Mikko Koskinen

[Ol' Jase]

Props to the video editor. Trying to find 10 Kiskinen saves must have been a time consuming challenge

I only come here now for your objectivity.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

He's supposedly a hard worker, with his newfound NHL experience he might surprise us in a good way. He did have a great stretch of hockey before the wheels came off.

 

[The Panther]

He did have a great stretch of hockey before the wheels came off.

He was 11-7-3 in his final 21 starts -- the 5th-most wins in the NHL over this period -- with a .905 save-percentage.

That .905 is an amazing .001 worse than his season average. Yeah, the wheels really came off...

Koskinen is fine. Worry about wingers instead. If Neal doesn't score 25 goals, the Oilers at wing could potentially be worse than last year (since Chiasson is unlikely to repeat his season) -- a terrifying prospect.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

He better do well this year because he's not going anywhere otherwise.

 

[Zguy370]

He was 11-7-3 in his final 21 starts -- the 5th-most wins in the NHL over this period -- with a .905 save-percentage.

That .905 is an amazing .001 worse than his season average. Yeah, the wheels really came off...

Koskinen is fine. Worry about wingers instead. If Neal doesn't score 25 goals, the Oilers at wing could potentially be worse than last year (since Chiasson is unlikely to repeat his season) -- a terrifying prospect.

Pretty well it. Koskinen is much better than most think, he was basically used as a workhorse all of a sudden in the NHL, something he never really had experienced, and he held his own pretty good., in front of a s*** team. Imagine how much better his stats may have been if he was on a top 15 team. This place sometimes, reminds me when Leon Drai was signed to that $8.5 contract, like 90% here were just grilling him for it

 

[JetsOilersfan]

He's supposedly a hard worker, with his newfound NHL experience he might surprise us in a good way. He did have a great stretch of hockey before the wheels came off.

That he is - and he proved it. He was brutal to start the year (preseason) - so Talbot had to play a lot early. When Kos got his chance in early November and went on that run, it wasn't a fluke. He was first on, last off, never missed an optional practice and he worked very hard with the coach (Schwartz) and from what I heard he was very very open to constructive criticism and I'm sure he's been working hard all summer. I don't believe he takes his contract lightly - and though I'm not a big fan of Mike Smith's, I think he'd be a great mentor for him as both are huge goalies.

He was 11-7-3 in his final 21 starts -- the 5th-most wins in the NHL over this period -- with a .905 save-percentage.

That .905 is an amazing .001 worse than his season average. Yeah, the wheels really came off...

Koskinen is fine. Worry about wingers instead. If Neal doesn't score 25 goals, the Oilers at wing could potentially be worse than last year (since Chiasson is unlikely to repeat his season) -- a terrifying prospect.

His glove hand was exposed a bit and that shattered his confidence. I'm sure he'll be / has been working very hard on that though this off season and we'll see a vast improvement on that. But as GK just said, we will only go as far as our goaltending can take us. I worry about the wingers too but if Kos hasn't improved his glove, and Smith is his usual inconsistent self (including spending a few weeks or more on the IR - that he is consistent with) then unless we have a surprise goalie in the system like a Binnington we are hooped (though I'm writing this season off already anyway TBH - I think this is a 're-tooling' season).

 

[SomeDudeOTI]

The comments on Smith and Kosko's size just made me rethink the Smith signing. Smith as a mentor should be excellent. He'll be able to help from the physical perspective and we all know how good he can be with the officials.

Kosko had an ok first year under the circumstances. He has to be better but I think he will be.

 

[The Panther]

I just hope Smith stays in the net. Smith, do NOT wander!!

 

[Del Preston]

Desperately hoping I get a huge serving of crow from Koskinen and Schwartz this season.

 

[SupremeTeam16]

I think if he can fix the issues with his glove hand he can be successful and flourish in a Tippett coached system, he's big, moves well and reads the play well. I think he'll be in the .910 - .915 range.

 

[stonec]

My favorite thing is when random Europeans come onto our board and tell us that the rest of the team is the reason their favorite Finnish player didn't play amazing like we all didn't watch Koskinen play 50 games last year.

And yet if Koskinen was playing in Barry Trotz' Islanders I have no doubt he would add another few decimals to his save percentage, just like Lehner and Greiss did last season.

 

[jukon]

I just hope Smith stays in the net. Smith, do NOT wander!!

Are you serious? You know he will wander and you know he will dive. The diving is a major concern for me. How long will it take for him to realize that Edmonton doesn't get calls?

 

[Mr Positive]

I just hope Smith stays in the net. Smith, do NOT wander!!

I disagree. It results in high profile gaffes, but it's mostly an asset. Moving the puck is a big strength of his, and something our team needs in particular. The benefits are not as high-profile as when it goes wrong, but it adds up to much more good than bad imo

 

[scholl]

Koskinen has been training this summer with Marko Yrjövuori who was the physical coach of LA Kings and later LA Lakers before he returned to Finland. He also has been training with his previous goal tending coach Marko Torenius both in Finland and in Russia. He has been working on his explosiveness and control of the body.
NHL:n suomalaisvahti otti kantaa seurakaveri Jesse Puljujärven epäiltyyn kielitaitoon: ”Kyllä se sillä pizzaa osaa tilata”

Btw, he also mentioned that Jesse Puljujärvi's English is good enough to order pizza.

 

[Thrasymachus]

I always liked Mikko, and felt like the NYI under Garth did him dirty, throwing him to the wolves when he was still raw. I hope the big fella works out for you guys going forward.

 

[guymez]

I always liked Mikko, and felt like the NYI under Garth did him dirty, throwing him to the wolves when he was still raw. I hope the big fella works out for you guys going forward.

He has work to do.

 

[Sugi21]

I disagree. It results in high profile gaffes, but it's mostly an asset. Moving the puck is a big strength of his, and something our team needs in particular. The benefits are not as high-profile as when it goes wrong, but it adds up to much more good than bad imo

Smith might actually have a better outlet pass than any of the D!!! I’m sure the D will be a bit more pleased not going to retrieve pucks in the corners when Smith is in goal

 

[guymez]

Smith might actually have a better outlet pass than any of the D!!! I’m sure the D will be a bit more pleased not going to retrieve pucks in the corners when Smith is in goal

This aspect of Smiths game deserves more recognition. When he is in net the opposition has to respect his puck handling capabilities and change their approach to pressuring the D.

My hope is that he can pass on some info to Mikko on being a better puck handler.

 

[Sugi21]

This aspect of Smiths game deserves more recognition. When he is in net the opposition has to respect his puck handling capabilities and change their approach to pressuring the D.

My hope is that he can pass on some info to Mikko on being a better puck handler.

For sure! goalies who can handle the puck change how opposing teams enter the zone especially on PP’s teams like to dump and retrieve but Smith has the ability to knock down dump ins and then clear the zone by himself. Price is another goalie perhaps the best in league at handling pucks but he has the tendency sometimes to get lost out there too playing pucks but it comes with the territory I guess. Having a goalie who can play the puck and make outlet passes is definitely a nice asset to have especially on special teams.

 

[joestevens29]

This aspect of Smiths game deserves more recognition. When he is in net the opposition has to respect his puck handling capabilities and change their approach to pressuring the D.

My hope is that he can pass on some info to Mikko on being a better puck handler.

Right now that would be an added luxury. I just want him to work on his angles more so he doesn't let so many bad goals in.

Then again if he lets a bad goal in, but ends up setting up a goal then maybe that's a positive as well.

 

[guymez]

Right now that would be an added luxury. I just want him to work on his angles more so he doesn't let so many bad goals in.

Then again if he lets a bad goal in, but ends up setting up a goal then maybe that's a positive as well.

Tough to argue this.

 

[joestevens29]

Tough to argue this.

The one thing I wish he would've done was stayed in North America this summer.

Read a lot about how he likes to work on his game, but I would've loved for it to be here on NHL sized rinks with NHL players.

Watching film on why he was letting bad goals in and then practicing here would've gone a long way IMO.

 

[guymez]

The one thing I wish he would've done was stayed in North America this summer.

Read a lot about how he likes to work on his game, but I would've loved for it to be here on NHL sized rinks with NHL players.

Watching film on why he was letting bad goals in and then practicing here would've gone a long way IMO.

Very valid point.
I wasnt aware that he was training back in Europe. Perhaps with all the NHL players from Europe in NA there are a few NHL sized rinks over there and he is using one of them.

 

[joestevens29]

Very valid point.
I wasnt aware that he was training back in Europe. Perhaps with all the NHL players from Europe in NA there are a few NHL sized rinks over there and he is using one of them.

Lol, there is a post a few up that mentions this. What you say is true though and I'm not fully sure. I just know if he was here then for sure you know he's training in the proper place with the proper people.

Heck he could've lingered around with Benning and JP early on.

The other thing is even him just being around doing some charitable events would gain him some fans. The media guys tend to love these guys that they get to talk to and hang out in the summer. Getting the media on your side in this City seems to be something that can really help.

 

[joestevens29]

Well the good news is Koskinen is doing better this pre-season than last year. The bad news is it appears he has the same issues that he did last season.

He did however settle in early on in the season, so one can only hope he is playing with some rust. Gregor mentioned something that he worked out with Kobe Bryant's trainer this off-season. But I'm not really sure that was a good idea. Has Bryant's trainer worked with NHLers before, specifically goalies?

Either way if Koskinen can't get things figured out I see us running 3 goalies this year. If he's not good enough you healthy scratch the guy. You hope that unlike what we did with Lucic, that maybe after being scratched Koskinen thinks long and hard about whether he wants money or to play hockey.