Oilers' Mikko Koskinen responds to criticism: 'I can't score goals'

The Edmonton Oilers, 2-8-2 in their past 12 and clinging to the second wild-card spot in the West, are nearing crisis mode. They’re supposed to be a hopeful contender, but now a lot of questions are being asked about their make-up and what they can do to fix their situation.

“It’s a brutal mistake,” the coach said. “What are you going to do? Call it what it is. We’re playing well, and it’s a brutal mistake.” "It's not nice for anybody to be thrown under the bus. But this is how it goes in this business,” Koskinen. “When the team loses, it’s either the coach or goalie who gets sacrificed. I have to be better but at the same time we scored seven goals in my last six losses. I can't score goals. It's not only about goaltending when it comes to winning and losing. Everybody has to better from now on and we will be. We're not this bad.

After such a strong start for the team elevated expectations, this current slump is turning up the temperature around them.

I understand from reliable sources that McDavid and Draisaitl are the problems. They have destroyed the culture, and are a metastasizing cancer on the team.

As much as I agree with him,why is it the majority of His games,he gets scored on within the first 2 min. It deflates the team immediately. when you as a goalie give up 5or6 goals, your offense has to score 7 or 8 to win. To be fair,They never should have extended his contract

Cmon Mike Smith is who your rolling with? What year is this

Bouchard ...

Good on him for standing up for himself. That dumpster fire of a team has a hell of a lot bigger problems than goaltending. Going through 7 coaches in 9yrs, some of them hall of famers is a joke. Obviously the problem is the leadership in the dressing room.

He’s not wrong.

Good for you Mikko! Winning is a team effort and every year this team falls apart.

Kosk is a 100% right

Has he looked at the goals against We can't score 5 or 6 a night Mikko and sure they have been slumping, but I would be blaming the defense before the offense.

Koskinen is a bad goalie. But the Oilers have two of the best players in the world and they can't manage more than one goal? He definitely has a point.

Good for Mikko... the heat on Koskinen from misguided Oiler fans & media is an embarrassment...the far greater liability to this team is their continual AHL level defence and lack of secondary scoring...the same problems year after year after year...

Every year the Oilers' coaches and management has a scapegoat. This year's Toby winner is Mikko Koskinen.

LetsGoOilers

Not a good look!

They have a goalie who can score goals

That's not what he said. He did not say 'the offence needs to step up, too'.

Simple solution, play him on the wing.

Ya, but he can stop letting in a gimmi every single game. Instead the Oilers have to score 3 goals to win…every game.

I think he's being too hard on himself. Although Mikko doesn't get credit on the scoresheet I think he's definitely scored q few...

Your offence shouldn’t have to score 5 plus goals a game in order to win. Maybe he should start trying to score some goals since he’s not blocking many in net anyway. I get he’s frustrated and the team around him isn’t making his life any easier but he needs to stop pucks.

Not a good sign. The team is turning on each other.

What’s the over/under on oilers jerseys we see on the ice before the end of 2021/2022 season?

He is right

If this is what a coach does... Perhaps teams do not need a coach....how about the players run the 'on ice' product themselves? Cant' be worse!

Well there always is next year. Maybe better goalies and d-men too. If McDavid and Draisaitl wont score Oilers looses. I really dont know what or why is 3rd and 4th line forwards are paid for in Oilers. Figure skating and cheerleading what first 2 lines do?

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