Smith, Koskinen ready to renew net partnership

The goaltending tandem of Mikko Koskinen and Mike Smith held up well for the Edmonton Oilers last season, but fell apart in the NHL play-in round against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Going back to the same tandem this year, the Oilers are hoping Smith and Koskinen can once again work well together in a shortened 56-game season. If they can't, they are then banking on Anton Forsberg to fill in admirably.

“It is great to get Smitty back here,” Koskinen said following practice Wednesday. “I know him from last year and we have a good relationship and it's only going to get better this year.”

Due to the circumstances surrounding the season disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Oilers will be carrying three goaltenders, as Forsberg will be a member of the taxi squad and will practise with the team this season.

Forsberg, 28, signed with the Oilers as a free agent from the Carolina Hurricanes organization. He played the majority of last season in the AHL with the Charlotte Checkers, getting into three games with the Hurricanes prior to the NHL pause in

March. A product of Harnosand, Sweden, Forsberg had a 15-9-2 record with Charlotte with a 2.95 goals-against average and .905 save percentage.

“It was kind of an up and down season,” Forsberg said. “I feel like I had good parts of the season and some that weren't as good. It wasn't my best season, statswise. I felt like it was a little bit different than the year before. We had a really good team and we didn't give up a lot of shots. In the past years, I played in Cleveland and Rockford and we had a lot of shots and it was easier to get into games.”

Selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the seventh round (188th overall) of the 2011 NHL draft, Forsberg's road to Edmonton has been well-travelled. He spent time in the Columbus and Chicago organizations before ending up with Carolina.

He signed a one-year deal with the Oilers this season.