Confirmed with Link: Oilers Sign Mike Smith to 1-Year Deal ($2M)

[joestevens29]

Amongst goalies who played at least 5 games, Mike Smith leads the league in save % @ 0.944, and 2nd in GAA @1.73 (next to flower)

He's also technically undefeated at 6-0 (Kosk took an L for him, but still officially unbeaten)

The goalie that everyone wanted (including myself) during off-season, the Stanley cup champ that snubbed us, Brayden Holtby, ranks amongst the worst in the league, ranking 42nd in save %, and 51st in GAA. This is out of 55 goalies who played at least 5 games
Who would've predicted this scenario

Comes back into the lineup after a freak injury, and completely changes the dynamic of the room. The Mike Smith effect

NHL Stats

This isn't really true. A lot of people including myself saw that Holtby was worse than our goaltending on a team that was Stanley Cup contender.

I'll have to go through the thread, but I think Smith probably has more wins already than a lot of people expected. Guy really is playing focused right now. I really thought going into the year Koskinen would play the majority of the games, but I'm wondering if Tippett is really liking Smith's puck moving abilities. You add him with the new defense makeup and we really are getting a lot quicker in our own zone.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Man was I wrong about this signing

 

[oilexport]

Lets not get carried away.

The last game was the best I ever seen him play. Amazing focus and body control compared to his usual uncontrolled, wandering lateral movement. Great glove as always.

Good for him, but our goalies can be very inconsistent. We still need an upgrade. We have 2 good, backups.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Man was I wrong about this signing

Still lots of time to be right.

Smith seems to either be very hot or very cold.

But he has looked very good and dialed in so far definitely.

 

[BigFuzzyDice]

Just gonna float this back to the top so we can track our 1a goalie thru the season. this short season might just fall right in his wheelhouse for a final run. Hopefully the new offseason training really did roll back the odometer a couple years. Cause at the moment he's our obi wan.

 

[Stoneman89]

Still lots of time to be right.

Smith seems to either be very hot or very cold.

But he has looked very good and dialed in so far definitely.

As long as he has more hot spots than cold ones. Which he had last year, and this year, has had many more.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Looks like all the worst takes in this thread all didn't line up for the eating Crow thread.

I had this one nailed as a reasonable insurance signing and we sure have needed it. Mike is now #1. With Koskinen demonstrating why almost every game. Funny that a lot of the same posters that hate on Smith, tons of it in this thread, are Koskinen supporters, because of advanced stats, lol.

yeah, I'd prefer a goalie that can win on the ice and not on a damned Corsi spread sheet.

If we didn't have Smith this season we would be in next season territory already. Koski is 2 games under, and without the solid record and play of Smith we're not even in the running. We'd be Vancouver.

 

[Snipes45]

Besides McDavid, Mike Smith is our MVP. We would not be in 2nd without him.

 

[Del Preston]

If the Oilers manage to get a true #1 in the summer, I would not mind Smith being a traditional backup for next season, depending on what happens with Stalock.