[Rumour] Seravalli: Oilers have connected with Mike Smith

[flamingred89]

Meh the Oilers are going to ruin whoever suits up for them.

It would be a bummer if Smith captures some of the form he had at the first half of the 17/18 season though, as the hype would be unbearable.

[CanadaMatt]

Don’t they have a goalie getting #1 dollars?

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by CanadaMatt

Don’t they have a goalie getting #1 dollars?

Very much so, Koskinen is being paid $4.5 million for three more years. However, I'd expect Smith to be looking for a backup role, anyway.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by AC

Do you think he's capable of a bounce back to his 2015-2017 performance?

I know Oilers fans soured on his inability to make a save early in a game, which scream confidence to me.

Kind of like Smith too.

I am not sure Calgary is the right place for a goalie to regain confidence.

We need one that is calm even after a snafu. Smith gets super frustrated.

[the_only_turek_fan]

How many ex-Oiler goalies have played in Calgary?
Fuhr
Braithwaite
Joseph

[Diemenz]

Smith is a great human being. Because of this I hope he signs somewhere else. He doesn’t deserve what the team and fans will give him in Edmonton, he deserves much much better.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

How many ex-Oiler goalies have played in Calgary?
Fuhr
Braithwaite
Joseph

Dwayne Roloson played for both teams

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Very much so, Koskinen is being paid $4.5 million for three more years. However, I'd expect Smith to be looking for a backup role, anyway.

I suppose backing up Koskinen does give you a decent shot at starting a good number of games even though they may not have much money to spend.

[Lanny_McDonald]

This is the best news of the off season! Yes Oilers, please sign Mike Smith!!!

[stang]

Originally Posted by AC

Do you think he's capable of a bounce back to his 2015-2017 performance?

I know Oilers fans soured on his inability to make a save early in a game, which scream confidence to me.

I do. The team in front of him was terrible.

[btimbit]

But I don't want to hate Smith....

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by stang

I do. The team in front of him was terrible.

It's not like it was a drastically different team in front of him the past 2 years.

Talbot just caught fire one season and looks like one of countless goalies to have one great season and then fizzle out.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

It's not like it was a drastically different team in front of him the past 2 years.

Talbot just caught fire one season and looks like one of countless goalies to have one great season and then fizzle out.

Talbot has had a bad season and a half, but his entire career before that has been pretty good. Considering most of it has been on the Oilers, that’s hugely impressive.

It’s not like his one season “on fire” was out of nowhere.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

It's not like it was a drastically different team in front of him the past 2 years.



Talbot just caught fire one season and looks like one of countless goalies to have one great season and then fizzle out.

Edmonton in 16/17 was a better team than the last two years. There is also the matter of them burning him out by overplaying him that year. So much so that you can almost give him a pass for 17/18, especially since the team was worse. Last year he looked terrible for sure but we are still talking about a goalie with a career .915 sv%. All we need for him to do is come in and post .910, should be doable. If him and Ritter can combine for .910, this team is going to win a lot of games.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

It's not like it was a drastically different team in front of him the past 2 years.

Talbot just caught fire one season and looks like one of countless goalies to have one great season and then fizzle out.

Between 2016–2018 Cam Talbot played more games than any other goalie by a huge margin. Including the playoffs he started in 153 games in two seasons.

The Oilers ran him into the ground.

[kyuss275]

Guess I liked Smith more than most. I hope he goes to Carolina.

[TheSquatch]

I think Smith is way too competitive to sign as a backup unless that's the only offer. With Luongo retiring, I wonder of Smith doesn't wind up down in Florida.

Talbot in Calgary, Smith in Florida, and Edmonton can scrape up Mrazek or someone... whatever.

[browna]

More things change, more they stay the same. Oilers still feel the need to have to blab out every move or half move they make to the national press in order to stay relevant.

[dustygoon]

Originally Posted by stang

I’d be happy with that, except I don’t like Talbot on your team. I’m still a fan.

Didn't Marazek have a tough time on the wings? Here are some quotes from Holland on Mrazek when he traded him to Philly....

“Certainly when we signed him two years ago, the plan, the hope was that he was going to take this team over and play 60 games a year. We were going to go in that direction,” Holland said.

The Red Wings maintained course at the outset of the 2016-17 season, but Mrazek couldn’t hold up his end of the deal. He struggled mightily early on, ceded the crease back to Howard and finished the year with a .901 save percentage. On top of his poor numbers, there were concerns about his attitude and work ethic. Last summer, the Wings left him unprotected in the expansion draft.

It was a challenge to Mrazek’s character, and by all accounts he responded well. He trained harder in the months that followed, both on the ice and off, and entered this season determined to reclaim the starting job in goal. Still, the performance wasn’t there. Mrazek was outplayed by Howard for much of the first half and only recently began to push for more time. On Monday, Holland decided that time had run out.

“I consider myself a very, very patient person. I want to believe in people, I want to give people lots of time because it’s a tough league and I don’t want to make assessments on players that are 21, 22. I have to give them time. In this instance, Mrazek’s 26. He’s been here for four or five more years,” Holland said.

“All I can do is watch games and make assessments based upon what I see,” he added.

EDIT: link is here...
https://detroit.cbslocal.com/2018/02...n-from-mrazek/

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

Didn't Marazek have a tough time on the wings? Here are some quotes from Holland on Mrazek when he traded him to Philly....

EDIT: link is here...
https://detroit.cbslocal.com/2018/02...n-from-mrazek/

That’s why he’s a perfect fit for the Oilers.