Speculation: Mikko Koskinen set to leave SKA, sign in the NHL

[Ruudukkopupuset]

He already came over to North America, then left.

It comes as a surprise to fans of New York Islanders that giant players do not necessarily follow the same trajectories as regular people? Koskinen has been standing at the top of Eurasian goaltender pyramid for a couple seasons now and has performed better than one Pekka Rinne in the World Championships... who is an average goalie.

Suomen KHL-tähti siirtyy NHL:ään! Saa seuratoverikseen Jesse Puljujärven

Iltalehti's sources say he will join the Edmonton Oilers.

 

[ijk]

Really hope he joins Edmonton as it would improve the team quite much. He would be the first capable backup the team has had since.... umm. I honestly can't remember when was the last time they had a capable backup. I really have to go back some time. Besides Talbot, Edmonton has had these goalies as far as I can remember backward cronologically:

Montoya, Broissot, Gustavson, Scrivens, Fasth, Nilsson...

From my recollection, besides Scrivens and Nilsson who were good at least for brief moments, none of these goalies ever were good enough to play even in relief duty on a team that had any playoff aspirations.

I'd have to go back all the way to Roloson and Garon to remember a tandem that was capable. OT, but who was Khabibulin's backup?

Edit: Just checked. It was Duby.

OT:

How have I completely forgotten Bryz, Bachman, Gerber and JF Freacking Deslauriers, who played 48 games in the 2010 season?

For some reason I had.blocked them out... must be because I'm still too traumatized by Conkkanen that I was unable to remember how the Oilers have tried every solution to their goalie problems from washed up veterans, waiver pickups, signing backups to be starters, signing euro goalies, etc.

They have done basically everything possible outside of trying to draft and develop a goalie (Croissant doesn't count because he is not a goalie) or signing a proven tender in free agency..

I would argue that Edmonton has had the worst goaltending league wide ever since the 2004-05 lockout. Outside of Talbot in 2016-17, Dubnyk in 2011-2013 and playoff Roloson, and Scrivens against San Jose, there really hasn't been much to cheer about.

Okay, not only between the pipes. The team has been hot garbage for over a decade.

God, I miss the times when the team was able to crawl into the Playoffs as a low seed and sometimes even upset Dallas and some other higher seeded teams.

And now I remember Cujo. The last starter in Edmonton who was able to be a starter for more than one season (and not only because every other goalie sucked). Okay, I'm sorry Tommy. You were also good for a short period of time.

Slightly OT, but Why must this team suck, why?

 

[Ruudukkopupuset]

The only problem with that back-up position opening up is that nothing in Talbot's resume says Koskinen would be worse than him if you compare their careers post-lockout. Koskinen is looking for a chance to be number one goaltender. He could have been a NHL backup years ago if he chose so.

 

[SI90]

The only problem with that back-up position opening up is that nothing in Talbot's resume says Koskinen would be worse than him if you compare their careers post-lockout. Koskinen is looking for a chance to be number one goaltender. He could have been a NHL backup years ago if he chose so.

I’d he comes back to the islanders he will have a chance to win the starting job.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

My annoyance with this is why did we bother trading for Montoya then? Brossoit was perfectly capable of being meh and not making any kind of a difference just like Montoya did.

 

[Sparksrus3]

both have some things that probably won't quite make them #1 goalies in the NHL - but you never know.

If true a return to the islanders would be a perfect fit. The isles aren't ever expecting a #1 goalie . They just want someone to play 50-60 games a year. ( shakes head slowly while looking at floor )

 

[snipes]

If true a return to the islanders would be a perfect fit. The isles aren't ever expecting a #1 goalie . They just want someone to play 50-60 games a year. ( shakes head slowly while looking at floor )

Finnish media sources and Canadian hockey media have him most likely going to the Oilers.

 

[mouser]

Thing I don't get is why does any team have to wait till July 1? He is a UFA right now

Because players can only sign contracts that include the current season, with three exceptions to that rule.

a) Contract extension
b) Unsigned Draft Choice
c) Draft Related Unrestricted Free Agent -- i.e. players who were not drafted, or whose draft rights have expired, and who have never been signed to an NHL contract.

Koskinen doesn't fit into any of these exceptions. He has to wait until July 1st when the 2018-19 season begins.

 

[boredmale]

Because players can only sign contracts that include the current season, with three exceptions to that rule.

a) Contract extension
b) Unsigned Draft Choice
c) Draft Related Unrestricted Free Agent -- i.e. players who were not drafted, or whose draft rights have expired, and who have never been signed to an NHL contract.

Koskinen doesn't fit into any of these exceptions. He has to wait until July 1st when the 2018-19 season begins.

Couldn't he technically sign a 1 day contract for this season then sign a contract extension

 

[mouser]

Couldn't he technically sign a 1 day contract for this season then sign a contract extension

Nope, 1 day contracts aren't eligible for extensions. Plus the NHL won't allow any new contracts for this season since there are no more valid games a player could play in.

Lastly even if a team could hypothetically sign Koskinen for this season he would have to go through waivers since he played in Europe this year.

 

[GnrlDisarray]

Just found this article: Suomen KHL-tähti siirtyy NHL:ään! Saa seuratoverikseen Jesse Puljujärven

Its in Finnish but the gist of it is: ''According to our source Mikko Koskinen will be moving to Oilers next season.''

Over the past couple years Koskinen has established himself as one of the top goalies in KHL. He has 2 KHL championships in 4 years and has won the best goalie award.

What do you guys think of this potential signing?

 

[WTFMAN99]

Had heard about this days ago;

I don't know if it is a great move for Edmonton because if he doesn't pan out even as a back up that is once again Talbot is on an Island.

 

[MMANumminen]

Koskinen is not a back up goalie. He is one of the few high profile Finnish goalies

 

[mcpw]

Kalnins expects 2 years, $2.5M AAV.

 

[Warden of the North]

Laughably bad contract for an unproven backup goalie.

 

[tmurfin]

$2.5m

 

[ManofSteel55]

Kalnins expects 2 years, $2.5M AAV.

Man, I hope that 2.5 is the total and not AAV. 2.5 total is acceptable, and potentially a steal.

 

[Seachd]

Wait, $2.5 million on a short-term contract for a UFA goalie is a bad deal now?

 

[Brunomics]

Get ready for Anders Nilsson 2.0. Even seeing him in the olympics this year he did not scream NHL caliber goalie to me.

 

[McTonyBrar]

Get ready for Anders Nilsson 2.0. Even seeing him in the olympics this year he did not scream NHL caliber goalie to me.

You are the best assessment of talent yes?

 

[ManofSteel55]

Wait, $2.5 million on a short-term contract for a UFA goalie is a bad deal now?

Sarcasm? For an unproven goalie, yeah, its about a million much.

 

[Brunomics]

You are the best assessment of talent yes?

From what I've seen of him in watching him in the Isles system, in the KHL and most recently in the Olympics I do not see a whole lot of success over in NA.

Reminds me of guys like Nilsson, Gustavsson, etc. Much better goalies in Europe than in NA. Remember Nilsson went over and was really good in the KHL a couple years ago and he's nothing more than a journeyman here.

 

[Seachd]

Sarcasm? For an unproven goalie, yeah, its about a million much.

No sarcasm whatsoever. If he’s an NHL goalie at all, then $2.5 million is fine. A million-dollar swing when it comes to NHL contracts is not a tremendous issue.

It wasn’t aimed at your post specifically - the words “laughably bad contract” in an earlier post show how some people will be quick to jump on anything, without or without the facts.

 

[ManofSteel55]

No sarcasm whatsoever. If he’s an NHL goalie at all, then $2.5 million is fine. A million-dollar swing when it comes to NHL contracts is not a tremendous issue.

It wasn’t aimed at your post specifically - the words “laughably bad contract” in an earlier post show how some people will be quick to jump on anything, without or without the facts.

In all fairness, a million dollar swing on a contract this size is sizeable. And for a team like the Oilers, who are already overpaying the roster by millions, that million can make a huge difference.

 

[McTonyBrar]

its either 2.5 mill for One year or 2.5 overall over 2 years