Edmonton Oilers place goaltender Al Montoya on waivers

The Edmonton Oilers have placed goaltender Al Montoya on waivers for the purpose of reassignment to Bakersfield of the American Hockey League.

Montoya is in the final year of a two-year contract and is set to make US$1,062,500 this season.

The Oilers acquired Montoya in a trade with Montreal last season for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft.

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The 33-year-old from Chicago had a 2-2-2 record with a 2.94 goals-against average and .906 save percentages in nine appearances with Edmonton last season as a backup to starter Cam Talbot.

The move means 30-year-old Finnish goaltender Mikko Koskinen will start the season as Talbot’s backup. Koskinen had a 22-4-1 record with a 1.57 GAA with St. Petersburg of the KHL last season before signing a one-year, $2.5-million deal with the Oilers.

The Oilers say Shane Starrett will serve as the emergency goaltender on the team’s upcoming trip to Europe. The Oilers will play an exhibition team at the German League’s Cologne Sharks before playing their season opener on Oct. 6 against the New York Rangers in Goteborg, Sweden.