Mr Positive
Cap Crunch Incoming
- Nov 20, 2013
- 36,014
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I liked Smith this year but I'm skeptical. At his age we are playing a dangerous game that his play falls off a cliff. But I suppose if he does bad we still have options
Confirmed with Link: Oilers Sign Mike Smith to 1-Year Deal ($2M)
- Thread starter Soli
- Start date
Anarchism
John Henry
Dont worry ...Holland couldnt find a goalie right away ...Murray, Markstrom, and Griess...didnt want to come here...
So Holland bought a short term insurance policy....two months of season.....while he searches for an upgrade or a trade
...but with some assets he wants to see how things shake out
So Holland bought a short term insurance policy....two months of season.....while he searches for an upgrade or a trade
...but with some assets he wants to see how things shake out
Bryanbryoil
Pray For Ukraine
- Sep 13, 2004
- 86,172
- 34,536
Holtby IMO would've been perfect, but you can't force someone to sign with you. Adding Turris and Barrie is huge, hopefully Smith keeps battling and gives us quality starts when he gets in the net.
29Beast97Mode
Registered User
Keep in mind with this smith signing the team isn't playing a full 82 game schedule
I thought Smith was terrible. Main issue is that they want to play him more than Koskinen. Koskinen .917 and Smith .902. But Smith somehow started more games.
I think Smith fools people with his awful positioning and terrible fundamentals, causing him to have to make "amazing" saves even on routine plays because he constantly plays himself out of position.
I think Smith fools people with his awful positioning and terrible fundamentals, causing him to have to make "amazing" saves even on routine plays because he constantly plays himself out of position.
Yup its clear he wanted a goalie upgrade, this is just temporary. Wouldn't be surprised if Smith finds himself back in Phoenix before the season is over.
I wouldn't be surprised if this season short season is only 40 games.
We just need Smith to show up for like 10 games.
We just need Smith to show up for like 10 games.
Niten Ichi Ryu
Registered User
- Jul 1, 2018
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Well he did give us the first goalie fight in franchise history, and won. Most viewed NHL YouTube video in the last 4 years. That alone deserves another look
Plus he's full of character, that's a trait that goes criminally unnoticed, and especially effective on a young group like the Oilers
I've been saying it for 2 years. Mikko Koskinen is our guy, the one that will take us to the final destination. And Mike Smith is an excellent mentor
Good job Ken
Plus he's full of character, that's a trait that goes criminally unnoticed, and especially effective on a young group like the Oilers
I've been saying it for 2 years. Mikko Koskinen is our guy, the one that will take us to the final destination. And Mike Smith is an excellent mentor
Good job Ken
The Panther
Registered User
Don't understand this. Terrible move by Holland, unless he's just trying to save cash until the following season. But even then, almost any competent back-up would be better than Smith.
Aerchon
Registered User
- Jul 20, 2011
- 10,517
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Smith was not terrible and did help the team but...
Koskinen was so clearly better. Eye test stats... better in almost every way.
I would like our back up to be someone unable to receive the seniors discount and able to sport a save percentage of over .910.
The reason the teams GF is higher with Smith is simple. We had to gamble more to keep or claw back the lead.
Smith, and more specifically Smith's relationship with Tippett/management, is bad for the Oilers and it showed up something fierce in game one of the playoffs. A game Smith had no right to be in and damn near everyone but him and management knew it. It was an embarrassment to the club how that was handled and fans will not soon forget it. Our first playoffs in years ruined by piss poor goalie management.
Koskinen was so clearly better. Eye test stats... better in almost every way.
I would like our back up to be someone unable to receive the seniors discount and able to sport a save percentage of over .910.
The reason the teams GF is higher with Smith is simple. We had to gamble more to keep or claw back the lead.
Smith, and more specifically Smith's relationship with Tippett/management, is bad for the Oilers and it showed up something fierce in game one of the playoffs. A game Smith had no right to be in and damn near everyone but him and management knew it. It was an embarrassment to the club how that was handled and fans will not soon forget it. Our first playoffs in years ruined by piss poor goalie management.
I’ll wait for the list. Where you provide a bunch of goalies who were extremely poor last year.
IAGTTAYM
Registered User
- Dec 15, 2006
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The mental gymnastics going on in this thread to justify this signing is mindboggling. Mike Smith has been objectively bad for the last two seasons. And he is 39 in March, so it's probable that he will be worse in the coming season. Nevermind that, why did they pay him 1.5+0.5?! The market for Mike Smith is nonexistent (for obvious reasons), but if you are going to make a terrible decision and sign him, squeeze the f*** out the situation and sign him for the league minimum. Punting away 1M+ in cap space for no good reason...Just terrible.
redgrant
Registered User
- Nov 2, 2013
- 6,306
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Yes he goes ice cold for a period and any spectacular play he had for a few games is the exception not the norm and slightly improves that.
Its why he finished barely .900
Jimmi McJenkins
Sometimes miracles
So the thing we might be forgetting as well, is next season likely isn't 82 games. So that's even less pressure to play Smith and run mostly with Koskinen.
MoontoScott
Registered User
- Jun 2, 2012
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Yes, my thoughts exactly, right now we don't know how long the season is going to be. Will it be 82 games? Well, with the virus still raging (and dare I say the political problems brewing in the USA) it might end up being 50 games in which case you don't have to lean on a 39 year old goalie very much.
I think that Holland looked at the alternates that were available and decided that whatever they were they were either---not much of an upgrade--or beyond the cap limitations.
If Chia was still here he would probably have outbid the $36 million dollar contract that the Flames gave Markstrom and then this site would have exploded in anger.
Was the Smith deal a 1 million dollar overpay? Probably, but that is a relatively small risk to take compared to so many other long term contracts that have been handed out in the last few days. No one knows what the next few years will bring but I have a hunch it won't be good.
Interesting tidbit. At the time of the Smith signing the only other goalies who played at least 5 games in the NHL last year were Corey Schneider, Ryan Miller (39), Craig Anderson (39), Jimmy Howard, Aaron Dell and Michael Hutchinson.
Assuming Aaron Dell even wanted to come here it doesn't strike me as a list chalk full of options that are miles better than Mike Smith on a one year deal in a likely less than 82 game season.
Assuming Aaron Dell even wanted to come here it doesn't strike me as a list chalk full of options that are miles better than Mike Smith on a one year deal in a likely less than 82 game season.
But his job is to stop pucks and he's not very good at that.
What's worse is that they're paying a pretty steep price for a sub replacement level goaltender.
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TopShelfGloveSide
Registered User
- Dec 10, 2018
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Stoneman89
Registered User
- Feb 8, 2008
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All those that loved the Koskinen contract when he signed that ridiculous deal from Chiarelli and company can take a bow now. Because this is exactly what they deserve to get. Oilers simply had very few options to get one of the big fish in the market, and now have to settle for the Smith's of the world.
Cloned
Begging for Bega
- Aug 25, 2003
- 79,294
- 64,796
Might be a blessing in disguise because one of those big fish might very well end up having a worse contract than Koskinen’s.
