As many good moves as general manager Ken Holland has made during his time with the Edmonton Oilers, one that can’t be forgotten about is his acquisition of Klim Kostin. Thought of as a swap of prospects running out of time to make it to the NHL, the Oilers sent defenceman Dmitri Samorukov to the St. Louis Blues ahead of the 2022-23 season with Kostin coming back in return.
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Things got off to an underwhelming start for Kostin in Edmonton, as he was assigned to the Bakersfield Condors out of training camp. However, with an early injury to Evander Kane, he received a call-up in early November and didn’t look back. The 24-year-old was able to set career highs across the board with 11 goals and 21 points in 57 regular season games. He also suited up in 12 playoff contests, scoring two goals and five points.
By all accounts, the Oilers would like to have Kostin back for next season and beyond. That said, their salary cap situation will make things difficult, as the restricted free agent (RFA) is deserving of a raise from his past cap hit of $800,000. The issue is the Oilers don’t have much cap room, and will have to make a decision on whether or not to bring him back into the fold.
Holland Won’t Commit to Bringing Kostin Back
Despite Kostin being the man that Holland traded for, he has yet to commit to him coming back next season. When asked about the three of his RFAs in Evan Bouchard and Ryan McLeod, he made it clear they are going to do everything in their power to bring them back for next season. Kostin didn’t receive the same level of confidence.
“Not sure what I’m doing on Kostin,” Holland told reporters. “Obviously being a Russian player, he’s had conversations with the KHL. I’ve gotta decide over the next three or four days what we’re doing here with Klim.”
There have been reports that the two sides have discussed a potential extension, with the Oilers wanting to pay him around $1.25 million while Kostin’s camp is closer to the $1.75-2 million range. If a deal can’t be worked out, Holland has a few options he can choose from.
Holland could choose to qualify Kostin, which would allow the Oilers to retain his rights. If this were the case, he could return to the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for the 2023-24 season, and perhaps return to Edmonton in 2024-25 once the cap is expected to see a significant increase.
The other option would be a trade. As mentioned, Kostin had a very solid season in Edmonton, providing some secondary scoring while also bringing a very valued physical edge. That said, he is unproven and seems to project as more of a bottom-six player for the entirety of his career. While there would be some interest in him on the open market, the Oilers likely wouldn’t receive a ton back, which would be quite disappointing given how much the fan base came to enjoy his game and personality this past season.
While neither of the options listed above is ideal, they may be for the best. At this time, the Oilers have just $5.07 million in cap space, and as mentioned still have to sign both Bouchard and McLeod. There is a great chance Bouchard commands all of that and possibly even more, meaning Holland may need to trade away someone else just to make room for McLeod. Factor in any potential free agents they may like to add, and you’ll realize just how difficult it will be to make room for Kostin.
Oilers Can Survive Without Kostin
While there will be very few if any Oilers fans who don’t want Kostin back for next season, there are bigger holes for this team to fill. As beloved as he was in his first season with the organization, bottom-six forwards are often replaceable, and that is no different with Kostin. Being able to bring back players like Bouchard and McLeod is of much higher priority, and if doing so means Kostin won’t return, then the Oilers would be wise to accept that and move on, whether for the upcoming season or for good.