Grading Oilers' goalies ahead of 2021-22 season
Goalies | Defensemen | Forwards
Despite having two of the best players on the planet, the Edmonton Oilers have failed to build a true contending team over the last several years. Connor McDavid is set to begin his seventh NHL season and has just one playoff series win to his name.
With a number of big moves to try to improve the team this offseason, it's starting to look like a make-or-break year. In this series, we'll examine the club's goalies, blue line, and forward group.
Let's start with the netminders.
2020-21 stats
| Goalie | GP | Record | GAA | SV % | GSAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Smith | 32 | 21-6-2 | 2.31 | .923 | 13.79 |
| Mikko Koskinen | 26 | 13-13-0 | 3.17 | .899 | -6.51 |
| Ilya Konovalov | 19 | 9-7-2 | 2.29 | .923 | N/A |
| Stuart Skinner | 31 | 20-9-1 | 2.38 | .914 | N/A |
*Skinner's stats with AHL's Bakersfield Condors
**Konovalov's stats taken from KHL's Yaroslavl Lokomotiv
The good
There were a large number of goaltenders available via trade or free agency during the offseason, but the Oilers decided to run it back with Smith and Koskinen, re-signing the former to a two-year deal.
Smith, 39, seemed to find the spark in his game again last season after struggling mightily during the prior two campaigns. His .923 save percentage was the second-highest mark of his lengthy career, his 13.79 goals saved above average ranked seventh among all goaltenders, and his .842 high-danger save percentage ranked eighth.
The Oilers also have two young goaltenders with a ton of potential in Skinner and Konovalov. The former, 22, had an impressive season in the AHL last year while the latter, 23, has fared quite well in the KHL over the past several campaigns. The pair will battle for starts in the AHL to begin the year, but either could get the call up to the Oilers at some point and potentially steal some starts.
The bad
Smith played some fantastic hockey last year, but it's a big risk to bank on him to replicate that as he's set to turn 40 years old in March. Since 1964, there have been 13 goalies that played in an NHL game at the age of 40, according to QuantHockey. Six of them posted save percentages below .900 and only three played in more than 40 games.
Regression for Smith is almost guaranteed, which doesn't bode well for the Oilers. Koskinen also showed last season he can't be depended on, as he ranked near the bottom in the majority of goaltending statistics.
Extending Smith rather than letting him walk in free agency wasn't a terrible decision, but pairing him with Koskinen again might be troubling for the Oilers. The team may have used up all of its money to improve other areas, but the goaltending situation could ultimately be its downfall this year.
The grade
Pretty much everything is riding on whether Smith can continue to play at a high level this late in his career and if Koskinen can bounce back to being a reliable second option. It seems unlikely that both happen, which means the Oilers could be in trouble.
Buying out the final year of Koskinen's contract was an option, as the Vancouver Canucks did it with Braden Holtby and the San Jose Sharks with Martin Jones. A number of veterans around the league such as Holtby, Jaroslav Halak, and Antti Raanta also signed as free agents for cheaper than Smith's extension. The possibilities for revamping the Oilers' goalie group were plentiful, but general manager Ken Holland decided to keep it the same.
On the bright side, the Oilers have one of the most dangerous offenses in the NHL. If the team can get just average goaltending from both Smith and Koskinen on a nightly basis, it could end up being fine. With Skinner and Konovalov progressing well in the system, there's also a chance they eventually end up in the mix if help is needed. Overall, though, the Oilers' glaring weakness entering this season is their goaltending, which isn't a great sign for a team looking to take the leap and become a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.