A few months ago the New York Rangers acquired star-winger Vladimir Tarasenko from the St. Louis Blues along with Niko Mikkola in exchange for Sammy Blais, Hunter Skinner, and multiple draft picks. While Tarasenko understandably received most of the attention, Mikkola has become a pleasant surprise on defense.
Mikkola’s Play
Between the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, Mikkola had four goals and 12 assists in 84 games. He also had two assists in 16 playoff games with the Blues. The defensive-minded defenseman earned his spot in the Blues’ lineup as a third-pair defenseman and penalty killer.
Mikkola continued his solid defensive play this season with the Blues and had three assists in 50 games with them. With the 26-year-old blueliner set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, and St. Louis out of playoff contention, they dealt him to the Rangers.
At 6-foot-4, Mikkola plays with physicality and uses his long reach effectively. However, he had a rocky start in his first few games with the Rangers as he took four penalties in his first three games with his new team.
Related: Rangers Acquire Tarasenko, Mikkola from the Blues
On Feb. 25, Ryan Lindgren suffered an upper-body injury that forced him to miss all but one game over the next five weeks. His injury forced Mikkola into a top-four role playing alongside Adam Fox, and the gritty blueliner demonstrated his value, defending well while playing more than 20 minutes per game. The Rangers went 12-4-2 in the games Lindgren missed in large part due to the consistent play of Mikkola. In past seasons, they really struggled with Lindgren out of the lineup and could not find a trustworthy defenseman to play with Fox.
Lindgren returned to the Rangers’ lineup on April 5, and Mikkola moved down to the third defense pair, playing with Braden Schneider. He scored his first goal of the season in a 4-0 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on April 8. He moved in from the point at the right time and had a tap-in after a nice pass from Mika Zibanejad. He now has one goal and two assists in 29 games with the Blueshirts.
The Rangers’ Depth on Defense
The Rangers have the same reliable top-four defensemen they had in the playoffs last year but they have more depth on defense this year. Lindgren got hurt just before the playoffs began and ended up missing a few games before returning and playing through the injury.
Additionally, the Rangers’ third defense pair was a weakness last postseason. Schneider’s defense partner Patrik Nemeth looked completely overmatched in the Rangers’ first-round series with the Penguins before head coach Gerard Gallant benched him in favor of veteran Justin Braun. Schneider and Braun played better together but still looked shaky at times. The top four defensemen wore down in the Eastern Conference Final after two grueling seven-game series in the first two rounds.
Schneider is still just 21 years old but he already has playoff experience and he now also has a reliable defense partner in Mikkola. The Rangers need their bottom defense pair to play well defensively and take some of the pressure off of their top-four blueliners.
For Mikkola and the Rangers Moving Forward
During the postseason, the Rangers need Mikkola to continue playing the same way he has in the regular season. Though he does not provide much offense, he is a very good skater and he has made smart pinches in the offensive zone. More importantly, he has used his size and reach to defend well, while making smart decisions with the puck.
Mikkola’s strong play also means the Rangers may be interested in re-signing him even though they do not have a lot of cap space. He signed a one-year $1.9 million contract last offseason, and his lack of offensive production means he most likely will not get a big contract this offseason. The Finnish blueliner has certainly helped the team down the stretch this season and he has an opportunity to make a difference for them in the postseason.
