How about Mikko Koskinen?

[Coffey]

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

Yes, I'd rather have a good goalie than another center.

But not Rantanen?

No. Rantanen is insane.

 

[Future GOAT]

So happy he's been starting lately. Talbot is a joke, can't stand him.

 

[vendetta]

Riding a hot streak now but looks solid. See how he is when the league has some tape on him and knows his weaknesses.

 

[BullLund]

He always looked solid to me in national games etc., not surprised that he's having success. He has all the required attributes of a modern NHL goalie with his size, steadiness and calm personality. He would've probably been my first pick out of all the goalies outside of NHL.

He may not be the flashiest, or the most athletic, but he is the most ready to handle the pressures of a long season. While KHL isn't NHL, he has always been a big playoff performer there.

The Oilers were wise to sign him while he's hitting his prime without having to over-pay him.

 

[HockeyGuy1964]

I hope he's the answer to the Oilers goaltending issues moving forward but it's still too early to say anything except he's a better option than Talbot right now. He's looks promising.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

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.

Injuries

 

[Sugi21]

they said the same about Talbot look at him now!!!

 

[7even]

He's a very large human

 

[Jumptheshark]

Lets see how he once the league has seen him a few more times.

Goalies are like starting pitchers in baseball--when they first come into the league and have god stuff, they look like magic--but once teams see them a few more times and do more scouting on them--they start to get hit. Goalies are the same way--some come in and look like the best--but after awhile the scouts see something and WAM--no more super goalie

 

[Ippenator]

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.

Well, McLellan is an awful NHL coach who makes stubbornly and consistently stupid choices. He is probably the best example I can think of in describing what is the definition of insanity.

And if someone doesn’t know what is the definition of insanity is: ”The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

 

[Bando]

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

Seems kind of unfair....I mean if anyone other then mcdavid could score talbot would not be such a oiler whipping boy.

 

[Whiston532]

Seems kind of unfair....I mean if anyone other then mcdavid could score talbot would not be such a oiler whipping boy.

I really don’t want to seem like I’m dumping on the guy. He’s given us some solid time and was one of the big reasons we made the playoffs. Hopefully he’s just having a rough streatch.

 

[ijk]

Seems kind of unfair....I mean if anyone other then mcdavid could score talbot would not be such a oiler whipping boy.

Which NHL team would make the playoffs with his current save percentage?

 

[The Panther]

He's been dynamite so far.

I can't tell you what a pleasure it is to watch Oilers' games again and not expect, as a matter of course, the opposition to score (a) on their first shot on goal, and (b) on their first shift after scoring their first goal (goal upon goal). Talbot was seemingly helpless to prevent either of those two things.

We hope and pray that Koskinen is the new Hasek!

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Seems kind of unfair....I mean if anyone other then mcdavid could score talbot would not be such a oiler whipping boy.

He would be the whipping boy anyways with how he’s played.

 

[Bando]

Which NHL team would make the playoffs with his current save percentage?

Well Calgary is first in the Pacific and Mike Smith has a worse save percentage than Talbot...

 

[serp]

Well Calgary is first in the Pacific and Mike Smith has a worse save percentage than Talbot...

If it was just Smith playing at his current save percentage the Flames likely wouldn't make the playoffs.

 

[Bando]

If it was just Smith playing at his current save percentage the Flames likely wouldn't make the playoffs.

Smith has played more than rittich... and more than talbot!

He asked to provide an example of a playoff team with a goalie playing poorly... I did so. Talbot seems to be getting not entirely fair heat from fans. He shares blame but really the oilers are just weak in depth and weak defensively.

 

[CanadienShark]

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.

It's taken him until age 30 to become an NHL player.

 

[serp]

Smith has played more than rittich... and more than talbot!

He asked to provide an example of a playoff team with a goalie playing poorly... I did so. Talbot seems to be getting not entirely fair heat from fans. He shares blame but really the oilers are just weak in depth and weak defensively.

Yeah and he's 8-7-1 . That pace wouldn't get any team into the playoffs. Flames are trying to get Smith going by playing him against a terrible team like the Hawks today and thats fine but in an important game i don't think Smith starts right now.

 

[serp]

It's taken him until age 30 to become an NHL player.

I don't know about that . I would think he could've broken into the NHL once he had his game going in the KHL . Pretty sure he was NHL caliber prior to this year.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

I wonder how much of this is just the puck hitting him and EDM playing better in games he's started. Haven't really done a deep dive on him, even so goalies are hard to evaluate.

Their buddy a couple hundred miles south in David Rittich posted similar numbers over a similar sample.

Guess we'll see how sustainable this is

 

[snipes]

Smith has played more than rittich... and more than talbot!

He asked to provide an example of a playoff team with a goalie playing poorly... I did so. Talbot seems to be getting not entirely fair heat from fans. He shares blame but really the oilers are just weak in depth and weak defensively.

Talbot has been objectively awful the last year and start to this season. He has to have set some sort record for number of goals on the first or second shot, I think the number for him was around 12-14 starts where that’s happened in the last year and a bit. That’s insane.

 

[Atas2000]

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

Francouz might be the better goalie still. Not his fault he is with an org with actual depth in goal.

 

[McCombo]

It's taken him until age 30 to become an NHL player.

Yea, Panarin wasn't either NHL level player in 14-15 in KHL but in 2015 summer he developed massively and scored 77 points in 80 games next year in NHL.

Koskinen was in Finlands World Cup team despite fact that 11 finnish goalies played in NHL 15-16 and 7 in 16-17 seasons. And he has been #1 goalie over NHL goalies in Wolrd Champs.

It has been pretty clear for few years that he is NHL caliber. How good goalie he can be in NHL? We will find out in few years.