Edmonton Oilers Forward Klim Kostin Is A Found Winner

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As of right now Klim Kostin could easily be labelled the surprise of the season from an Edmonton Oilers roster standpoint. He came here as a project, a failed first round draft pick from St. Louis in exchange for buried d-man Dmitri Samorukov.

It usually takes years to understand the true impact of trades, even minor ones like this, but right now the pendulum on this trade is clearly on the Edmonton Oilers side right now in terms of who is winning this trade.

Kostin started out the year in the minors in Bakersfield but after putting up four points in nine games and injuries hitting, Kostin was called up to see what he could do with a fresh start. Kostin has since proven himself to be a valuable fourth liner, to the point where people have stopped saying the Edmonton Oilers need a physical player who can muck it up in their bottom six because Kostin is proving to be that guy.

He’s not been back down to Bakersfield since and if his current play continues he may never see the minors again for quite some time – of course bottom six forwards and bottom pairing D should never consider their roster spots to be secure as they’re a lot easier to replace than higher paid, more talented players in the top six forward group as well as the top four D pairings. But, if current trends continue, he should be fine. Any feedback for him at this point is just “keep doing what you’re doing.”

For anyone who saw the Arizona game two days ago you saw that Kostin got a Gordie Howe hat trick – and the fight was against Zack Kassian back for his first trip to Edmonton since his trade – not exactly an easy opponent to go against but Kostin held his own well enough. I wouldn’t say he won the fight but he got a couple of good jabs in enough to show that he means business.

Don’t expect him to do that every game – it’s tough for a fourth liner to do that period, never mind game in game out. But, it certainly was a feather in Kostin’s cap as he’s made a solid impression in the 11 games he’s played for the Oilers so far and has helped to solidify the fourth line as well as get limited time on the third line, a place where he doesn’t seem to look out of place on.

Kostin’s biggest contribution to the roster, though, is his physical ability. Kostin is a solidly built player at 6’3″ and 215 lbs of muscle, and he’s not afraid at all the use his size. He currently sits 11th on the team in hits in his 11 games with 26, only four away from the top 10 as he’s a mere four hits from his closest competitor Brett Kulak.

I predict he’ll likely overtake Kulak within the next three or four games for a spot in the top 10 as he currently sits third in hits/60 with 14.07. Kulak, meanwhile, is pretty far down the list with 3.74. Only fellow callups Markus Niemelainen (sent back down to Bakersfield recently) and Brad Malone are ahead of him in hits/60 – and since Niemelainen isn’t here right now and Malone is an AHL bubble player on borrowed time (wasn’t even in the lineup against Arizona) it’s probably only a matter of time before he goes back down too.

Guys like that are known as “energy players” because they can help to rally the troops with a huge hit, especially if it’s on a good player.

Not only can Kostin hit, he can also handle his competition, finishing at a +1 in the early going, and including his moment in the sun against Arizona he’s also produced solidly for a fourth liner at 2-1-3 in those 11 games. If he can keep up those numbers he’ll produce 15 goals and 22 points. That might be too much to expect from a fourth liner but it wouldn’t be unheard of.

At this point there isn’t a reason for Jay Woodcroft to take him out of the lineup until Kostin gives him one. He may be a failed first round pick but that doesn’t mean a player can’t re-invent himself and find a role on his same team or another one. It appears that the fresh start that the Edmonton Oilers gave Kostin is paying dividends for them so far.

Hats off to Ken Holland for finding another diamond in the rough here, dealing from a position of strength to shore up a position of weakness.

Mandatory Credit: James Carey Lauder-USA TODAY Sports /

So far Samorukov hasn’t played for St. Louis itself yet, spending all his time since the trade on the Blues’s farm team, the Springfield Thunderbirds. Samorukov so far has put up 2-3-5 in 22 games for the Thunderbirds. That projects out to 15 points in a full AHL season, which would actually be three less than he put up for Bakersfield last season. So although Samorukov took a step forward last season, he appears to be spinning his wheels in the early going this season.

There’s no shame in that, and it doesn’t mean Samorukov is a draft bust by any means yet. He’s only 23, and apprenticing in the hardest position to learn the NHL has to offer. Players rarely develop in a consistently upward trajectory, most go through peaks and valleys and playing for awhile in the minors.

The Blues don’t truly know what they have in DS because he has played a mere 126 games in the North American pro leagues between the AHL and NHL since coming over to this side of the Atlantic.

He was buried behind Philip Broberg and Markus Niemelainen here, but St. Louis is a team that’s struggling this season in more ways than one. Not only are they starting the season much further down the standings than they were expecting, but like the Oilers they’re also struggling with injuries, most notably to Torey Krug, Marco Scandella, and Pavel Buchnevich.

If those injuries continue then Samorukov may be called up to the big leagues again sooner than expected for his new(ish) team.

At any rate, I can absolutely see why St. Louis made this trade. A cursory glance at their prospect blueliners on CapFriendly shows that they need prospect help on D. Before Samorukov came along they only had two guys not on their ELCs, and only five d-men under contract as prospects.

This would logically indicate a bare prospect pool on D, and of course if you do the math three of those five are on ELCs, which means they’re a long ways away from being NHL ready. Samorukov may not be ready yet himself either but he’s further along than half the Blues minor leaguers on D. There was a definite vacuum of prospects for St. Louis on D.

This trade will be a good one for Samorukov as a player, assuming he can move the dial in the AHL and take another step or two forward in the near future. There’s a lot less players in his way in terms of an NHL spot in St. Louis than there is in Edmonton.

It’s hard to say at this point, but it’s entirely possible St. Louis evens up this trade in the next couple of seasons if Samorukov turns out to be an impact blueliner.

Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports /

Rumours have been circulating that the Edmonton Oilers have asked the Sharks about Erik Karlsson.

I can’t find confirmation but I do remember San Jose being surprised saying that was news to them, which would pretty much quash any talk of Karlsson to the Edmonton Oilers.

I can also see the wisdom in this since the Oilers are in win now mode, and yes Darnell Nurse could use more help at the top of the roster and Broberg and Bouchard are under performing as future pieces on D thus far.

However, even with half of Karlsson’s massive $11.5 million contract retained by San Jose, this would still be a tough pill to swallow as Karlsson is signed for another four seasons after this one. This would be a blockbuster trade that would alter the franchise in a huge way – and not necessarily in a good way.

For one thing, San Jose is asking for a lot in return. IMO David Staples’s trade proposal is actually plausible. I could see San Jose asking for Barrie, Puljujarvi, two first round picks, and one of Broberg or top prospect forward Dylan Holloway (the latter name I’m inclined to not include in this trade as if the Bison King’s struggles continue we might need Holloway in the top six sooner rather than later).

But I’m not convinced that Karlsson would be as much of a salvation as the buzz says he is. For one thing, he’s not as defensively sound as you would like for a player of his calibre and experience level. He’s been a minus player the last three seasons running and four of the previous five, going back to his last season in Ottawa. Even this year as he’s leading the NHL in points, he’s still sitting at -6 on the season.

Maybe we can chalk that up to the lousy team he’s playing on in San Jose, but do you want to find out with your team’s two first round picks, two roster players, and a top prospect? Personally, I wouldn’t. Maybe Dave Manson can do his thing and turn him around like he’s turned around Tyson Barrie’s own zone play. Maybe not. Karlsson is 867 games into his NHL career. Can you teach an old dog new tricks? Perhaps, but again it’s a huge gamble to find out.

Then there’s the fact that the Edmonton Oilers already have four puck movers on the roster – Darnell Nurse, Tyson Barrie, Evan Bouchard, and Philip Broberg.

Yes, none of them are as good as Karlsson, but would this necessarily move the needle for the franchise? I’m not convinced of that. It might get you an extra win or two a season, but in the playoffs is where the Cup is won and a different brand of hockey is played. Karlsson hasn’t played playoff hockey in four or five seasons. Has he still got it? Quite a risk to find out – and let’s not forget that in this day and age Cups are won with depth not name players. The Edmonton Oilers would be giving up some of their depth to get Karlsson.

Then there’s Karlsson’s recent run of injuries that hampered his play in the past. Yes he’s healthy now and leading the NHL in points for defenceman, and that’s great, but how long will it last? If he gets a season ending injury, the only NHL ready prospect the Edmonton Oilers can call up is Markus Niemelainen, who isn’t a puck mover. Or they can insert Ryan Murray into the lineup, a guy who has largely been a non-factor in games he’s played.

Those are not great options. Even with San Jose retaining 50% of his cap hit that’s still a huge risk.

And that’s not even getting into the contract itself. Karlsson has a NMC in his contract. Would he waive that to come to the Edmonton Oilers? Maybe, maybe not. Hard to say at this point. He’s also signed until he’s 36. Will his body hold up until then?

That’s the million dollar question. If it doesn’t the Edmonton Oilers will only have an LTIR contract to show for the huge trade haul they would’ve given San Jose, with a massive hole to fill on the blueline in his place. Personally I wouldn’t bet on it considering that in his younger days he’s already had injury issues.

There’s also the issue of San Jose dealing to a division rival. They might ask for even more of a trade haul, something that Holland would be wise to avoid as even Staples’s proposal is a bit rich for my blood.

If Karlsson only had a year to go on his contract and San Jose wasn’t asking for as much, then it might make a lot more sense, but Karlsson as a rich long term contract? Too much risk even with 50% cap hit retained, personally I’ll pass. I get why San Jose is asking for a lot in return, but from an Oilers perspective it’s too much.

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