Oilers' Smith to get first start of season Monday vs. Senators

Dave Tippett didn't mince words after the Oilers' loss to the Flames, saying they need to play better in front of the goalie and get more saves from the goalie himself.

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Mike Smith will get his first start of the season Monday night against the Ottawa Senators, the team has announced.

The Oilers, who are presently 6-7 and lacking depth in net, waived Troy Grosenick in anticipation of Smith's return. Grosenick had been brought in after Smith was placed on long-term injured reserve earlier in the month.

"I'm really excited to get back in the net," Smith said. "I feel like I'm in a good spot mentally and physically."

Smith returned to the Oilers this past off-season on a one-year, $2 million deal. The 38-year-old appeared in 39 games for Edmonton in 2019-20, winning 19 of his 37 starts and had a .902 save percentage and 2.95 goals-against average.

Mikko Koskinen has started 12 of the Oilers' 13 games so far, with Stuart Skinner serving as backup.

When submitting content, please abide by our  submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.
We use cookies to improve your experience. Learn More or change your cookie preferences. By continuing to use this site, you agree to the use of cookies.
close