The Detroit Red Wings have pillaged two players from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for future considerations: forwards Kailer Yamamoto and Klim Kostin.
The move adds two wingers of varying promise to the Red Wings in exchange for just cap space, as no assets were surrendered by Detroit to complete this trade. The Oilers were likely motivated to move off of Yamamoto’s cap hit as he’s making $3.1MM for the next season. While Yamamoto managed 20 goals and 41 points in 2021-22, the 2017 first-round pick struggled this past year and lost his spot in Edmonton’s long-term plans.
Yamamoto scored just 10 goals and 25 points this season, playing just 58 games. While that 35-point pace isn’t actually a huge decline from the 41 points he scored the year before, his lack of availability combined with his frustrating inconsistency is likely what led Edmonton to deal him in order to create some cap space to bring in new players.
As for Kostin, he was set to hit restricted free agency at the start of the new league year, and it’s likely that Edmonton wasn’t prepared to give him the type of contract he may be hoping to receive. Kostin was acquired by the Oilers in exchange for defenseman Dmitri Samorukov, and the 24-year-old 2017 first-rounder scored 11 goals and 21 points in 55 games in Edmonton, both easily career-highs.
Now, the six-foot-three forward will join the Red Wings, who have added two NHL-ready contributors in this deal. Their forward corps is already well-stocked with NHL talent, but Yamamoto can now compete with Filip Zadina and Jonatan Berggren for a role in coach Derek Lalonde’s top nine, while Kostin is likely to end up on their fourth line. At no asset cost, this is a savvy deal for Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings, especially if Yamamoto can repeat his form from 2021-22.
Yamamoto was a buyout candidate. Oilers used Kostin instead of a pick as sweetener, having bought at rock bottom.
Could be a decent move for both teams, really. Kostin had a good game
*has
Big pill
But what happened to all the trades that Oiler fans were on here saying Yamamoto was being traded for top 3 wingers because of his talent?
@bruin4ever – While I follow the Oilers a lot, I can assure you that a few fans never thought Yamamoto would fetch that kind of return. The organization was always hoping for more from him, but he kind of flat lined with his own development and didn’t really impress after his initial burst. Injuries didn’t help, either. They were horribly crib-blind regarding Puljujarvi and even Koskinen. The big blunder here, as far as I’m concerned, is throwing away Kostin. He was a great fit there, especially with his physical game.
The best part of this trade is the oilers trading another first round bust and Kostin who oilers fans loved
And not just Oilers fans. Kostin played very well for us in Springfield two years ago. Not even willing to try qualifying him is a mistake Edmonton will regret.
I agree with the vox populi: Yzerman did his team a solid here. And with that scary amount of cap space they have, in his boots, I’d go for it. Sign the RFAs they need to sign, and then go out after some big pieces. See what it’ll take to get Saros. Grzelcyk and Forbert can play, and the Bruins will let them go cheaply. Tell Bunting that they’ll outbid Toronto on both term and $, or sign a Zegras or a Terry to an offer sheet.
Detroit needs to make the playoffs this year, and they’ve the cap space to be able to do it.
More ex-Blues in Detroit.
I think the Oilers win this deal, Not sure what Yzerman is up to, I’m still wondering why a team in a rebuild unloads Filip Hronek and keeps players like Fabbri and Zadina.
Because Hronek wanted $7,000,000 a year and Wings got a first round pick for him.
My thoughts exactly.
Another useless trade Yzerman made. We need someone who can score 40 45 goals a year who also can reach 100+ points. We have decent pieces to pull off a trade and still have the nucleus to compete for the playoffs this season. I just don’t think the ilitch family is committed to winning anymore Stanley Cups.
I think he goes more for the Kracken model: That is roll 4 lines that can score. Spread the money around and have 5 20-goal scorers and most of the rest in double digits. The Wings are a couple years off yet.
Kostin is a great pickup.