PuckSleuth
77Cap hit
$5M
4.8% of $104M cap
Term
8 yrs
Through 2033-34, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
−$969K
vs. $4.031M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
2
Goals
0
0.0% shooting
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
0
0.00 per game
TOI/GP
22:07
PP 0:06 · PK 3:06
xGF%
63.7
5v5, +15.3 vs. last yr
Game Score
+0.17
per game
Faceoff %
—
Plus/minus
0
Blocks 2 · Hits 1
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 @ SJS · OTL 4-3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 22:42 | 0:11 | 2:21 | — | 50 | 4 | 2 | 0 | -0.08 |
| Sep 29 @ CAR · W 1-0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 21:32 | 0:00 | 3:51 | — | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.41 |
| Mar 20 @ CGY · L 4-1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 17:01 | 0:01 | 3:15 | — | 50 | 0 | 0 | -2 | -0.22 |
| Mar 19 @ EDM · W 4-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 22:31 | 0:01 | 2:26 | — | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +0.02 |
| Mar 15 @ SEA · L 6-2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 18:54 | 0:00 | 2:53 | — | 100 | 0 | 0 | -2 | -0.26 |
GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 1,163 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
43rd percentile
25th percentile
23rd percentile
72nd percentile
44th percentile
68th percentile
27th percentile
60th percentile
78th percentile
43rd percentile
31st percentile
29th percentile
24th percentile
52nd percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play styleDefensive-first stay-at-home defender
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26
Mikkola is a physical, speedy presence who excels at aggressive forechecking and disruption. He rarely initiates offense or creates rush chances, making him a pure defensive option.
- Shooting volume
- 49
- Playmaking
- 14
- Zone entries(est.)
- 2
- Forechecking
- 80
- Physicality
- 68
- Defensive impact
- 38
- Puck management
- 38
- Speed
- 76
Where he shoots from
Slot 13% · Mid-range 35% · Perimeter 52%(125 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Forechecking dominance in the 80th percentile keeps opponents off balance
- Speed in the 76th percentile lets him chase down plays and cover ice quickly
- Physicality at 68th percentile adds bite to his defensive work
Watch-outs
- Zone entry creation at 2nd percentile shows he almost never generates rush chances
- Playmaking at 14th percentile means minimal offensive creativity or passing
- Defensive impact at 38th percentile suggests his disruption doesn't always translate to outcomes
Similar style: Sam Dickinson (SJS), Matthew Robertson (NYR)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 68 GP
Season total +16.2, or +0.24 per game.
- Scoring
- +7.6
- Shooting
- +5.1
- 5-on-5 goals
- -1.4
- Defense
- +0.3
- Penalty kill
- +1.4
- Physical play
- +6.4
- Puck battles
- -2.9
- Penalties
- -0.4
Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | GWG | SOG | S% | TOI | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | St. Louis Blues | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.0 | 14:40 | — |
| 2021-22 | St. Louis Blues | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0.0 | 15:39 | — |
| 2022-23 | New York Rangers | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | +2 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0.0 | 14:23 | — |
| 2023-24 | Florida Panthers | 24 | 2 | 2 | 4 | +4 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 8.7 | 18:39 | — |
| 2024-25 | Florida Panthers | 22 | 3 | 3 | 6 | +5 | 37 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 16.7 | 20:13 | — |
| Career | 5 seasons | 69 | 5 | 9 | 14 | +11 | 81 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 57 | 8.8 | 17:58 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team.
Usage
Last game: @ SJS, Oct 1
Pair 1 with Seth Jones (14:41 together at 5-on-5)
From the NHL's shift chart.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
No news about him in the last 30 days.
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average +0.26 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2026-27, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 20.0 mph
- 63rd pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 0
- Hardest shot
- 68.2 mph
- 15th pct
- Distance
- 3.1 mi
- OZ time
- 38.7%
- 23rd pct
- DZ time
- 43.8%
Age curve
NHL defensemen · production index
At 30, defensemen typically produce 89% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 37, when the typical level is 59%.
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
8 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | FLA | $5M | 4.8% |
| 2027-28 | FLA | $5M | 4.4% |
| 2028-29 | FLA | $5M | — |
| 2029-30 | FLA | $5M | — |
| 2030-31 | FLA | $5M | — |
| 2031-32 | FLA | $5M | — |
| 2032-33 | FLA | $5M | — |
| 2033-34 | FLA | $5M | — |
UFA after 2033-34. $40M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).