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NHL free agency: Oilers expected to sign Mike Smith

By Dave Stevenson |
DENVER, CO - APRIL 17: Calgary Flames goalie Mike Smith (41) during a Western Conference match-up in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 17, 2019 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, CO. (Photo by Russell Lansford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - APRIL 17: Calgary Flames goalie Mike Smith (41) during a Western Conference match-up in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 17, 2019 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, CO. (Photo by Russell Lansford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

According to TSN’s Frank Seravalli, the Edmonton Oilers are expected to sign goaltender Mike Smith once NHL free agency opens on July 1.

The Edmonton Oilers have several holes on their roster to fill this summer. They’ve been looking for a backup goalie behind Mikko Koskinen, who got an extension in January. According to Frank Seravalli of TSN, the Oilers will sign Mike Smith once NHL free agency opens on July 1 at noon.

He also says Cam Talbot, who used to play for Edmonton, will be heading to the Calgary Flames, as we reported earlier. Ironically, Smith used to play for the Flames. So the Battle of Alberta will be getting a bit more personal next year.

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It’s not surprising Edmonton has elected to go with Smith as their backup. After all, new head coach Dave Tippett is very familiar with him, as the two worked together when Tippet coached the Arizona Coyotes.

Smith is coming off a rough season with the Flames. During the 2018-19 season, he had a career-low save percentage of .898 in 42 appearances, including 40 starts. The 37-year-old goaltender has spent time with the Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Coyotes, and Flames.

There’s no word yet on what Smith’s salary will be or how long his deal will be for, but Edmonton just bought out Andrej Sekera, which should leave enough cap space for Smith no matter what his asking price is. It will most likely be a one-year deal.

The Oilers are clearly banking on Koskinen and Smith to be a solid tandem. Neither has done much in the last year to earn the undisputed number one role. One would expect Koskinen to get more starts, but he likely won’t get that many. Somewhere around 50 starts seems reasonable for him.

Smith and Tippett reuniting could be good for both parties. They’ve had a lot of success together. Maybe Tippett can get through to Smith and help him have a solid season. The Oilers now have a viable backup who could start short-term if he needs to.

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Edmonton will also be looking to add a wing or two in free agency. They could also be looking to add some defensive depth after the loss of Sekera. But it appears Edmonton will at least know who’s going to be in goal for the next season – Koskinen and Smith.

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