How about Mikko Koskinen?

[Gsus]

Coming from the KHL to NHL and Edmonton Oilers, he was kind of thought to be the backup. He didn't just stole the job from Talbot, he's playing great.

6th best sv% at .928 and 4th best GAA average 2.16. At 6'7 he covers a lot of net. He could've come over a few years ago, but this is his first regular taste of the NHL.

Click to read more...

 

[snipes]

He’s been awesome, definitely well deserved to be the starter.

 

[torniojaws]

Not surprised at all. Wherever he has played (FEL, National team, KHL), he has consistently been a great goalie. The pre-season flub was just an outlier, as you have now seen in the regular season once he has got into the groove.

 

[Machinehead]

19? Don't get me started, I got triggered enough today.

Good for him, though.

 

[Bank Shot]

He's a goalie.

It's way too early to say if his success will be lasting.

Call back in two seasons.

 

[Whiston532]

Too early to tell but I’m just glad to see our season not die on the back of Talbots struggles

 

[strictlyrandy]

A) love that he wears 19

B) He's like the 3rd best Mikko in the league.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

He was a good goalie in Europe so I'm not surprised he's playing at this level.

 

[Soundwave]

The Oilers record with him versus without is pretty startling, lol

8-2-1 w/Koskinen

5-9-1 w/Talbot

Todd McLellan kept starting Talbot and that probably cost him his job.

 

[Thrasymachus]

Glad he is succeeding after Garth snow ruined his initial development

 

[Binister]

19? Don't get me started, I got triggered enough today.

Good for him, though.

There's a couple of Finnish goalies who have worn that number in FEL. But Koskinen wears it because Yzerman used to be his favorite player growing up.

 

[oilers4life]

He's a goalie.

It's way too early to say if his success will be lasting.

Call back in two seasons.

this my excat thought i rememeber oilers have anders nilsson a few years back at the start of the season having a hot start us oilers fans need to give at least 2 years but its good hes doing good now

 

[Devils Dominion]

Very good goaltender

 

[dss97]

One of Chia’s few good moves.

The season would probably be over if we rolled with the Talbot/Montoya tandem.

 

[nuck]

Nice get and a good call by the Oiler's scouting staff (Chia doesn't scout). They have done a lot of good things the last two or three years. He has never played more than 41 games before so they still need Talbot to wake up but he looks like the real deal. I get why they stayed with Talbot last year because he had shown so well in the playoffs but this is what a reliable goalie does for a team.

 

[Mr Positive]

Nice get and a good call by the Oiler's scouting staff (Chia doesn't scout). They have done a lot of good things the last two or three years. He has never played more than 41 games before so they still need Talbot to wake up but he looks like the real deal. I get why they stayed with Talbot last year because he had shown so well in the playoffs but this is what a reliable goalie does for a team.

I agree that it is Chia's staff, but that is controlled by him and it is always the GM that gets final credit for everything, good and bad. He's the guy who has to take the info and gamble with it, and there was risk with Koskinen in that our cap space was tight, and adding a 2.5 AAV no-name was heavily criticized at the time, and it was Chia who got the criticism. It's only fair he now get the credit.

 

[snipes]

A) love that he wears 19

B) He's like the 3rd best Mikko in the league.

Seeing a goalie wear 19 has taken some getting used to but I like it now.

 

[Coffey]

A) love that he wears 19

B) He's like the 3rd best Mikko in the league.

haha I'd rather have Koskinen over Koivu.

 

[JarvisFunk]

I remember when people were making fun of us for signing him instead of Francouz

 

[serp]

Looking at his career what in the world did the Islanders do with him after they drafted him ? He barely played ( stats aren't that terrible in the minors ) in AHL , ECHL and then they just out exiled him to back to Finland . What the hell ? They used a pretty high draftpick in 2009 with #31 to draft him and then just completely gave up on him within a couple of year because he wasn't an NHL goalie in his early 20 yet.

 

[strictlyrandy]

haha I'd rather have Koskinen over Koivu.

Yeah last thing the Oilers need is another center, but Koivu is still the better player overall.

 

[smitty10]

Best signing Chiarelli has made for the Oilers.

 

[Yamazaki]

He’s having a hot streak. Oilers are a terrible team and have terrible management. Make this thread in March and we’ll see if he’s actually a decent goalie

 

[LOFIN]

haha I'd rather have Koskinen over Koivu.

But not Rantanen?

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Oiler fan loving Kostko for dem bulk savings.