Mikko Koskinen returning to the NHL

[Jouko-Pouko]

29-year-old goaltender Mikko Koskinen is returning to the NHL after spending a few years in the KHL.

Sport-express newspaper is reporting it's with the Islanders but Igor Eronko thinks that's unlikely, and he's probably the most reliable source at this point.

Aivis Kalniņ? @A_Kalnins

Per Sport-express New York Islanders are set to sign SKA goalie Mikko Koskinen on July 1st

Igor Eronko @IgorEronko

Hearing Mikko Koskinen is leaving SKA and is set to sign in the NHL. Others sources mention #Isles as a destination, but it's unlikely

[Daydream Nation]

Great news. I have been keeping him stashed for a couple years. What kind of upside does he have?

[Dennis]

Gosh darn it! I had picked him up earlier this year but let him go towards of the end of the season when rumours of his return didn't materialise around the Olympics. Maybe I'll be able to grab him again when my league opens back up.

Thanks for the info!

[lucafen4]

there's a starting job available in NYI.... hell, it's been available for three years

[Jouko-Pouko]

Great news. I have been keeping him stashed for a couple years. What kind of upside does he have?

Average starter at best, a 1A/1B goalie more likely.

[bondon]

Is it just me, or are more and more KHL players starting to make their way over? This forum used to be full of threads warning people of taking Russian players because of their tendency to be a flight risk, but all I'm seeing now are threads saying people are coming over.

[Jouko-Pouko]

Is it just me, or are more and more KHL players starting to make their way over? This forum used to be full of threads warning people of taking Russian players because of their tendency to be a flight risk, but all I'm seeing now are threads saying people are coming over.

I feel like people were saying the same exact thing last summer as well. Players leave the KHL to play in the NHL. Some of them go back quickly, some of them stick around. I don't see it being anything new. Another goalie who is rumored to be crossing the pond is Pavel Francouz. Skaters who are likely to cross the pond: Ilya Kovalchuk, Alexander Khokhlachev and Igor Ozhiganov. I also wonder if maybe Bogdan Kiselevich gives it a try.

Last summer, we saw players like Antipin, Mironov, Bereglazov and Paigin come over from the KHL but none of them really made their mark in the NHL.

[butch]

whoof , hopefully the report stating that its not the islanders is the right rumour but this is right up the garth snow playbook of trying to be the smartest guy in the room so theres that

[Jouko-Pouko]

A Finnish newspaper called Koskinen who said "Fake news" about him having a verbal agreement with the Islanders which was what Sport-express reported.

[Cdot588]

Does he really have much of a sniff at a starting job? Not being pessimistic , just know nothing about him really.

[Jouko-Pouko]

Does he really have much of a sniff at a starting job? Not being pessimistic , just know nothing about him really.

I think it's a similar case what we've seen from guys like Jones, Talbot and Darling - someone might be willing to take that chance but it's a big gamble.

[Dennis]

The latest rumour has him signing a 2-year 5 mil deal with the Oilers.

[Axeman33]

The latest rumour has him signing a 2-year 5 mil deal with the Oilers.

I read that on Twitter this morning as well.

[Magicstew]

Guess we will have a goaltending battle in Edm now.

[Jouko-Pouko]

Aivis Kalniņš @A_Kalnins

I get a lot of ''2.5mil and 2 years is too much... blah blah blah unproven blah blah blah''. I think Koskinen can challenge Talbot, and I'm looking at it that it could turn out to be 1A1B scenario for the Oilers. He is really THAT good.