Post-Game Talk: You had as good of a save % as Koskinen

[tardigrade81]

I don't get why he has to play.

He was picked up as insurance for one of the two going down with injury. Are any teams sitting either of their two NHL goalies to give their third stringers games? Has that ever been a thing heading into playoffs? I honestly don't ever recall seeing this so much as I have this season.

Koskinen and Smith are our guys this season. Stalock isn't going to supplant either one of them and will only see the bench if injury occurs imo. And even if one does go down, I don't see him getting any starts in the post season unless the team goes down like 0-3 and at that point what does it matter if he's played one or two games?

I just think waiting til next season perhaps to see the ice is a long time. If Kosk was a secure backup then fine; I get it. But after last nights play, I don’t see how anyone can defense Kosk anymore. He single handedly lost the game for us. Maybe we see what Stalock has in the tank and he becomes our reliable backup..... I don’t like the fact that Koskinen is our backup. I’m not saying he’s the worst goalie on the face of the planet, but I have seen Stalock play in the past and he can dish out some gems of games. He can be very very good...... Let him have some ice time and it might get management thinking about who the backup should be if Stalock plays a solid game. Hell I would have taken Skinner in net last night.

Like I said, what’s the worst that can happen??? Stalock let’s in 4 goals on 4 shots lol. Then at least we have a better understanding. I wish we had a ore capable backup. We will never know unless we give Stalock some starts.

 

[tardigrade81]

As much as I want to see him get a game in, look no further than Bouchard. The only way Stalock is going to get onto the bench is if one of the two can't go for whatever reason.

I agree. Just wishful thinking. I think Stalock could be better backup than Kosk. But just one mans opinion.

 

[Nostradumbass]

Smith let in the first shot of the previous game too.

I think part of it is just shitty play off the hop.

Shitty play off the hop in almost all of Koskinen’s starts since Feb. though?

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Shitty play off the hop in almost all of Koskinen’s starts since Feb. though?

Yes, this team starts slowly most games.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Shitty play off the hop in almost all of Koskinen’s starts since Feb. though?

As has been pointed out, Talbot had this issue too, and Smith has let in the first shot of the game on at least a few occasions.

It's one bad game, I really wouldn't read too much into it.

 

[Mr Positive]

As funny as it sounds, you have to go back to him on Saturday.

I agree but in the post game Tippett basically said he wasn't going with Koskinen next. He was asked about it and he said that he was going to stick to the plan. So in other words, whoever he penciled in saturday before is playing then. I'm guessing its Smith again. But it is weird because Smith played most of the game last night so the schedule is already messed up.

 

[KlefDown]

remember when Smith was a sieve last year and Koski was our savior

 

[oobga]

Not sure if any site tracks this stuff. I just went through the Play by Play data for each game on NHL.com to find the info for Koskinen and Smith.

By the law of averages, 1 out of ~12 first shots of games should go in going by 5v5 sav%, assuming 1st shot usually happens 5v5.

So, "should" only happen to a team 4-5 times this season and around 7 times in a full season. Could be totally wrong though, maybe I'm not accounting for the "need to get your head into the game" factor that teams deal with right at the beginning of games (that would somehow affect defense/goaltending more negatively than offense).

Were we quite a bit worse?

 

[Arpeggio]

Koskinen is a fine backup, last night was just a terrible game. If Smith goes down in the playoffs it would be Koskinen in net regardless of whether Stalock played awesome in one meaningless game down the stretch here. The team rides or dies with Smith this year regardless.

 

[Mr Positive]

I just think waiting til next season perhaps to see the ice is a long time. If Kosk was a secure backup then fine; I get it. But after last nights play, I don’t see how anyone can defense Kosk anymore. He single handedly lost the game for us. Maybe we see what Stalock has in the tank and he becomes our reliable backup..... I don’t like the fact that Koskinen is our backup. I’m not saying he’s the worst goalie on the face of the planet, but I have seen Stalock play in the past and he can dish out some gems of games. He can be very very good...... Let him have some ice time and it might get management thinking about who the backup should be if Stalock plays a solid game. Hell I would have taken Skinner in net last night.

Like I said, what’s the worst that can happen??? Stalock let’s in 4 goals on 4 shots lol. Then at least we have a better understanding. I wish we had a ore capable backup. We will never know unless we give Stalock some starts.

It depends on what Tippett thinks about it. If hes had enough of Koskinen, he should play Stalock. If he thinks there is still value in Koskinen, he should play Koskinen some more to let him fight through it. Smith should still get most starts though, and all the playoff games.

Just remember that Stalock was a starter last year and it wasnt that great. A good reason why Minnesota is improved this year is goaltending. Koskinen was better than Stalock last year. That doesnt mean hes not worth trying here though.

I do think we need to figure out who is back up for the playoffs. If we are going with Koskinen, it would be good if his last game wasnt the 4 goals on 4 shots game

 

[Mr Positive]

Koskinen is a fine backup, last night was just a terrible game. If Smith goes down in the playoffs it would be Koskinen in net regardless of whether Stalock played awesome in one meaningless game down the stretch here. The team rides or dies with Smith this year regardless.

I really disagree that we live and die with Smith. I remember when Roloson went down in playoffs. Markkanen played good enough for us go win. But maybe if we had had the proper back up order figured out we wouldnt have lost that game with Conklin. Its definitely worth it to get our back up situation cemented down

 

[Arpeggio]

It depends on what Tippett thinks about it. If hes had enough of Koskinen, he should play Stalock. If he thinks there is still value in Koskinen, he should play Koskinen some more to let him fight through it. Smith should still get most starts though, and all the playoff games.

Just remember that Stalock was a starter last year and it wasnt that great. A good reason why Minnesota is improved this year is goaltending. Koskinen was better than Stalock last year. That doesnt mean hes not worth trying here though.

I do think we need to figure out who is back up for the playoffs. If we are going with Koskinen, it would be good if his last game wasnt the 4 goals on 4 shots game

I bet Koskinen plays two more games. He'll have time to reset. He's had plenty of great games over the last couple of months as a backup. Sure it's possible he blows up the rest of the year, but he's earned the backup spot for sure.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

I don't get why he has to play.

He was picked up as insurance for one of the two going down with injury. Are any teams sitting either of their two NHL goalies to give their third stringers games? Has that ever been a thing heading into playoffs? I honestly don't ever recall seeing this so much as I have this season.

Koskinen and Smith are our guys this season. Stalock isn't going to supplant either one of them and will only see the bench if injury occurs imo. And even if one does go down, I don't see him getting any starts in the post season unless the team goes down like 0-3 and at that point what does it matter if he's played one or two games?

As I said to another poster in the pre-game thread, Oilers fans should be the last team to question having an ice cold goalie come into a playoff series.

Koskinen isn't really much better than Conklin. Looking back at 05/06, Markannen's last game was March 1st before being cast into the limelight in the SCF after Koskinklin shit the bed after Rolli got hurt. That was over 3 months between games. It wouldn't hurt to give Stalock a start or two. It's better to be over prepared than under prepared. Unless Stalock hasn't been very good in practice, which is also a possibility.

 

[Arpeggio]

I really disagree that we live and die with Smith. I remember when Roloson went down in playoffs. Markkanen played good enough for us go win. But maybe if we had had the proper back up order figured out we wouldnt have lost that game with Conklin. Its definitely worth it to get our back up situation cemented down

I was more talking about an injury earlier in the playoffs than the final round. Markkanen was good, but that team was also probably better defensively than this one.'

Regardless, the backup situation is figured out. Koskinen will be on the bench throughout the playoffs.

 

[Smartguy]

There is good reason people want him jettisoned into the sun. He has let the first shot of the game in 6 times this year. His game was completely in the tank for consecutive games before Smith returned from injury. These traits of his are proven over the past 3 years as well as having a terrible glove hand, hence the common Frying Pan monicker he has. Finally people don't like his contract and while Chiarelli left us with that parting gift, you are expected to play up to your contract. He has a starters contract yet he is a middling backup, some games he is excellent and some games he is awful. That is why people want him fired into the sun, myself included.

How do you expect him to play up to the contract? You don’t think if Edmonton could get rid of it they wouldn’t? He’s not worth it, but he provides fine value as a backup, and if you are stuck with the contract you might as well get use out him there.
He’s not a starter, he has never been, ever in his tenure with Edmonton. He can’t be relied up in long stretches or for consistency.

This is like the Hall-Larsson deal, people can cry and cry and cry over it but it’s not going to change the situations.

He’s signed for one more season, barring a buyout he’s going to stay as a backup, you might as well accept that he’s not worth his contract but can provide some value as a backup. Fans like yourself still wanting more and just wishing ill will on him might run out of tears if you have to spend another year wanting him to be a starter, or worth 4.5M

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

I agree. Just wishful thinking. I think Stalock could be better backup than Kosk. But just one mans opinion.

I'm willing to find out with the remaining games we have left vs Vancouver.

 

[McTonyBrar]

He’s either really good, or really bad it seems. Not very stable for this team, we would be better off him posting 910-912 every game rather than his highs and lows

Like

 

[Sanchez]

Now we know why Nurse was so pissed off with him last night.

 

[McShogun99]

I can see it now. Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals. We’re up 4-0 in the second period and Russell accidentally collided with Smith, taking out his knee. Koskinen comes in and we lose the game 5-4 then we lose the series in 7 to give the Florida Panthers their first Cup.

 

[joestevens29]

I have no idea whether Stalock is good or bad. However, I do know it's probably worth it to give a guy that hasn't played since March 7th of 2020 and is coming off an injury at least one game.

It's honestly too bad that our AHL team isn't in Canada because really he could use a two week conditioning stint in the AHL.

 

[McTonyBrar]

Kostco was obviously terrible but what is it gonna take before we start looking at this orgs goalie coaching/scouting/development? Our best goalie this year made a point to get his own private coaches for this season. 2 up and coming goalies (Hart and Jarry) that trained with Schwartz are having down years (Hart's has been a disaster).

Kostko is not the only goalie that turned into a fragile mess that keeps letting in the first shot. That's what Talbot was too until he escaped this org.

Something else is up here imo and this org has not at all shown themselves to be serious about how they handle goalies. Just hired the nearest guy from the oil Kings org. That's the extent of our efforts in the last half decade or so.

If this was on our goalie coach, smith wouldn’t be good as well. No this is on talent plain and simple. I don’t want us to go back to Koski again at all. He had a chance to shine against a team with a piss poor roster and he couldn’t last 15 minutes

 

[joestevens29]

Now we know why Nurse was so pissed off with him last night.

I honestly didn't see anything. I didn't watch the third though, but Nurse was livid pretty much the whole time I watched

 

[tardigrade81]

It depends on what Tippett thinks about it. If hes had enough of Koskinen, he should play Stalock. If he thinks there is still value in Koskinen, he should play Koskinen some more to let him fight through it. Smith should still get most starts though, and all the playoff games.

Just remember that Stalock was a starter last year and it wasnt that great. A good reason why Minnesota is improved this year is goaltending. Koskinen was better than Stalock last year. That doesnt mean hes not worth trying here though.

I do think we need to figure out who is back up for the playoffs. If we are going with Koskinen, it would be good if his last game wasnt the 4 goals on 4 shots game

Valid point!

 

[FlameChampion]

How about that goal by Puljujarvi. If he can start doing that consistently, it would be awesome. Besides Draisaitl, who on this team can ever score that goal (forwards)? Which is kinda sad too.

 

[tardigrade81]

I'm willing to find out with the remaining games we have left vs Vancouver.

Ya, that’s me too! I think one start won’t kill anyone. What if he plays lights out..... maybe you give him another game. I don’t know. I guess I just don’t see the harm in a game or two. We have clinched a playoff spot, let the guy have some ice time