Mikko Koskinen, former Oilers Goalie, headed to Europe
Season Recap
30 year old Finnish G Mikko Koskinen is headed back to his home continent. Today he signed a 2 year deal with HC Lugano, a team in the top league in Switzerland. The Finnish netminder was going to be an Unrestricted Free Agent this upcoming offseason. Koskinen finished the 2021 season with a record of 27-12, with a save percentage of .903 with a 3.10 GAA. Yet with a record like that, he only got to see minimal time in the playoffs, appearing in 3 games and going 0-2.
This signing means a big deal, as Mike Smith is contemplating retirement at 40 years old, Edmonton wouldn’t have an active goalie in the NHL. Yet, they could call up prospect Stuart Skinner, who went 6 and 6 in 2021-2022, or they could go get a goalie in Free Agency. Therefore, GM Ken Holland has a lot to figure out this offseason, it will be interesting to see which route he goes.
Potential Replacements
For instance, let’s say Mike Smith chooses to retire. here are some goalies I think can fill this empty void. First, Stuart Skinner. He’s a 23-year-old selected by the Oilers in 2017, looking to be their next big-time goaltender. Only playing in 12 games this past season, he had a .913 save percentage and a 2.62 GAA. With the right development, he could be the guy in Edmonton.
On the other hand, there is Oliver Rodrigue. He joined by the Oilers in 2018, but has yet to see a minute of NHL time. Rodrigue spent the last 2 seasons in Bakersfield, the AHL affiliate, and then in Wichita, the ECHL affiliate. He did not do well with either team, finishing with a combined record of 13-12-3. However, with him only being 21, he has a lot of time to develop. Moreover, he could become the backup in Edmonton if they get a veteran goalie, which would help him a lot.
Assuming they don’t sign with their teams (highly unlikely) there are some UFA prospects Edmonton could sign at the G position. For example, some names include Brayden Holtby, Casey DeSmith, Marc-Andre Fleury, Jack Campbell, and more. Like I said, highly unlikely all of these guys are still available after the re-sign phase, just some options.
On the other hand, Mike Smith could decide not to retire and Edmonton would have a starting goalie again. It will certainly be interesting seeing his decision in the coming months.
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All stats recorded in this article come from hockey-reference.com
