If you’re an Edmonton Oilers fan, Mikko Koskinen probably still pops into your head now and then. That huge Finnish netminder who was 6-foot-7 and made the net look tiny. He rolled into town in 2018 and became a real piece of those Connor McDavid squads for a bit. He was everywhere in the news for a stretch, then just kinda disappeared from the conversation.
Curious what the guy’s doing now?
Before the Oilers, Koskinen Dominated the KHL
Koskinen hit free agency and came over in May 2018 after tearing it up in the KHL with SKA St. Petersburg—racking up championships, posting monster save percentages, and even picking up Best Goaltender awards. The Oilers didn’t spend too much; they just tossed him a one-year, $2.5 million prove-it contract to see if the big guy could translate his game to the NHL.
But he showed up and performed right away, so they quickly threw him a three-year extension worth $4.5 million AAV in January 2019. Classic “see it, believe it, pay up” move.
He was the go-to guy for wins on the Oilers at points and had these hot streaks where he was basically a wall—nothing getting by him. The 2019-20 season was his best. In 38 games, he put up a strong .917 save percentage and won 18 games. He was money in the crease. Big saves when it counted, no soft goals, giving the team way more life than the final result showed.
Why Was Koskinen So Special for the Oilers?
What really made Koskinen stand out was his size—6-foot-7, just a massive wall planted in the crease. Shooters hated it; they’d wind up, and the puck would just disappear into him because he covered so much net with those long limbs. By the time he left the Oilers, he had played 168 NHL games, with 86 wins, a career .906 save percentage. Never elite, but super reliable in that messy in-between era for the team.
Post-2022, he left the NHL behind and headed to Switzerland. He signed a two-year contract with HC Lugano. Numbers were decent—around .900 save percentage, some playoff games to keep it interesting—but you could tell it was more about finishing strong than dominating. In April 2024, at 35, he retired. Solid way to go out after everything.
Koskinen Remains in Hockey Today, But No Longer as a Player
These days, you’ll find Koskinen still tied to hockey, just on the management side—he’s working as a player agent in Finland. He’s registered with the Finnish Ice Hockey Players’ Association and calls Helsinki home. Smartly, he gave up his ownership share in that Liiga club to avoid any crossover issues or conflicts. It’s a pretty neat transition, man—from being the guy in goal to the one helping young players figure out their path. Classy way to keep giving back to the sport.
Oilers fans probably remember him as that massive goalie who gave them stability and a few big wins. Hockey careers can take some wild turns, and Koskinen’s story is a perfect example.
Related: McDavid’s Great, But Celebrini Is the Real Olympic Star
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