Although not the most offensive player on the planet, Klim Kostin has had a positive impact since joining the Oilers earlier this season. With five goals and four assists through 23 games, Kostin has produced as much as expected so far. What was unexpected though, was his wide range of skills away from the puck.
His positioning is solid, his physicality has been evident as he has thrown down with former Oilers heavyweight Zack Kassian, and his willingness to play anywhere in the lineup while doing his best to play his role properly has built him a reputation, and Oilers fans have fallen in love with him.
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Klim Kostin started the season in the AHL with the Bakersfield Condors. In his short stint with the team, he played nine games scoring two goals and adding two assists. Kostin stood out to many fans who pay close attention to the Oilers system, as he quickly made a name for himself as a physical force that could skate exceptionally well for a guy his size. At 6-foot-4, Kostin was drafted in the first round of the 2017 draft by the Blues. His skating ability and size stood out then, just as it does now.
When the Oilers traded Dmitri Samorukov to the St. Louis Blues in October, the return of Klim Kostin was thought to be two teams swapping players that needed fresh starts, and truly that’s what it was. Kostin had only played 46 games over three seasons with the Blues, where he put up 11 points. Samorukov on the other hand only played one game in an Oilers jersey.
Both players are 23, so they are moving into the prime of their careers. This trade gave both players the new opportunities they needed to save their career and give them a better shot at earning a full-time NHL spot. Samorukov has yet to play a game in a St. Louis Blues jersey but has had a solid year with the Springfield Thunderbirds, with two goals and five assists through 30 games.
Kostin has one year left on his contract and has shown he wants to remain an Edmonton Oiler. A new contract likely looks like a 2-3 year deal worth $1-1.5M AAV as he has cemented himself into the Oilers bottom six, and will likely earn an opportunity in the top six later this season. Samorukov also has one year left on his deal, but I can’t see him getting much more than he gets now. Realistically, I can see a 1–2 year extension worth $775-825k AAV.