With Mike Smith injured once again, Mikko Koskinen struggling, and the Oilers in a tailspin at the moment, they’re on the lookout to try to shore up their goaltending. To that end, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reported in the latest TSN Insider Trading segment that Edmonton has kicked the tires on Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo.
With Elvis Merzlikins inking a five-year, $27MM contract extension at the start of the season, he cemented himself as the starter of the present and future in Columbus, basically making Korpisalo expendable. The 27-year-old is also on an expiring contract with a $2.8MM AAV and while Edmonton’s salary cap situation doesn’t exactly give them much in the way of flexibility, some retention and some good fortune on the injury front could make a move doable.
Prior to this season, Korpisalo’s track record had been decent with a .905 SV% and a 2.90 GAA over his first six NHL campaigns. Those aren’t numbers that scream a sizable upgrade but mediocrity would still be an upgrade on what Edmonton has had at times over the past few years, Smith’s strong 2020-21 campaign notwithstanding.
However, this season has been another story. Korpisalo has a 3.95 GAA and a .882 SV% in 14 games, the worst numbers of his career by a significant margin. Edmonton’s goaltending has struggled this season but the trio of Smith, Koskinen, and youngster Stuart Skinner have done better than that. In that sense, there’s some question on how much he’d move the needle for the Oilers and whether or not that’s the best use of their very limited cap room.
While Edmonton needs a longer-term upgrade, affording one with their cap situation would be a significant challenge. Even a higher-end rental starter would be tricky with the Oilers in a money-in, money-out situation and the fact that few are available; TSN’s Darren Dreger noted in the same segment that Chicago’s Marc-Andre Fleury wouldn’t be a great fit for that reason.
In the end, all that GM Ken Holland may be able to afford is a nominal improvement at best and when you factor in Korpisalo’s track record, that’s about all he’d be. While there wouldn’t be a ton of upside with such a move, he’d at least give them some insurance between the pipes and with Holland not being interested in moving top young assets, this would be a move that could be made without moving those future pieces. With Edmonton not in a position to accrue cap space since they’re well into LTIR, it’s also a move that they wouldn’t have to necessarily wait until closer to the trade deadline to try to make and with the Oilers struggling, Holland may be forced to try to do something sooner than later.
Eeesh. Halak’s making a million less, is likewise on an expiring contract, and is having a much better season.
That makes too much sense. Holland would never do it.
Korpisalo is worse then all the goalies they have already in Edmonton. That would be absolutely stupid for Ken Holland to go after him. So he probably will
He’s not worse than Koskinen’s glove hand
He’s not worse than Koskinen. Smith can’t stay healthy either. I would suggest the Oilers go for Driedger. They’d have to give a sweetener but I’d say something like Koskinen + Samorukov for Driedger. They save cap space and if Driedger can find his form he had in Florida this would be a steal for the Oilers.
@pawtucket: he’s also not better than Koskinen.
@ manos except dreidger has 3 years left at 3.5M per. Koskinen is on his last year. And that’s a risk taking on driedger IF he can find his backup form. No chance a team gives up a top 5 prospect for a possible upgrade.
Maybe they can bring Roloson out retirement.
Until he is replaced by Jussi Markkanen.
Like putting a band-aid on Clint Malarchuk’s neck.
A. Dell & his minimum salary would be available for basically nothing in a few more weeks (when UPL is healthy)
Find a way to get one of the BOS goalies or pry Varlamov away from Lou. Rent MAF.
Do something.
But not Korpisalo, he’s regressed badly.
Give it a couple weeks, then take binnington, please, lol
Georgiev is the guy to target. Rangers can even send some depth Rangers D men and in return get a few picks.
Was thinking Georgiev as well along with Jones or Lundqvist and Chytil for Nugent-Hopkins. Rangers need the center on the third line to get LaF going and potentially replace Strome next year on the second line. CAP would allow it to happen and both teams get what they need.
I’d sure rather have Georgiev than Korpisalo. Rangers are even in a position to take some salary off of the Oilers’ hands. Just a matter of how much Edmonton’s willing to pay for the privilege.
Oilers don’t have picks or cap to help that.
if the Rangers want to give up Mac Jones, Georgiev, + for RNH I am all for it. RNH is a great complementary 3c or 2w but not a above average 2c or 1w. But I think it would be more along the lines of RNH + for Georgiev ++.
Sure they do. They have their first and second round picks for the next three seasons, and EVERY pick from 2023 and 2024. And the cap issue, well … that’d be what the “Rangers are even in a position to take some salary off of the Oilers’ hands” is about. Obviously they need to offload salary for ANY trade.
RNH has a NMC
And all he has to do is say ‘yes.’