Confirmed with Link: Oilers sign Mikko Koskinen

[Mr Positive]

probably a bit of a bidding war went on for him.

Seems too risky to me. I would be 100% okay with that AAV if it were only 1 year. The 2nd year could be tough if Puljujarvi has a break out season for instance.

 

[MoneyGuy]

His history makes me wonder about his personal money decisions.

Chia: "Sticker price is $53,500 for that car. I'm offering $60K; take it or leave it."

 

[Mr Positive]

One reason Oilers were strugling this year was definitely goaltending. If the rumours are true and Mikko joines Oilers, here's something to look for...

that gif is exciting, but with goalies consistency is everything. If he makes saves like that but his save percentage is only around .900 then it's bad

 

[Mr Positive]

Maybe Koskinen is a late bloomer like Roloson. I think Roli had some awful numbers until he turned 28 or so.

or maybe Chiarelli is thinking he found the Finnish Tim Thomas (stylistically they seem similar as well)

 

[Tobias Kahun]

that gif is exciting, but with goalies consistency is everything. If he makes saves like that but his save percentage is only around .900 then it's bad

If that was Talbot he would just sit in the butterfly and hope the puck hits him

 

[foshizzle]

If that was Talbot he would just sit in the butterfly and hope the puck hits him

Don’t worry, Dusty’s on it.

 

[Draiskull]

Cheap? That's pricy. I'd have paid $1.5 million. No wonder he jumped at the chance of signing here. He'd better be really good.

just imagine that saving of 1M could get us.

 

[guymez]

Not sure what to make of this signing but I do know for sure that if this team doesnt clean up its defensive play Talbot and Koskinen will both struggle.

 

[Mr Positive]

I'm going to guess that if these numbers are accurate, it will go like this:

year 1: 3.25 million
year 2: 1.75 million

and he would have an opt out clause to return to the KHL after year 1, or we could negotiate him tossing out the contract, so he could return to the KHL. This would only be if he bombs and the only option for him is to be in the AHL

 

[guymez]

I do like 2 things about Koskinen with the limited video viewing I have had so far....he is very athletic and I really like that he never seems to quit on a play.
Looking forward to seeing how he does against NHL shooters.

I am also left wondering if this is a 2 way deal.

 

[guymez]

Here's a detailed look at Koskinens numbers.....

Mikko Koskinen

 

[CycloneSweep]

I do like 2 things about Koskinen with the limited video viewing I have had so far....he is very athletic and I really like that he never seems to quit on a play.
Looking forward to seeing how he does against NHL shooters.

I am also left wondering if this is a 2 way deal.

If it's a 2.5 mill deal I don't think it can be a 2 way

I've seen the opposite. He isn't athletic, he is big and flexible but his mobility is severely lacking which is something that holds back goalies in the NHL. Maybe he is mobile but doesn't show it much in the KHL cause he doesn't have to?

I disagree with @Drivesaitl on some things and he is wrong about a lot of players. When it comes to goalies he is almost always right. So if he is worried about this player, that makes me more worried

 

[McDNicks17]

Thank god, you've calmed by fears at least until this actually turns out to be real. I checked and Raanta, who was highly sought after, signed for 1 year, $1.4M including bonuses.

Keep in mind Koskinen has put up better numbers, for quite a bit longer and in a better league.

 

[Hynh]

Never trust finnish goaltending.

 

[Little Fury]

One reason Oilers were strugling this year was definitely goaltending. If the rumours are true and Mikko joines Oilers, here's something to look for...

Brutal technique?

 

[MoneyGuy]

just imagine that saving of 1M could get us.

A little here, a little there. It adds up to a key player.

 

[RebuildTheRebuild]

Not too sure what to make of the signing. He certainly seems to be a pretty good goalie the past few years based on his stats that I have seen on eliteprospects. I hope this works out for Edmonton but we are team that already isn't in the best cap situation and if this signing doesn't work out it will be just more wasted cap space. Did the Oilers feel like they had no chance on guys like Khudobin or Hutton who are proven in the league? That would have been a safer bet and maybe even cheaper to me. I hope that Koskinen works out for Edmonton.

 

[MoneyGuy]

Never trust finnish goaltending.

I'm putting that on my tombstone.

 

[guymez]

If it's a 2.5 mill deal I don't think it can be a 2 way

I've seen the opposite. He isn't athletic, he is big and flexible but his mobility is severely lacking which is something that holds back goalies in the NHL. Maybe he is mobile but doesn't show it much in the KHL cause he doesn't have to?

I disagree with @Drivesaitl on some things and he is wrong about a lot of players. When it comes to goalies he is almost always right. So if he is worried about this player, that makes me more worried

Not sure I understand your analysis. The KHL is by far a more east/west game than the NHL. If Koskinen wasnt athletic and mobile his numbers would be a lot worse than they are.
I know that you and others are trying to suggest before he even plays a game with the Oilers that this is a fail.

Not only do I not agree I find that perspective a little odd because it involves trying very hard to find a negative.

 

[Draiskull]

A little here, a little there. It adds up to a key player.

a little here, a little there. It can add up to costing playoffs as well..

EDMONTON OILERS

FINAL CAP HIT

: $66,381,610

FINAL CAP SPACE

: $8,618,390

 

[Drivesaitl]

Brutal technique?

Yeah, all his hilites is like watching goaltending from the 70;s. Every save I'm seeing is a stretch stop instead of moving to puck direction. A lot of scouting reports question the mobility of this goalie. Mobility is paramount to NHL goaltenders. If you can't move across in this league theres going to be a lot of long nights from forwards that will have the patience of make good cross ice feeds.

 

[McDNicks17]

Not sure I understand your analysis. The KHL is by far a more east/west game than the NHL. If Koskinen wasnt athletic and mobile his numbers would be a lot worse than they are.
I know that you and others are trying to suggest before he even plays a game with the Oilers that this is a fail.

Not only do I not agree I find that perspective a little odd because its trying so hard to find a negative.

Not even just that.

Trying to suggest that before they've likely even seen him play in anything other than a couple highlights they looked up today.

 

[guymez]

Not even just that.

Trying to suggest that before they've likely even seen him play in anything other than a couple highlights they looked up today.

Exactly.

Although looking at who the posters are its consistent with virtually every take they have so I guess there is something to be said for predictability and consistency.

 

[McTonyBrar]

That's to much for an unproven (at the NHL level) backup goalie. The old PC special, give a player a million more then he should. The NHLPA must absolutely love Chia.

Haven't you seen how salaries for players are rising since 2006? It used to be 7 million for top players etc. Now its around 9-12 million for players around that level. Of course its going to be 2.5. Were you expecting an entry level deal? Get real. This sounds like you just trying to get at Chiarelli because you hate him.

 

[guymez]

If it's a 2.5 mill deal I don't think it can be a 2 way

Oh okay...I wasnt aware of that.