck-stopper get significantly outplayed by a 25-year-old rookie in Chris Driedger - who's just one year removed from playing in the East Coast Hockey League - is about as far from ideal as it gets.
Phil Kessel, Arizona Coyotes
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The Coyotes enjoyed a 94% renewal of season tickets - their highest mark since moving to Glendale in 2003-04 - after Kessel was acquired. But so far, "Phil the thrill" hasn't lived up to his moniker.
Instead of providing the type of offensive star power that's been rare in Arizona, Kessel ranked sixth on the team in points this season and at best served the role of a second-line winger. Now stuck at 14 goals, Kessel is likely to fall short of 20 for the first time in 12 years. He also posted a team-worst minus-21 rating before the hiatus, which is even more jarring considering the second-lowest mark on the club was minus-9.
P.K. Subban, New Jersey Devils
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In Subban's defense, not much went right for a Devils team that had high aspirations for 2019-20. Following a dreadful 2-5-4 start, New Jersey was never close to being in the playoff picture, and the 2013 Norris Trophy winner's subpar play was one of many impediments the team faced.
The 30-year-old blue-liner has never fallen short of the 30-point mark, but with just 18 points through 68 contests this season, he was on track for a career-low 22. New Jersey also owned just 47.03% of high-danger scoring chances with Subban on the ice at five-on-five - the second-worst mark among Devils defensemen.
Sean Monahan, Calgary Flames
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Following a career-high 82-point season in 2018-19, Monahan saw a massive drop-off in his production this season. With 48 points through 70 games, the Flames' top pivot sat 35th in scoring among NHL centers.
Monahan's game suffered the most at even strength. The 25-year-old mustered a career-low 11 goals at five-on-five and his minus-16 rating ranked last on the team. Monahan's possession numbers took a hit as well, as the Flames owned only 48.03% of expected goals and 48.02% of high-danger scoring chances with the Ontario native on the ice at five-on-five, putting him on the wrong side of those metrics for the first time in three seasons.
Jeff Skinner, Buffalo Sabres
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Has anyone seen Jeff Skinner? The Sabres' 40-goal man from 2018-19 was a shell of himself this season after inking an eight-year, $72-million deal in June.
When the campaign was suspended, Buffalo's second-highest-paid player sat seventh on the club in scoring and had been a non-factor on the power play, failing to contribute even a single goal. Overall, Skinner was on pace for a career-low 27 points, which would have marked (shield your eyes, Sabres fans) the lowest-ever single-season point total for a player carrying an annual cap hit of at least $9 million.
In Skinner's defense, he saw two fewer minutes per contest under head coach Ralph Krueger and missed 10 games with an upper-body injury that may have had lingering effects. Furthermore, that Skinner scored all 14 of his goals at even strength isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Still, for the Sabres to make significant strides going forward, the 27-year-old must return to form.
Joe Pavelski, Dallas Stars
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The Stars' big offseason splash didn't live up to expectations. A goal-starved Dallas team acquired Pavelski for an offensive boost, yet the 35-year-old ranked sixth on the club in goals (14) and seventh in points (31).
Pavelski's dip in production shouldn't have been a complete surprise, considering his 38-goal campaign in 2018-19 was bolstered by an unsustainably high shooting percentage (20.2%). However, the 5-foot-11 winger was on pace for fewer than 20 goals across a full regular season for the first time since his sophomore campaign in 2007-08.
Perhaps most alarming for the Stars, Pavelski ranked 40th in points per game out of 41 NHL forwards who made at least 25 appearances and carry an annual cap hit of $7 million or more.
Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators
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Rinne is only two years removed from his Vezina Trophy season, but it appears Father Time is catching up to the Predators' 37-year-old puck-stopper. The towering Finn didn't look like himself in 2019-20, and he seemingly lost his starting role to youngster Juuse Saros as a result.
This season, Rinne's .895 save percentage was the worst of his career by far, and he allowed four or more goals in 14 of 36 games after conceding that amount just 10 times across 56 appearances in 2018-19. Additionally, after winning eight of his first 10 starts to begin the latest campaign, Rinne earned consecutive victories just once.
Two days after the NHL featured The Great One, Super Mario gets his turn.
On Wednesday, the league is revisiting the Pittsburgh Penguins' blowout win over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on April 9, 1993. It was a truly memorable night for Mario Lemieux, who scored five of the Penguins' 10 goals and helped the club set an NHL record with its 16th straight victory.
Kral, who signed a three-year pact, racked up 49 points in 53 games with the WHL's Spokane Chiefs this season. The Maple Leafs selected the 20-year-old in the fifth round of the 2018 draft.
Rubins, who agreed to a two-year deal, spent this season with the AHL's Toronto Marlies after splitting 2018-19 between them and the ECHL's Newfoundland Growlers. The 22-year-old joined the Leafs organization when he signed with the Growlers in August 2018.
Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.
Four additional members of the Ottawa Senators organization tested positive for COVID-19, the team announced Wednesday. All players and staff have been self-isolating since March 13, and everyone who tested positive has since recovered.
The newly reported cases are believed to be three players and one staff, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.
With those cases factored in, there are now seven known cases among NHL players - five on the Senators and two on the Colorado Avalanche.
Meanwhile, the NHL on Tuesday reportedly extended its self-quarantine measures until at least April 15.
The NHL campaign remains paused, but more than a few players can still take some solace in the fact they made significant strides this season.
From those who unexpectedly burst onto the scene, to productive youngsters who took their game to the next level, here's a collection of players who broke out in 2019-20.
Dominik Kubalik
Few outside Kubalik's homeland or NHL market had heard of the Czech-born forward at the start of the season, but the 24-year-old rookie - whom the Los Angeles Kings drafted in the seventh round in 2013 before trading him to Chicago for a fifth-rounder in January 2019 - exploded for 30 goals in 68 games. His team boasts some elite playmakers, but Kubalik didn't play with Patrick Kane at even strength often and did much of his damage in a supporting role.
David Pastrnak
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Yes, Pastrnak was arguably already a star, having authored 30-goal efforts in each of the previous three campaigns. However, he rose to absolute superstardom in 2019-20, pouring in 48 goals and 95 points in 70 games. At the time of the postponement, Kubalik's 23-year-old countryman was tied for the league lead in goals, ranked third among all NHL skaters in points, and was on pace for 56 markers and 111 points over an 82-game span.
Mika Zibanejad
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Like Pastrnak, Zibanejad was coming off a 30-goal season of his own, but he became unstoppable as 2019-20 progressed. The New York Rangers center missed 13 games with an injury early on, but dominated upon returning. He piled up 41 goals and 75 points in 57 games - including a five-goal night in early March - and collected a mind-blowing 23 goals over the final 22 games, besting his 74-point output from 2018-19 in 25 fewer contests.
J.T. Miller
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Miller was a solid depth player for the Rangers and the Tampa Bay Lightning, but his production skyrocketed after the latter club traded him to the Vancouver Canucks in June. Playing alongside Elias Pettersson certainly factored into that, but nevertheless, Miller more than clicked with his new team, establishing career highs with 27 goals and 72 points in 69 games.
Kevin Fiala
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Only Zibanejad was hotter than Fiala down the stretch. The Minnesota Wild winger went on an absolute tear, pouring in 14 goals and 26 points over the final 18 games prior to the pause. Fiala ultimately tied his career high of 23 markers and surpassed his previous best of 25 assists by six in 16 fewer contests, producing 54 points in 64 games.
Tony DeAngelo
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Jacob Trouba was the big addition on the Rangers' blue line entering 2019-20, but DeAngelo nearly doubled Trouba's point total and posted surprisingly stellar offensive numbers in his third season with New York. DeAngelo tied for third among all NHL rearguards with 15 goals and ranked fourth in the league at his position with 53 points in 68 games, surpassing his previous career-bests by far.
Elvis Merzlikins
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Merzlikins was the Columbus Blue Jackets' goalie of the future, but he became the goalie of the present following an injury to starter Joonas Korpisalo in late December. After taking over as the starter, Merzlikins went 13-5-4 with a .935 save percentage with five shutouts in 23 games. He also led all NHL netminders in goals saved above average during that span.
Tristan Jarry
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Jarry began this season as the Pittsburgh Penguins' backup goalie, but he snatched the No. 1 job from Matt Murray and held onto it for a while after outplaying the two-time Stanley Cup champion. Jarry faltered right before the pause and effectively lost the starting gig, allowing 18 goals combined in four straight losses. However, he excelled beforehand, posting a .931 save percentage in 29 appearances prior to the four-game slide.
Bryan Rust
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Rust was another Penguins player who enjoyed a breakout season. The 27-year-old forward had never registered more than 18 goals or 38 points in one campaign. However, he needed only 55 games to squash those career highs in 2019-20, piling up 27 markers and 56 points. He had some help from Evgeni Malkin, but it was an impressive campaign nonetheless.
Travis Konecny
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The Philadelphia Flyers were one of the NHL's best teams before the postponement, and Konecny played a significant role in that resurgence. The 23-year-old needed 15 fewer games to match his career-high 24-goal output, and bested his previous high of 49 points - achieved in 82 contests - with 61 in only 66 games. He was on pace for 73 points, which would have been a 24-point improvement over his 2018-19 production.
