So why did we let Mikkalo go?
- irishgerm

Could not afford to keep him. Cap constraints...again.

Exactly.
Been thinking the same all playoffs. Why isn't he still a Ranger? I don't think any of us wanted him to go.
- Fenrir

He wasn’t this guy for the Rangers, but in hindsight the $2.5M he signed for would’ve been unbelievable. I don’t recall anyone having too strong of an opinion of him positive or negative though. Just goes to show, like so many other players on Florida that when you have a complete team around you, and a system that works, how it makes everyone better.

So why did we let Mikkalo go?
- irishgerm

Because at the time few thought he was worth a three-year deal and the minimal cap space made a $2.5 million salary almost impossible. Most wanted to offer two years around $1.75 per , maybe 2. At the time, general consensus here was that the three years and the $ were an overpay. We all were wrong.

Because at the time few thought he was worth a three-year deal and the minimal cap space made a $2.5 million salary almost impossible. Most wanted to offer two years around $1.75 per , maybe 2. At the time, general consensus here was that the three years and the $ were an overpay. We all were wrong.
- airjan23

He comes in here once a month to spell a players name wrong and be grumpy

He comes in here once a month to spell a players name wrong and be grumpy
- picklerick

The question is a valid question. Been asked on X a ton the past month or so. Just giving my view of the situation.

The question is a valid question. Been asked on twitter a ton the past month or so. Just giving my view of the situation.
- airjan23

Fify

It just cracks me up anytime any former Ranger over the last 10 years does anything good for another team it’s always Drury is an idiot for letting him go. And people don’t take into account the salary cap or the rest of the roster at the time lol

It just cracks me up anytime any former Ranger over the last 10 years does anything good for another team it’s always Drury is an idiot for letting him go. And people don’t take into account the salary cap or the rest of the roster at the time lol
- TPC

To be fair I distinctly remember the contract and thinking that he was worth it at the time. I think a lot of the frustration towards Drury comes from “the rest of the roster” keeping signings like this from happening maybe? Idk. It’s not that big of a deal it’s just Nikki makkolo

https://x.com/ejhradek_nh...&t=uyemCTfXPLjxebCnYBfx6Q

Crazy season starts early holy poop

https://x.com/ejhradek_nhl/status/1925809115659399634?s=46&t=uyemCTfXPLjxebCnYBfx6Q

Crazy season starts early holy poop
- picklerick

Yep not a good free agent class and teams have way more money to spend this offseason due to the cap jump. Stay away from the Ekblads, Bennetts and marners as UFAs

Yep not a good free agent class and teams have way more money to spend this offseason due to the cap jump. Stay away from the Ekblads, Bennetts and marners as UFAs
- TPC

Like he’s a fine player that any team should want to have but $10m is absolutely insane and will age terribly

Like he’s a fine player that any team should want to have but $10m is absolutely insane and will age terribly
- picklerick

Yeah, no thanks.

Yeah, no thanks.
- Fenrir

Hell just sign somewhere that has no income tax like with Florida again or TBL or the stars or Vegas for less. All of those teams are exactly the types of teams that would make sense for a player like him

Like he’s a fine player that any team should want to have but $10m is absolutely insane and will age terribly
- picklerick

Have to look at $ as a percentage of the cap, that's the key figure, not the actual $ amount. Rise in cap means $10 million is far less of a percentage than years ago.

For the 2025-26 season, the salary cap is projected to increase to $95.5 million - $10 mil is 10.47%

The same % in 2024-25 based on a cap of $88 million was $9.215 million.

He wasn’t this guy for the Rangers, but in hindsight the $2.5M he signed for would’ve been unbelievable. I don’t recall anyone having too strong of an opinion of him positive or negative though. Just goes to show, like so many other players on Florida that when you have a complete team around you, and a system that works, how it makes everyone better.
- TC88

Yeah he signed in Florida for $2.5 mill.
That would not have been his number to re-sign with the Rangers because of the tax difference!
Rangers simply couldn't afford to fit him into our cap for $3+ mill/yr

Have to look at $ as a percentage of the cap, that's the key figure, not the actual $ amount. Rise in cap means $10 million is far less of a percentage than years ago.

For the 2025-26 season, the salary cap is projected to increase to $95.5 million - $10 mil is 10.47%

The same % in 2024-25 based on a cap of $88 million was $9.215 million.
- airjan23

I wouldn't pay him $8m against today's cap if that helps

I wouldn't pay him $8m against today's cap if that helps
- picklerick

That's a diff story. Understood. But part of his pay is for his playoff performance. I will ask it this way, would you rather have Marner at let's say 12-13 mil or Bennett at $10 mil?

That's a diff story. Understood. But part of his pay is for his playoff performance. I will ask it this way, would you rather have Marner at let's say 12-13 mil or Bennett at $10 mil?
- airjan23

It’s a false dichotomy. No one needs to choose between those two options. Sam Bennett had a career high 51 pts this season at age 28 and has 50 pts in 68 playoff games with Florida. Fine player. Not going to ever give back the value of his next contract, which is how these things have always gone after championship teams struggle to stay under the cap and other teams swoop in to overpay their UFAs.

All of this is to say that the way we have to build a winner is by finding the next Sam Bennett. The next Gustav Forsling. The next Nikko Mikkola. And so on.

Yeah he signed in Florida for $2.5 mill.
That would not have been his number to re-sign with the Rangers because of the tax difference!
Rangers simply couldn't afford to fit him into our cap for $3+ mill/yr
- TommyGTrain

Exactly, but nope it’s easier just to call Drury dumb and blame him lol

It’s a false dichotomy. No one needs to choose between those two options. Sam Bennett had a career high 51 pts this season at age 28 and has 50 pts in 68 playoff games with Florida. Fine player. Not going to ever give back the value of his next contract, which is how these things have always gone after championship teams struggle to stay under the cap and other teams swoop in to overpay their UFAs
- picklerick

If someone wants to overpay, Florida will move on. $10 mil elsewhere is like $9 mil or so in Florida. Zito has a good sense of the market. I think salary on a contending team should include a component of playoff performance, positive or negative. Teams could be choosing one or the other if both make it to free agency.

Exactly, but nope it’s easier just to call Drury dumb and blame him lol
- TPC

Yeah, well. The discussion we had on this blog on July 1 2023 was that NY couldn't afford him based on their cap situation.

If someone wants to overpay, Florida will move on. $10 mil elsewhere is like $9 mil or so in Florida. Zito has a good sense of the market. I think salary on a contending team should include a component of playoff performance, positive or negative. Teams could be choosing one or the other if both make it to free agency.
- airjan23

i added a little extra to my post after you replied so i'm not just saying what we should not do without offering any kind of solution. Look for value contracts, not overpay for guys coming off of value contracts. Take some swings and hope for the best. Analytics is useful for exactly this

i added a little extra to my post after you replied so i'm not just saying what we should not do without offering any kind of solution. Look for value contracts, not overpay for guys coming off of value contracts. Take some swings and hope for the best. Analytics is useful for exactly this
- picklerick

I agree, and support the analytics. But coupled with that has to be feel and if the player raises his game when it matters most. Not the driving factor but a component. The goal obviously is to identify in house a player like that to avoid overpaying in free agency.

I agree, and support the analytics. But coupled with that has to be feel and if the player raises his game when it matters most. Not the driving factor but a component. The goal obviously is to identify in house a player like that to avoid overpaying in free agency.
- airjan23

Not necessarily in house. Just identify players who they believe have not been utilized properly or they believe have another level to their game or who may fit into what they are trying to do, etc. We have too many contracts signed at the peak of players value to do any more

Hell just sign somewhere that has no income tax like with Florida again or TBL or the stars or Vegas for less. All of those teams are exactly the types of teams that would make sense for a player like him
- picklerick

He and Marner will go to Columbus. Book it.