MAY 18: Mikko Koskinen #19 of the Edmonton Oilers in action against the Calgary Flames during Game One of the Second Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Saddledome on May 18, 2022 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Which Edmonton Oilers will not be back in the lineup next season?
The Edmonton Oilers were knocked out of postseason contention by the Colorado Avalanche just a few games from their first Stanley Cup Finals since 2006. They were coming off a tremendously successful 49-27 season with a +38 goal differential.
This is an Oilers team that is set for the future, led by Leon Draisaitl and team captain Connor McDavid, and will almost certainly avoid another postseason drought in the near future.
If the squad expects to go past the Conference Finals next season, the club will have to make some difficult decisions during the offseason. With the team’s financial status in jeopardy and the front office strained against the salary cap, the Oilers are expected to lose a significant portion of their current roster to free agency.
Who are the three most likely oilers to be released?
#3—Mikko Koskinen, goaltender
Mikko Koskinen joined the Oilers on a one-year, $2.5 million contract in May of 2018, and he performed well enough to earn a three-year, $13.5 million extension in January of the following year.
Now it’s the end of the 2021–202 season, and Koskinen’s contract is up for renewal after one of his best seasons in the NHL. The 33-year-old had a 27-12 record with a.903 save percentage, which was the second-highest in his career after his 2019-2020 campaign.
In the past, Oilers GM Ken Holland has been open about his desire to improve the goaltender position, but he has yet to make a substantial move in that direction. With Koskinen’s contract expiring and current backup Stuart Skinner not yet ready for full-time duty, the organization is likely to move on from him and try to better their goalie situation.
Which Edmonton Oilers will not be back in the lineup next season?
The Edmonton Oilers were knocked out of postseason contention by the Colorado Avalanche just a few games from their first Stanley Cup Finals since 2006. They were coming off a tremendously successful 49-27 season with a +38 goal differential.
This is an Oilers team that is set for the future, led by Leon Draisaitl and team captain Connor McDavid, and will almost certainly avoid another postseason drought in the near future.
If the squad expects to go past the Conference Finals next season, the club will have to make some difficult decisions during the offseason. With the team’s financial status in jeopardy and the front office strained against the salary cap, the Oilers are expected to lose a significant portion of their current roster to free agency.
Who are the three most likely oilers to be released?
#3—Mikko Koskinen, goaltender
Mikko Koskinen joined the Oilers on a one-year, $2.5 million contract in May of 2018, and he performed well enough to earn a three-year, $13.5 million extension in January of the following year.
Now it’s the end of the 2021–202 season, and Koskinen’s contract is up for renewal after one of his best seasons in the NHL. The 33-year-old had a 27-12 record with a.903 save percentage, which was the second-highest in his career after his 2019-2020 campaign.
In the past, Oilers GM Ken Holland has been open about his desire to improve the goaltender position, but he has yet to make a substantial move in that direction. With Koskinen’s contract expiring and current backup Stuart Skinner not yet ready for full-time duty, the organization is likely to move on from him and try to better their goalie situation.
CALGARY, AB – MAY 26: Evander Kane #91 of the Edmonton Oilers in action against the Calgary Flames during Game Five of the Second Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Saddledome on May 26, 2022 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Oilers defeated the Flames 5-4 in overtime to win the series four games to one.
Oilers: Evander Kane of the Edmonton Oilers has been released.
The addition of Evander Kane to the Oilers this past offseason was met with mixed reviews. Kane is a fantastic player and an above-average goalscorer, but his career has been marred by issues both on and off the field.
Kane, who missed the first 21 games of this season after violating NHL COVID-19 standards by manufacturing a fraudulent vaccination card last season, was suspended for his negligence. He appeared in 43 games for the Oilers, scoring 22 goals during the regular season and another 13 in the playoffs.
There’s also the suspension he suffered against the Avalanche in the Conference Finals this year. Kane cross-checked Nazem Kadri into the boards, injuring him and forcing him to miss the rest of the series. The Avalanche’s Kane was suspended by the NHL and was unable to play in the Avalanche’s elimination game against Edmonton.
The 30-year-old has turned to Twitter lately to write what appears to be a farewell to Edmonton fans and teammates. The Oilers are unlikely to bring him and his extensive track record back for a second season.
ELMONT, NEW YORK – JANUARY 01: Kyle Turris #8 of the Edmonton Oilers warms up prior to the game against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on January 01, 2022 in Elmont, New York.
Oilers: Center Kyle Turris could be on his way out.
Kyle Turris’ career in Edmonton was doomed from the start as he signed a two-year, $3.3MM contract that was a massive overpay for a guy who didn’t have a lengthy enough track record to earn such a high salary.
Turris, 32, was brought in with high expectations from the Oilers’ head staff, who thought his high overall pick would make him an appealing change of scenery option following three seasons with the Nashville Predators.
Turris appeared in just 50 games for the Oilers between 2021 and 2022, scoring three goals and totaling nine points. He’s been a part-time bench player for the majority of his career with the Oilers and doesn’t appear to have a firm future with the team.
Turris was signed by the Oilers with the hopes of reigniting the spark he displayed as a member of the Ottawa Senators many years ago. The contract turned out to be an overpay for a player who got very little ice time, and the team should have no trouble moving on from him and finding a new third-line center.