EHM The Blue Line

I am the GM of the New York Islanders. Tom Poti was my 4th defensemen and mainly just my special teams defensemen. He didn't end with good point totals at all. I wanted to get rid of him at the deadline..... The thing is I didn't want to just get rid of him I also wanted to screw any team I traded him too. So I signed him to a three year extension worth 5 million which pretty much doubled his original contract. So he goes to The Tornto Maple Leafs and continues to play just fine but not great. That was until the next season where he is putting up huge numbers!

From what i know the salary doesn't effect production. But i believe it can effect a player's favourite team. I had Alex Ponikovsky playing for the Flames. And he won a couple awards (best defensive forward) and then at the end of the 3rd year he damanded a huge salary increase and just after i gave him a new big contract he listed my team as his favourite and me as one of his favourite staff.
Maybe it was pure chance, maybe not..

No, but production affects salary

I'd say in your example MacKenzie, the player propably just found a more suitable role for him at his new team, under new coaching staff and new teammates.