Confirmed with Link: Oilers sign Mikko Koskinen

[Little Fury]

None of the four you named can be a starting goalie anymore.

We're not talking about starting goalies though.

Sometimes you have to gamble. Koskinen will probably provide at lest the same level of backup play as any of the four. On the upside he just might be a starter some day.

If either of those things happen, I'll eat my hat.

In an absolute worst case scenario the Oilers will have a decent backup in Bako at almost no cap hit. Montoya costs <$100K on the cap if he plays in the AHL all next season.

Montoya would only cost about $40K on the cap to bury in Bako. Koskinen would cost $1.5M on the cap in the minors.

 

[Little Fury]

That they are borderline NHLers

That is known. That's why they are backup goalies available for under $2.5M.

 

[Samus44]

This is the thing with Koskinen. I would go a bit further and say his upside is higher than for some #1 goalkeepers. Time will tell how the adjustment will go, but if there's no problems he may well end up making Talbot his backup goalie. I would hope what he lacks in NA experience he can gain back with his huge size.

As I've said earlier, Koskinen has been excellent in the national team, and anyone who's seen those games should feel much more relaxed about him coming to the Oilers. I believe the way Finnish goalies are trained makes it easier for some of them to jump straight into the NA game (e.g. Raanta), hopefully that's the case with Koskinen.

Raanta and him aren't comparable just because they are Finnish.

Raanta was 24 when he came over.
Spent parts of 2 seasons in the AHL, initially struggling at the AHL level.
Played in the SM Liiga with mind blowing stats, which in fairness to Koskinen isn't as good a league.
Chicago didn't/couldn't pay him an arm and a leg.

I think Koskinen is a great gamble, he could be an excellent NHLer and i love the idea of looking at elite European pros. However these guys flame out far more often than not and often if they do have an impact it's after a year or two of adjustment. When was the last time a 30 or so year old goalie came to the NHL and proved to be a quality backup, how many times in the last 20 years has this happened? It's crazy rare. This is a massive risk, high reward deal. 2.5 million is a lot of this teams avaliable cap space and it's not like the Oilers have proven to be great goaltender evaluators.

 

[GameChanger]

It's a ridiculous gamble.

He was better than Talbot in the WHC (yes, small sample size), so let's hope that's how it's gonna be in the Oilers, too. In that case "the gamble" would pay off. In the Olympics Koskinen was the one playing the games, despite Karri Rämö having played 111 NHL games and Juha Metsola being a quality KHL goalie.

Koskinen has been very solid in the national team. If he can bring that level to NA you'll like him a lot. Time will tell if he can, but I believe he can make it.

 

[joestevens29]

That is known. That's why they are backup goalies available for under $2.5M.

And we've went down that route before and many have complained when those goalies turned out to be non-nhlers. So now PC is trying a different route

 

[joestevens29]

We're not talking about starting goalies though.



If either of those things happen, I'll eat my hat.



Montoya would only cost about $40K on the cap to bury in Bako. Koskinen would cost $1.5M on the cap in the minors.

I have a feeling that if he doesn't cut it he's back in the KHL and costs nothing

 

[GameChanger]

Raanta and him aren't comparable just because they are Finnish.

Raanta was 24 when he came over.
Spent parts of 2 seasons in the AHL, initially struggling at the AHL level.
Played in the SM Liiga with mind blowing stats, which in fairness to Koskinen isn't as good a league.
Chicago didn't/couldn't pay him an arm and a leg.

I think Koskinen is a great gamble, he could be an excellent NHLer and i love the idea of looking at elite European pros. However these guys flame out far more often than not and often if they do have an impact it's after a year or two of adjustment. When was the last time a 30 or so year old goalie came to the NHL and proved to be a quality backup, how many times in the last 20 years has this happened? It's crazy rare. This is a massive risk, high reward deal. 2.5 million is a lot of this teams avaliable cap space and it's not like the Oilers have proven to be great goaltender evaluators.

I didn't mean to compare Koskinen and Raanta. But both have worked with Finnish goalie coaches and the very best Finnish goalies outside of NA can be very good.

I see your point and understand the worry. I've watched Koskinen so much and have been thinking that this guy should probably be a #1 goalie, or at least a high-quality backup in some NHL team, so I believe there's a good chance he'll do fine in the Oilers. Of course there's always question marks in this kind of cases so only time will tell.

 

[Seachd]

What am I reading? Andrew Hammond for $2.5 million is fine but not Koskinen?

 

[Ruudukkopupuset]

Who cares if he's smaller he' posted similar stats over numerous years. That's the most relevant thing.

Well expect for the thing that their stats are very different as in Koskinen playing years as clear number one for the wealthiest club on the whole continent and his national team while your point of comparison did neither, mostly sharing duties in a different league before coming over. Johansson wasn't even after his AHL duty a number one goaltender at the KHL as Sorokin had the honour.

I do not think there at that many apt comparisons available when Koskinen is a giant goaltender who has held SKA's number one spot for four seasons which I would say is quite good entrance card. SKA generally seem to preferred as the best team with the most inner competition in Eurasia so I would be careful in comparing Koskinen's club environment to just any team in Europe. If you compare him to Nilsson size-wise, then one of has spent most of this decade in Northern America with only one KHL season.

Of course he isn't a surefire thing like Thomas or Kiprusoff or if you draft someone like Rask but I do not exactly see the risk in employing a very well trained goaltender with great experience of actually winning games and being the number one goaltender. Which I do not think many of the NHL experienced options have managed to achieve. The ass has to withstand some sea water.

 

[Little Fury]

And we've went down that route before and many have complained when those goalies turned out to be non-nhlers. So now PC is trying a different route

15-16 was Nilsson, a young unknown.
16-17 was the Monster who had 172 NHL GP before coming to Edmonton
This year was Broissoit, another young unknown, who was at last supplanted by Montoya who was at least a proven backup.

So no, gambling on an unknown isn't a new approach. It's the same unsuccessful approach they've taken each of the past three seasons.

 

[Little Fury]

What am I reading? Andrew Hammond for $2.5 million is fine but not Koskinen?

who said that?

 

[MessierII]

172 NHL GP before coming to Edmonton

That’s not a small number for a backup goalie.

 

[Cypress]

ugh, the only way some of you wouldn't be complaining is if we traded future considerations for Carey Price with $8M retention.

I'm looking forward to seeing him play next year.

 

[CupofOil]

By that standard here's going to be question marks about pretty much anyone signed as the backup.

Name a goalie with absolute no question marks who would sign a one year deal at $2.5M?

Just about every decent backup in the league. Guys who have actually proven that they can play in the NHL. Any backup is going to have question marks, that's why they are backups, but there's more risk with this one.

The good thing is that Koskinen has the potential to be a #1 as opposed to most available backups but the risk is that he hasn't proven that he can play in the NHL while other backups have so instead of going the safe route, Chia took the higher upside potential.

Not hating the signing, just outlining the risk and saying that the backup problem hasn't been solved until he can show that he can play at the NHL level.

 

[joestevens29]

ugh, the only way some of you wouldn't be complaining is if we traded future considerations for Carey Price with $8M retention.

I'm looking forward to seeing him play next year.

Doubtful

 

[GameChanger]

The good thing is that Koskinen has the potential to be a #1 as opposed to most available backups but the risk is that he hasn't proven that he can play in the NHL while other backups have so instead of going the safe route, Chia took the higher upside potential.

I personally like this route, as having Talbot as clear #1 and having a "pretty okay" backup would also carry a risk. I am surprised if Koskinen won't be at the very least that "pretty okay" backup, but if that's all he is that would mean some money would be lost.

I personally didn't expect the Oilers to sign a backup of this level. I mentioned Koskinen's name here quite a while ago, but am suprised he actually ended up coming to the Oilers. It'll be very interesting to see how he'll do when he's not the clear #1, as it's been a while since that. Some goalies require that status to bring the best out of them, so that could potentially be a problem, but I still don't believe so.

I believe this was my last post about Koskinen until the start of the season.

 

[BarDownBobo]

The problem I have is a lot of people like talking about hypothetical players they'd like to add, but when you look at the crop of free agents this summer that player doesn't exist there. The goalie class this summer is filled with a bunch of career backups and guys who have lost their game the last couple years. The only guys out there who could potentially challenge Talbot are Bernier and Hutton. Bernier is coming off a contract where he was brought in to do just that to Varlamov which paid him $2.75M, and I'm guessing Hutton will be looking for a similar contract somewhere he could become the starter. They hypothetical better option just isn't out there.

 

[FlameChampion]

The problem I have is a lot of people like talking about hypothetical players they'd like to add, but when you look at the crop of free agents this summer that player doesn't exist there. The goalie class this summer is filled with a bunch of career backups and guys who have lost their game the last couple years. The only guys out there who could potentially challenge Talbot are Bernier and Hutton. Bernier is coming off a contract where he was brought in to do just that to Varlamov which paid him $2.75M, and I'm guessing Hutton will be looking for a similar contract somewhere he could become the starter. They hypothetical better option just isn't out there.

I think this is true. When I heard about Koskinen a couple weeks ago, I thought it was risky because the guy hasnt had any success in the NHL but I admitted that I hadnt see him play. I then went and looked at the UFA goalies out there and honestly there isnt much. Furthermore theres no guarantee that goaltenders like Hutton, Bernier, Khudobin etc wont get resigned by their teams and not even hit free agency. I think the Oilers were being proactive and trying to get the goaltender they thought was best instead of waiting for free agency and potentially getting left with table scraps.

I still think its a risky move but I understand the move better after looking at the situation more closely.

 

[BarDownBobo]

I think this is true. When I heard about Koskinen a couple weeks ago, I thought it was risky because the guy hasnt had any success in the NHL but I admitted that I hadnt see him play. I then went and looked at the UFA goalies out there and honestly there isnt much. Furthermore theres no guarantee that goaltenders like Hutton, Bernier, Khudobin etc wont get resigned by their teams and not even hit free agency. I think the Oilers were being proactive and trying to get the goaltender they thought was best instead of waiting for free agency and potentially getting left with table scraps.

I still think its a risky move but I understand the move better after looking at the situation more closely.

Yup. There's still risk with the move but it's calculated risk. It sounds like the Oil weren't the only team interested in Koskinen so if they hadn't signed him and then Hutton, Bernier, Khudobin etc. re-signed with their teams I imagine there would be posters complaining that Chia wasn't proactive in signing Koskinen and upgrading the position. There's just no winning with some people.

 

[Jumptheshark]

ugh, the only way some of you wouldn't be complaining is if we traded future considerations for Carey Price with $8M retention.

I'm looking forward to seeing him play next year.

you just have thin skin

What I am complaining about are the posters who have this guy as our starting goalie next year--this perspective gravely concerns me. Like I said, I was not impressed with the games I saw him play in

 

[shoop]

Just about every decent backup in the league. Guys who have actually proven that they can play in the NHL. Any backup is going to have question marks, that's why they are backups, but there's more risk with this one.

Not hating the signing, just outlining the risk and saying that the backup problem hasn't been solved until he can show that he can play at the NHL level.

Hammond, Pavelec, Khudobin, Hutton don't fall into the decent backup category anymore. Not your names, but that's because you weren't willing to put out a name. Those are the only names that anyone opposes the signing have thrown out.

With the downside of the signing mitigated having Montoya in the AHL, I think the upside of the signing is worth it.

 

[soothsayer]

Short memories or rosy glasses.

The Oilers' need for a backup didn't start this year. It's been going on for two years now. As far as I can tell, the people who are upset about the Oilers signing a completely inexperienced, 30 year-old goaltender for 2.5 million are carrying on their backs a disdain for the fact that management has done absolutely nothing about the position for two years, despite the serious need for a backup being identified by virtually everyone during that time span.

So, people aren't just upset (with good reason) about a no-name goalie getting proven backup money. People are upset that the organization has ignored the damn problem with wax in their ears, with foolish self-satisfaction until finally it has come to them taking yet another risk, hanging expectations where there should be only hope.

The point is not to think who the Oilers' options were this year, but who they were these past two years. Better options were presented, and now we end up with a 30 year-old rookie making Bernier/Hutton/Johnson money. The asset management of Chiarelli and the gang is shockingly bad, and that's probably what upsets people most. The trust is completely gone.

 

[shoop]

If either of those things happen, I'll eat my hat.

Are you really saying that if Koskinen has a better season than any of Hammond/Pavelec/Khudobin or Hutton you will eat your hat? I would certainly wager an avatar bet on that one. That would extend to the point if any of the four don't play at all next season and Koskinen gets in at least one game, Koskinen has a better season. Just saying it's easy to make outrageous claims online, but a little more difficult when you can be pretty easily proven wrong.

 

[PaPaDee]

Still feeling not very pleased with spending that much cap space, on a goalie with next to zero NHL experience. I hope he's able to come in, and be a 1b goalie (which is what we're paying him as), but if he doesn't, that's another waste of cap space.

Chia referenced a death by a thousand cuts this last season... I'm starting to think he was referring to all of the wasted cap space in moves/transactions he's done.

 

[Zaddy]

Only on HFOil can the signing of a backup goalie cause this much controversy lol.