Senor Catface
Registered User
- Jul 25, 2006
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yes, personally I don't think we should bet our entire team's future on Talbot, and #1 goalies are not in large supply. Getting a guy like Lehtonen might have been more of a sure thing to be a back up than Koskinen, but if that's our philosophy then we might as well have just rolled with Montoya. Imo, even if Koskinen is a dud, it was worth it to try to find someone who could challenge Talbot, and if we need to we could always call up Montoya to be backup if Koskinen is a total disaster.IMO at some level someone in the org had to have liked him as our back-up/potential #1 if Talbot falters better than the options in the UFA market. If he bombs that person should be held accountable. If he does well, that person should get a raise!
yes, personally I don't think we should bet our entire team's future on Talbot, and #1 goalies are not in large supply. Getting a guy like Lehtonen might have been more of a sure thing to be a back up than Koskinen, but if that's our philosophy then we might as well have just rolled with Montoya. Imo, even if Koskinen is a dud, it was worth it to try to find someone who could challenge Talbot, and if we need to we could always call up Montoya to be backup if Koskinen is a total disaster.
I do have an issue with the cash it took, but only because we are stuck now trying to re-sign Nurse. So I am eagerly waiting to see what Chiarelli does with Nurse. If we get a good solution with him, then I don't see any downside in the Koskinen gamble.
Well, it looks like maybe there was a plan but that the numbers came up a little short, considering that we seem really close to being able to sign Nurse to the number we want, and maybe are 1-1.5 million short. I think there was a miscalculation somewhere, like maybe 4.5 x 8 years would have been enough for Nurse, or maybe that the cap would go up a bit more. I actually like Russell, and NMC or not I think it is best to keep him for the 2018-19 season. For the season after though... Imo either Sekera or him are gone, or both.IMO the real issue with the Nurse situation is the Russell NMC that was given out knowing that Nurse's deal would be up this year.
Signing Koskinen was such cluster***k. Should have put the money into Hutton or Khudobin, jettisoned Cagguila and Strome, and signed Neal.
Scary how much improved Calgary is, let alone Buffalo.
I always liked this guy, I hope he has a monster year for you oilers
Signing Koskinen was such cluster***k. Should have put the money into Hutton or Khudobin, jettisoned Cagguila and Strome, and signed Neal.
Scary how much improved Calgary is, let alone Buffalo.
Signing Koskinen was such cluster***k. Should have put the money into Hutton or Khudobin, jettisoned Cagguila and Strome, and signed Neal.
Scary how much improved Calgary is, let alone Buffalo.
How? Outside of Neal they didn’t move the dial much. Didn’t have a pick till the 4th round. Lost Hamilton plus Gio and Smith aren’t getting any younger. I think they’ll be better but not by a scary amount.Scary how much improved Calgary is
Last season chia doesn't get a back-up for Talbot. People complain. This season chia gets a back-up for Talbot. People complain...
I think it was a good signing. Spend a little more for a guy with lots of experience and still young enough to play 5 or 6 more seasons in the NHL, if it works out.
100% agree. Some people are freaking out about the price as though this was the contract that handcuffed this team. The guy has been very good in the KHL, and while it can be deemed a slight overpay for a player outside the NHL, it is only a one year deal. As well, we weren't the only team bidding on him.
We're actually in a favourable position with our goaltending - 2 guys battling for the starting job AND their next contract. If both play mediocre, we aren't tied down to either (though I hope one or both shine).
As for those complaining about his age, there was a fella named Dominek Hasek who didn't make the NHL until 26, and wasn't a starter until 28. He's arguably the greatest goalie of all time. Tim Thomas wasn't an NHL regular until age 31. Won a cup and 2 Vezinas. By no means am I saying this is what I expect from Koskinen, just saying players (goalies especially) all have different development curves. A previous poster pointed out Dubnyk's rebirth, another great example.
I am excited about Koskinen pushing Talbot, as well as having an everyday Finn in the locker room for Puljujarvi - especially one that didn't have immediate success in his early career.
A guy who couldn’t cut it in the NHL, plays well in some substandard European league, then comes back to play at a MASSIVE salary that has zero justification doesn’t inspire me to instant stardom. Honestly, why Chia caved and paid this unproven “gem” so much is beyond me. Who else was
Going to pay him like an established vet??? No team. Unbelievable. Now everyone on here is talking Koskinen up like he’s going to just be a #1 goalie... if only that simple.
I agree that he is overpaid, but at only 1 year I wouldn't worry too much about it. It amounts to a 1 year tryout. It is only head scratching to me because we are trying to re-sign Nurse and now it is more difficult.A guy who couldn’t cut it in the NHL, plays well in some substandard European league, then comes back to play at a MASSIVE salary that has zero justification doesn’t inspire me to instant stardom. Honestly, why Chia caved and paid this unproven “gem” so much is beyond me. Who else was
Going to pay him like an established vet??? No team. Unbelievable. Now everyone on here is talking Koskinen up like he’s going to just be a #1 goalie... if only that simple. It won’t be that simple. Cap disaster
Problem with the one year contract is either he blows at $2.5, or he is awesome then is asking for $6 next year... then what do you do with Talbot... I know, if he’s awesome it’s a good thing, but Chia essentially gifted Koskinen a massive contract with zero risk to him - all the risk is on the team. No prove it to me, and he does good he gets PAID next year. Bad asset management.
Signing Koskinen was such cluster***k. Should have put the money into Hutton or Khudobin, jettisoned Cagguila and Strome, and signed Neal.
Scary how much improved Calgary is, let alone Buffalo.
Don't know when 2.5 million became a massive contract. It is probably a similar amount that he was getting paid in the khl.
Well considering the cap situation and that Nurse needs a deal, I'd say spending $2.5 million on a completely unproven backup goalie who flaked out of the NHL last time was a luxury the Oil cannot afford... Could have had any one of a number of far cheaper backup goalies. Need to develop a pipeline, which I see starting now... 5 years too late.
Who were the far cheaper backups that were available this offseason?
Hutton signed at $2.75M, Khudobin at $2.5M, Bernier at $3M, Halak at $2.75M, Ward at $3M.