Mikko Koskinen

Behind Enemy Lines

Registered User
Feb 19, 2003
14,653
15,203
Vancouver
I'm happy to be dead wrong about this year's Oilers goaltending. The big difference imo is that the Smith signing has turned into a significant win for this team in three areas: positive and assertive veteran leadership, quality performance, and net mentorship and competition for Koskinen.

Koskinen, despite his age and Euro experience, came to North America as a diamond in the rough with a great toolkit and pedigree earned in a very different league with a vastly different style of play. He's had to learn his evolve his game in a smaller rink and against the best competition and shooters in the world, and a rigorous schedule and travel. We saw a fair bit of inconsistency last year with this adjustment varying wildly from stellar play to wearing down and exposed glovehand/positioning. Smith's addition and mentorship/platoon system is bringing out the best in Koskinen who seems to have high confidence and steady, consistency within the balanced workload. I really credit Holland and especially Tippett for viewing this potential chronic issue area (net minding) and bringing in Smith to create competition but one as an established end of career mentor to help Charelli's last 'parting gift' of a three year question mark into a solid NHL goaltender for this team.
 

SwedishFire

Registered User
Mar 3, 2011
5,332
1,863
First off it was not a moronic contract. We needed a starter. The organization decided to gamble on Koskinen. 4.5 for 3 years is an extremely low cap hit and great term. He was overpaid by 1 mill at the very most and the only moronic part is his no movement clause. Timing was also stramge but there wete very few options available. Talbot for example signed for 3 years 4.17 per and that turned out disastrous. In today's NHL paying only 4.5 for a starter is awesome. If Smith hits his bonuses he will be getting 3.75 million. He was terrible last year and almost 40 and still got almost as much as Koskinen did.

We have splitted opinions. First off, The goalie is the only player that plays close to the full 60. So he actually earns his full payment. Its comparing to other goalies contracts, it looks a bit to much.

The NMC part is explained with that Chiarelli ALWAYS, in every organisation he has been to, throwing out that as his triumph card. Or he is just a VERY bad neogaitor. No matter what it is, he never wanted to be better in that department.

In compaision to other goalies, Koskinen was a ..rookie. ANd for ex. Binnington, who also was a rookie, and took the Blues from the basement to main goal in NHL: THe Stanley Cup. He got less than Koskinen.
Chiarelli made a really fool of himself. I got it was a panic move, of many. And today the contract looks OK, but
that contract costed a more qualitative NHL player on this years rooster, wich, in hindsight, and foresight was needed.
It gave Oilers Granlund, Archibald, Sheahan instead of someone like Connoly, Donskoi, Nyqvist, Brassard. We are lucky Haas seem to give signs of a smart 3C.
 

Faelko

Registered User
Aug 11, 2002
11,856
4,873
His improved play seems to come from a much better defensive system where they try to limit HDSC and a reduced workload. Tippett has been great for him so far.
 

lakai17

Registered User
Aug 10, 2006
20,918
1,325
Is this guy still not getting respect around here?

Remember all you others dumpimg on Chiarelli's go to guy. Shame on you guys.

Kosko has a 6-1-1 record with 2.18 goals against average so far.
 

Stoneman89

Registered User
Feb 8, 2008
27,205
21,405
Glad to b
Is this guy still not getting respect around here?

Remember all you others dumpimg on Chiarelli's go to guy. Shame on you guys.

Kosko has a 6-1-1 record with 2.18 goals against average so far.


Glad to be wrong, to this point. But Smith has really helped a lot, and I didn't see that coming.
 
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harpoon

Registered User
Dec 23, 2005
14,194
11,344
Stole this from the main boards.
No idea about how this graph is constructed or how legit it is, but Koskinen is looking good in comparison to his peers. The frying pan clown is awful quiet these days.

upload_2019-11-16_10-59-1.png
 

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Mr Positive

Cap Crunch Incoming
Nov 20, 2013
35,799
16,187
Having 2 goalies you can trust is a huge advantage. Someone did the numbers on this before. Common wisdom is that you save your cap on the back up, but when you look at it, having a talented back up will pay off, and not just in case of injury.
 

Mr Positive

Cap Crunch Incoming
Nov 20, 2013
35,799
16,187
if you wanted to prove Koskinen was bad, you could put together a highlights package to do it. But imo a goalie is a stat machine, and he's doing good on the stats.

This tandem we have is flawed, but they are better together. I think if we every select one over the other, that's when both fall apart. One from over-use. The other from lack of minutes. So give both some leash
 

McCombo

Registered User
Nov 16, 2013
1,100
532
Take a look at the names on the bottom 8 on that graph :eek:
Thats why you shouldn't throw BIG money to goalies. Get a good/average duo that costs you around 5 mil, get a good coach and use the saved money the build a better team in front of the goalie and suddenly the goalies will play better too.
 
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Not Canada Drai

♧ Lem
Jul 7, 2019
2,465
2,659
Edmonton
Is this guy still not getting respect around here?

Remember all you others dumpimg on Chiarelli's go to guy. Shame on you guys.

Kosko has a 6-1-1 record with 2.18 goals against average so far.

It's really too bad we didn't sign Ondrej Pavlec or Pavel Francouz, they would be giving us Vezina numbers.

I absolutely love when people shit on a move and then the player makes them look like apes. Imagine having some faith once in a while.

FTR: I hate Chia but LOVE Kosk.
 

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