He may not be a household name, but the fact of the matter is he is a cost-effective goaltender with NHL experience. A team like the Red Wings should be listening to any offers that could bring back some sort of future asset, especially if it means moving a third-string goalie. Eight games into the new season and zero significant goaltending additions later, that has not changed. They failed during the 2020 offseason to address Breaking News if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thehockeywriters_com-medrectangle-3-0')};It’s a heavy workload that’s unlikely to lighten any time soon, given that veteran Mike Smith is on long-term injured reserve for reasons undisclosed, and the other options – Troy Grosenick, Olivier Rodrigue, Stuart Skinner, and Dylan Wells – have two NHL appearances between them. I love collecting sports memorabilia and when I’m not watching the Toronto Raptors, Blue Jays, or Pittsburgh Steelers; you can find me playing for my ball hockey team, playing video games, or listening to classic rock with a cold one or a coffee in my hand. Second, he would need to post a save percentage of at least .922, given the save percentages of goalies who have won in the last decade. Related: Oilers Lose Forsberg on Waivers, Need a Backup Plan. He is still only 27-years-old and if the Oilers get the AHL version of Sparks he could be a solid stopgap. The Oilers goalie situation remains fluid. Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Kinkaid comes with 157 games of NHL experience and was very good during his time in the New Jersey Devils organization. The NHL’s “Original Six”, Remembering Borje Salming: “King” of Maple Leafs’ Defensemen, NHL Rumors: Canadiens, Maple Leafs, Canucks, Eichel Trade Talk, More, Matthew Coronato – 2021 NHL Draft Prospect Profile, 3 Bruins Takeaways From a Sweep Of the Islanders. Another thing that also makes something like this difficult is knowing compensation will have to be going the other way. Anderson would likely be the Oilers target and easier to pry from the Capitals considering his age. Only two weeks into the season, and already the Edmonton Oilers’ Mikko Koskinen has started eight games, two more than any other NHL goalie. When the season came to an early end in March, their ice time was nearly identical: Smith appeared in 39 games and played 2,157 minutes, Koskinen totalled 2,117 minutes over 38 appearances. Although trading away draft pick compensation may not be ideal it is something that needs to be considered if the team wants to compete in a high-scoring North Division. The compact schedule, plus the fact teams hit the ground running without the benefit of exhibition games, has much to do with why even the league’s most talented and robust goalies have already been given a game or two off. I supported the move, as it provides a quality third option in case of injury, something the Oilers didn’t have early in … by George Malik on 03/10/17 at 01:37 PM ET Comments (1) From the Miami Herald's George Richards:. Koskinen had an 18-13-3 record with a 2.75 goals-against average (GAA) and .917 save percentage (SV%), Smith had a 19-12-6 record with a 2.95 GAA and .902 SV%.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thehockeywriters_com-box-4-0')}; Smith started Game 1 of the best-of-five qualifying round series against the Chicago Blackhawks but got the hook early in the second period after giving up 5 goals on 23 shots. The Oilers claimed Alex Stalock on March 4th. Updated hourly with news and features from over 150 writers worldwide. Stuart Skinner now Oilers 3rd string goalie. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)Washington Capitals goalie Pheonix Copley (AP Photo/Jim Mone, file). Brian is an Edmonton-based sports writer and broadcaster. With a below-average defense corps and questionable goaltending this season any of these options would be a significant improvement to their current goaltending situation. #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/fP8OynyU6E— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) January 16, 2021, The #Oilers have claimed goaltender Troy Grosenick off of waivers from the LA Kings.The 31-year-old spent the last three seasons with the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals, posting a 20-9-3 record with a .920 sv% in 2019-20. Keefe chose his words carefully, trying not to set off alarm bells when it comes to describing the situation with Campbell, a career backup who has taken over the top job in … Starting goaltender, Mike Smith was just placed on LTIR and word is out the GM Ken Holland is calling teams about goaltenders. On Jan. 12, the Oilers lost Forsberg to the Carolina Hurricanes who claimed him off waivers. Sparks is used to playing in front of a team with a run and gun offense that lacks strength on the blue line. many goalies available on the free-agent market, the Oilers lost Forsberg to the Carolina Hurricanes, declared inactive and missed a planned start, Grosenick was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings, Oilers needed to upgrade their goaltending, Kraken Will Be in Good Hands With a Seattle Fan Base, Maple Leafs Add Character, Leadership & More With Foligno Trade, Jets Get Steal of a Deal With Lowry Extension, Wild Roster Has Guerin’s Confidence for a Playoffs Run, 5 Oilers Tippett Likely Won’t Use As 2020-21 Playoffs Near, Blackhawks Banter: Scouting Reports, Missed Deals, New Fans & More, Canadiens: Odds That Each Pending UFA Gets a Contract Extension, Canadiens Starting Caufield in Laval Was the Right Move, Prospects News & Rumors: Holloway, Raymond & Goncalves, New York Islanders With 100-Point Seasons, What’s In a Name? Perhaps the most reasonable and cost-effective approach to solving the goaltending issues in Edmonton is through waivers. In his last five games he has a … if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thehockeywriters_com-medrectangle-3-0')};With recent news surfacing that Smith was put on long-term injured reserve, the Oilers’ goaltending situation got even slimmer. The Oilers found a night off for Mikko Koskinen, and put together back-to-back victories for the first time all season with a crazy 8-5 win over the Senators. Koskinen would have to play at least 70 percent of the Oilers games in the upcoming season. From 1946 to 1980, he played twenty-six seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) and six seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA); his first 25 … Smith was put on long-term injured reserve, Edmonton Oilers: 3 Questions Ahead of the 2020-21 Season Start, Oilers Lose Forsberg on Waivers, Need a Backup Plan, Oilers Have 3 Options to Solve Goaltending Position Long-Term, Kraken Will Be in Good Hands With a Seattle Fan Base, Maple Leafs Add Character, Leadership & More With Foligno Trade, Jets Get Steal of a Deal With Lowry Extension, Wild Roster Has Guerin’s Confidence for a Playoffs Run, 5 Oilers Tippett Likely Won’t Use As 2020-21 Playoffs Near, Blackhawks Banter: Scouting Reports, Missed Deals, New Fans & More, Canadiens: Odds That Each Pending UFA Gets a Contract Extension, Canadiens Starting Caufield in Laval Was the Right Move, Prospects News & Rumors: Holloway, Raymond & Goncalves, New York Islanders With 100-Point Seasons, What’s In a Name? With the COVID-19 protocols in place this season, teams may be hesitant to trade their goaltending depth because of how fast a few positive cases can derail a team’s season. Bachman previously played for the Oilers from 2013 to 2015 splitting time between the AHL and NHL level. Former Ottawa Senators goaltender, Craig Anderson. But Edmonton’s blueliners have, at times, let their goalie down, and Koskinen has only allowed a goal or two that he should have had. It’s been a difficult week for Edmonton Oilers’ GM Ken Holland, who in a matter of days saw his ranks of experienced NHL goaltenders shrink from three to … 1. With the Toronto Maple Leafs losing rookie Nic Robertson to an injury, the team has been forced to waive goaltender Aaron Dell. Rodrigue, 20, is now in Bakersfield, where he’ll likely spend the entire season, getting his first taste of the AHL. A source informed me that multiple people in the Oilers organization are unhappy with Smith’s performances of recent. The Oilers started the season with a bit of a tricky goalie situation. Tokarski has not started a game in the NHL since the 20176-17 season as a member of the Anaheim Ducks but has put up strong numbers in the AHL since then. Fortunately for the Oilers, they may be given the opportunity sooner than expected. Other than a (very) occasional spot start to spell their busy Finnish goalie, the Oilers are likely Koskinen or bust until Smith returns. The NHL’s “Original Six”, Remembering Borje Salming: “King” of Maple Leafs’ Defensemen, NHL Rumors: Canadiens, Maple Leafs, Canucks, Eichel Trade Talk, More, Matthew Coronato – 2021 NHL Draft Prospect Profile, 3 Bruins Takeaways From a Sweep Of the Islanders. Well, now it appears they are are hunting for one. Then, on Jan. 15, Smith, who had mysteriously been declared inactive and missed a planned start the night before, was placed on LTIR. They Edmonton Oilers Offseason Goalie Targets » Portal4Sport EDMONTON — The Edmonton Oilers have placed goaltender Mike Smith on long-term injury reserve, and have re-assigned Olivier Rodrigue to the club's taxi squad, pending quarantine protocols. While a backup goalie may not come with a high price tag, the Oilers only hold five draft picks next season including no second or third-rounder. Mikko Koskinen and Stuart Skinner will be the two Oilers goalies, but the team needs to carry three as per roster regulations. The veteran goalie who was formerly with the Minnesota Wild is currently quarantining before he will join the Oilers main group. His most recent experience at the NHL level came as a member of the Ottawa Senators organization back in the 2018-19 season. The Edmonton Oilers’ goaltending position has been an area of concern for the team over the last few seasons. Edmonton announced both transaction on Friday, but did not elaborate on Smith's injury. Related: Oilers Have 3 Options to Solve Goaltending Position Long-Term. The current cap situation for the Oilers may make a trade tougher to pull off considering they are pushed right up to the cap ceiling. Koskinen has started the team’s first three games of the season and has not shown anything that should put management’s mind at ease. Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Whatever the Oilers do with their goaltending, they need to focus on saving the season but also keep an eye on the ultimate goal of winning a championship. Sign up for our regular 'Oilers Newsletter' for all the latest. Over 3 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix. Nearly every Vezina winner has been a workhorse in their respective seasons, so Mikko would need to do the same. The Edmonton Oilers’ goaltending position has been an area of concern for the team over the last few seasons. His experience includes working as a sports reporter for the Edmonton Sun, where he covered the Edmonton Oil Kings 2013-14 Memorial Cup championship season. Copley comes with less NHL experience than Anderson at only 29 games at the NHL level. Skinner is backing up Koskinen with the 21-year-old Wells on the taxi squad. Holland also signed netminder Anton Forsberg, who since 2013-14 had played 48 NHL games and another 185 in the American Hockey League. The team is looking into amateur goalies in the area that don’t have to quarantine for the long waiting period. No other netminder has faced 200 shots. While he has struggled to replicate those numbers in more recent years some of that can be pinned on playing for less competitive teams like the Arizona Coyotes and Red Wings. In that time, he’s made 242 saves. Pickard has been around the league and was very successful early on in his career. Despite this move, the team will still be actively searching for a more reliable option.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thehockeywriters_com-box-4-0')}; There are very limited options for goaltenders in free agency this late into the season and although they may not be the best options each of these players should be upgrades from the teams’ current situation and have some amount of NHL experience. https://thehockeywriters.com/oilers-goaltending-struggles-smith-injury-solutions He has appeared in 107 NHL games over the last four seasons with a 2.76 GAA and a .908 SV% to go along with five shutouts. The Washington Capitals are another organization with a lot of goaltending depth. The Rangers opted to move forward with their younger goaltending tandem and seem to be comfortable with that decision. https://thehockeywriters.com/oilers-goalie-situation-remains-two-weeks-2020-21 Koskinen has been on the ice nearly two hours more than any of his peers. They failed during the 2020 offseason to address their needs, missing out on multiple free-agent goaltenders, including Braden Holtby (signed with Vancouver) and Jacob Markstrom (signed by Calgary). Heading into the 2020-21 season it was clear that the biggest question for the Oilers team was its goaltending. How willing are teams to part with a goalie, when at any time a positive COVID-19 test or two could leave them playing their stringer? Although he is past his prime the hope would be he could channel his old self when called upon and provide some sort of serviceable play between the pipes. And from Bob Stauffer of the Oilers: “The Edmonton Oilers lose #3 organizational goalie Anton Forsberg on waivers to Carolina. Rather than pursuing aging, veteran netminders or AHL journeymen, the Oilers should be looking for younger goalies with upside. I’m always looking for the next best sleeper pick or blockbuster trade. Koskinen has played 15 games this season, with an overall .901 save percentage and 3.26 GAA. Over 3 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix. Meanwhile, the Oilers have made a change from Saturday in terms of netminders, with Mikko Koskinen starting in goal. In that time, he’s made 242 saves. I am a graduate of Seneca Colleges Civil Engineering Technology Program and have turned my obsession for sports into a lifestyle. He knows what it’s like to be a number one goaltender and could step into that role if something were to happen to Koskinen. Although he is now 32 years of age, he does have some appeal because of his familiarity with the team and his 49 games of NHL experience throughout his career. He is another goaltender who has excelled at the AHL level but has not played an NHL game since the 2018-19 season. The Oilers goalie situation has gone from bad to worse in a short amount of time. The Florida Panthers made a nice deal at the trade deadline to … The 31-year-old, who went 1-1 with the San Jose Sharks in 2014-15, is the only one of the lot with NHL experience. Edmonton Oilers’ Goalie Situation Remains Precarious 2 Weeks Into Season. At this stage of the season, beggars can’t be choosers and this is an area of concern for the Oilers that needs to be addressed immediately. The 2020-21 season is a 56-game schedule over 116 days, a rate of one game every 2.07 days. They currently have young gun Ilya Samsonov taking the bulk of the starts with rookie Vitek Vanicek mixing in as the backup. 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