Pacific Notes: Klingberg, Gregor, Skinner
The Ducks are believed to be seeking a first-round pick for defenseman John Klingberg, reports Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription link). The 30-year-old didn’t get the long-term contract he was hoping for in the summer so he instead opted for a one-year, $7MM pillow deal with Anaheim to try to rebuild his value. However, it has been a tough season thus far for the veteran as he has just 13 points in 35 games so far with his new squad, by far the lowest point-per-game average of his career. Klingberg’s deal moved from a full no-trade clause to a ten-team clause at the start of this month although with a high price tag on the cap and a high acquisition cost, that trade protection isn’t likely to be the hold-up in any potential move unless Klingberg is able to become more of the offensive threat that he was over eight years in Dallas.
More from the Pacific:
- Sharks winger Noah Gregor will be a healthy scratch for the eighth straight game tonight and he voiced some frustration to Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News, feeling that there should be more communication coming from the coaching staff as to what they’re expecting from him. It has been a tough year for the 24-year-old; after putting up 23 points in 63 games last season, he has just two goals in 19 contests in 2022-23 while seeing his ice time drop by nearly three minutes per night. The team has added several depth players up front dating back to the summer and that has created much more of a competition for playing time. Gregor is eligible for a conditioning stint but noted that he hasn’t discussed that option with the team right now, stating that his focus is simply on getting back into the NHL lineup.
- Stuart Skinner’s personal leave is likely to be extended a little longer than expected as Sportsnet’s Mark Spector relays (Twitter link) that his wife has not yet given birth. Accordingly, it’s looking less likely that he’ll be able to rejoin the Oilers for tomorrow’s game in Vegas. Jack Campbell could start both ends of the back-to-back or AHL recall Calvin Pickard could see his first NHL action of the season.
Edmonton Oilers Extend Stuart Skinner
The Edmonton Oilers have rewarded Stuart Skinner with an extension, inking the goaltender to a three-year, $7.8MM contract. Skinner was set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season and will now be signed through 2025-26. The breakdown is:
- 2023-24: $2.3MM
- 2024-25: $2.5MM
- 2025-26: $3.0MM
Without Skinner, the Oilers wouldn’t be anywhere near the playoff race this season. The 24-year-old goaltender has been ultra reliable as Jack Campbell, the team’s big offseason free agent signing, continues to struggle. Through 19 appearances, Skinner has a .915 save percentage and a 2.83 goals-against average. Campbell, on the other hand, sits at an .875 and 4.04 through 14 games.
While the Oilers defense is certainly to blame for some of Campbell’s struggles, the former Toronto Maple Leafs netminder hasn’t been anywhere near worth the five-year, $25MM contract that Edmonton gave him in the summer. With a less capable backup, the team might have thrown away this season over the first two months. Skinner’s play has kept them afloat, even if there are still some obvious holes that need to be filled on the Oilers roster.
One might wonder why, then, the young netminder would agree to a multi-year deal at this point, knowing that he holds a lot of leverage after his early play. While the cap hit of $2.6MM isn’t outstanding, this deal will leave Skinner an unrestricted free agent at the age of 27, putting him in a great spot for a huge payday down the line. It also compares rather well to recent deals from other inexperienced goaltenders. Dan Vladar signed a two-year extension worth $2.2MM per season, and Pyotr Kochetkov signed a four-year deal worth $2MM per.
While his cap hit may be less than Campbell’s, realistically Skinner could be the team’s starter moving forward. The test for Edmonton now will be to try and get the veteran playing better, so they can share the net and the combined $7.6MM on goaltending doesn’t look like a huge waste of precious resources.
Jeff Marek of Sportsnet was first to report the deal was close, with colleague Elliotte Friedman providing the salary details moments later.
Mikko Koskinen Heading Overseas For 2022-23
June 13: With the Edmonton Oilers now out of the playoffs and their season over, it’s now confirmed that Koskinen will be heading to Switzerland next season. HC Lugano has signed the veteran netminder to a two-year contract, keeping him in Switzerland until age 35. Koskinen joins a Lugano team with Carolina reserve list defenseman Oliwer Kaski, former NHLers Mirco Mueller, Mark Arcobello and Daniel Carr, as well as Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Calvin Thurkauf.
May 20: Despite currently serving as the backup for the Edmonton Oilers and even seeing game action in Game 1 of the Second Round, there appears to already be some clarity on goalie Mikko Koskinen‘s future for next season. Former NHL head coach Bob Hartley spoke today, saying that Koskinen has already accepted an offer to play for HC Lugano in the Swiss National League next season.
If true, it will likely mark the end of Koskinen’s second and final stint in North America. The Finnish netminder, drafted 31st overall by the New York Islanders in 2009, had one stint in North America from 2009-2012 in the Islanders organization, playing in four NHL games. He returned to the NHL as a free agent with Edmonton in 2018, serving as a solid tandem netminder for them for the past four seasons. As uncertainty mounts in the Oilers crease moving forward, though, it looks like Koskinen has opted to take himself out of the picture for their second goalie next season.
40-year-old Mike Smith is (somehow) still under contract with the team for next season, and they do have a solid internal option in Stuart Skinner as the backup. However, with such a gigantic question mark with Smith as a 41-year-old starter, Edmonton will surely attempt to make a significant acquisition in free agency to shore up the crease.
Josh Archibald To Be Activated Off LTIR
After what’s been a season-long doubt with myocarditis, Edmonton Oilers winger is expected to come off long-term injured reserve, per The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman. He could be an option to play for the team in the coming days.
In order to make room on the active roster, forward Colton Sceviour and goalie Stuart Skinner were assigned to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors today, according to Nugent-Bowman.
However, the games he’s legally able to play in after his return could be limited. Archibald is still unvaccinated against COVID-19, and due to border complications and local restrictions, it’s unclear how available Archibald could actually be for the team.
Over the past two seasons, Archibald had played 114 games for the Oilers, tallying 19 goals and 15 assists for 34 points. Now 29, Archibald will have to compete in what’s become a crowded Oilers bottom-six group.
Tyson Barrie Placed On Injured Reserve; Stuart Skinner Recalled
The Edmonton Oilers have officially recalled Stuart Skinner from the AHL, as Mike Smith continues to deal with an illness. To make room, Tyson Barrie has been placed on injured reserve.
Barrie, 30, was injured in a game earlier this month against the Chicago Blackhawks and was recently listed as “day-to-day” by head coach Jay Woodcroft. Given that his placement on IR is retroactive to March 5 and he has to miss at least seven days, he’ll miss at least the next few games while he recovers.
Skinner meanwhile is set to serve as the backup tonight behind Mikko Koskinen, though many believe he should be getting a chance to play for the Oilers given their goaltending issues. The 23-year-old goaltender has a .913 save percentage in 13 appearances this season, including a 20-save shutout in his most recent game–almost a month ago against the San Jose Sharks.
Since then, he’s been playing in the minor leagues where he continues to find success. In his most recent game with the Bakersfield Condors, Skinner stopped 26 of 27 shots to earn an overtime victory against the Stockton Heat. Overall, he has a .919 save percentage in the AHL this season.
Mikko Koskinen Placed In COVID Protocol
The Edmonton Oilers got some good news when Mike Smith was activated from injured reserve today but it comes with a downside–Mikko Koskinen has now been placed in the COVID protocol. Jason Gregor of TSN reports that Stuart Skinner will be recalled as the second goaltender with Smith starting tomorrow against the Vegas Golden Knights.
That likely means that it will be Skinner on Wednesday against the Chicago Blackhawks as the Oilers try to string some wins together coming out of the break. Though Koskinen has seen his fair share of criticism this season, he should also get some serious credit for the run he had going into the break.
Over his last five games, Koskinen went 4-0-1 with a .920 save percentage, essentially saving the Oilers’ season from completely spiraling out of control. With him out, the team will have to hope that Smith–who has played three games since October–and Skinner can hold the fort and get them off to a good start in the second half of the season.
Edmonton is one of the teams with several games in hand at this point, having only played 42 to this point. The condensed schedule really comes quickly, as they’ll play five games by February 15. The worst part of this timing is that it’s added onto the end of the scheduled All-Star break, meaning it will be nearly two weeks from his last game when Koskinen is even eligible to return.
Goalie Notes: Oilers, Stars, Fleury, Allen
It’s no secret that the Edmonton Oilers are in pursuit of a goaltender. While the team possesses some truly elite offensive talent, their severe struggle with preventing goals has overshadowed their ability to score. The result is a 26th-ranked 3.42 goals against per game that has directly contributed to the team’s 2-11-2 record in their past 15 games, including a seven-game winless streak. While this does not fall entirely on the netminders, the Oilers have not received much help from the group. Current starter Mikko Koskinen has an .895 save percentage and 3.33 GAA. The current backup, young Stuart Skinner, has outplayed Koskinen but not to a level that has forced the Oilers’ hand. For now, they seem hesitant to place any more responsibility on the 23-year-old. Expected starter Mike Smith has missed all but six games this season due to injuries that have kept his health status in flux all year. Even when healthy, Smith has not performed; he has an .898 save percentage and 3.76 GAA in his handful of outings. Yet, if there was any internal solution to the Oilers’ net woes, it was a return for Smith. So with the report today out of Edmonton that Smith is back on the injured reserve (with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins moving to LTIR), the situation has become even more dire. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported on Thursday that the Oilers were exploring all options, including Columbus’ Joonas Korpisalo. However, with the news of Smith remaining sidelined combined with a current four-game losing streak adding to their nearly two-month long slump, “exploring” might just not be enough any more.
- Discussing Edmonton’s other trade options in net, LeBrun mentioned the Dallas Stars as a potential partner – namely with third-string Anton Khudobin as the likely target. The veteran keeper cleared waivers earlier this season amidst struggles that even surpass those of Koskinen and Smith. However, Khudobin is just two years removed from leading the league with a .930 save percentage and taking the Stars to the Stanley Cup Final in 2019-20, which briefly made him a hero in Dallas. While his numbers dropped off last season, they were well ahead of his current pace. Performance does not seem to actually be the main concern the Oilers have when it comes to Khudobin. Instead, his $3.33MM cap hit and additional year of term makes Edmonton hesitant to pull the trigger, especially considering their current cap crunch and the legitimate question of whether Khudobin is an upgrade to Koskinen. As LeBrun puts it, Khudobin is “less appealing” than other options. However, with Smith seeming less and less likely to be a dependable option this season and desperately in need of points, can the Oilers afford to be picky? If they can acquire Khudobin cheaply and quickly, they may have to do so. LeBrun points out that impending free agent Braden Holtby, who is enjoying a strong campaign, is the superior option on the Stars, but the team may not be willing to move him and will be much more costly to acquire, especially with the Oilers in such obvious need.
- One potential target mentioned by LeBrun but considered unlikely for the Oilers has all but confirmed that he will not be moving. Star veteran Marc-Andre Fleury of the Chicago Blackhawks is in the final year of his contract and having yet another solid season. This should have made him a prime rental target for any team with a need in net, especially considering that Fleury only has limited trade protection. However, the Blackhawks have stated that they will only move the respected vet if that is what he desired and it seems as though Fleury is happy where he is for now. Fleury told NHL.com’s Tracey Meyers that he is only interested in getting Chicago to the playoffs this season and is not looking to move. This might not be a realistic goal with the Blackhawks .094 percentage points back of the final wild card spot in the West with five teams ahead of them in the race. However, Fleury has earned the right to make that call. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner was just traded this summer and may not be keen to go through that process again so soon, especially at 37 years old and possibly at the end of his career. If the three-time Stanley Cup winner wants to stay loyal to his team rather than make another run, so be it.
- Another option off the table for the Oilers is Montreal’s Jake Allen. Edmonton needs immediate help and Allen can’t provide it. After leaving a game last week due to injury, the Canadiens have announced that Allen is out approximately eight weeks with an undisclosed lower-body ailment. The Oilers’ struggles this season pale in comparison to the Habs’, who find themselves with the worst record in the NHL after playing in the Stanley Cup Final just last year. Everyone is available for the right price in Montreal, including Allen even though he has performed admirably in Carey Price‘s absence over the past two seasons. Allen is signed at a reasonable $2.875MM through next season and maybe another team will still be interested despite the substantial injury. The Oilers, however, will have to look elsewhere.
No Imminent Changes Expected In Edmonton As Losses Pile Up
The COVID announcements are coming fast and furious today, but one is an especially important absence. The Edmonton Oilers have placed Stuart Skinner in the protocol, meaning he won’t get another chance to steal the net this week. Edmonton will have to go back to Mikko Koskinen and Ilya Konovalov as Mike Smith remains injured and Alex Stalock is just starting his comeback attempt.
Skinner, 23, was the subject of much frustration over the weekend as he allowed five goals to the Ottawa Senators in a brutal loss for Edmonton. The Oilers entered the third period up 3-1 on the 30th-ranked Senators, but ended up losing 6-4 after a powerplay tally from Josh Norris put Ottawa on top with just a few minutes remaining. While Oilers fans seem mostly willing to give Skinner a pass, for now, the goaltending situation has been a firestorm all season as the team tries to find a way out of their current freefall.
The Oilers are 3-10-2 since the start of December and have allowed at least four goals against in nine of those games. They now are set to welcome in the red-hot Florida Panthers on Thursday, a team that has scored 50 goals in its last eight games (6.25 per game). Koskinen, who hasn’t won a game since the first of December, will need to carry the load until Skinner or Smith return.
This morning, Ryan Rishaug of TSN reported that Oilers general manager Ken Holland and his management team are currently in California at pro scouting meetings, and suggests that no “significant change is imminent.” Holland explained during a press conference last week that the team can’t just burn through coaches, and even suggested that he doesn’t necessarily believe in firing a coach midseason. Rishaug notes that those thoughts still hold true, despite head coach Dave Tippett‘s struggles to find any consistency among the group.
After blowing the third-period lead against Ottawa, captain Connor McDavid was at a loss for words when trying to answer questions from the media. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet called it a “thousand-yard stare” from McDavid on today’s 32 Thoughts podcast, as the superstar was once again facing reporters after a disappointing loss.
The Oilers have shown obvious interest in signing unrestricted free agent Evander Kane, though his status is unclear due to a new investigation from the league. Kane’s addition would certainly bring another offensive piece to the group and Edmonton isn’t as far out of the playoffs as they could be, given how poorly teams in the Pacific Division are playing. It’s goaltending (and defense) that obviously needs to be answered though, as no Oilers netminder has a save percentage over .907 this season.
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