CHARLESTON, S.C. – It’s over for Klim Kostin and the Blues. The first-round draft select within the 2017 draft (No. 31 general) used to be traded to the Edmonton Oilers for defenseman Dmitri Samorukov, the Blues introduced Sunday.
Kostin used to be placed on waivers by the Blues on Friday, and after clearing waivers Saturday used to be assigned to the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL. But now he’s a member of the Edmonton Oilers group.
Also on Sunday, the Blues placed veteran ahead Josh Leivo, who used to be signed in July as a unfastened agent, on waivers.
Kostin had one purpose and one assists in 5 video games this preseason, together with a team-high 4 pictures on purpose in remaining Thursday’s 7-0 loss at Columbus.
Kostin, 23, has excellent measurement and skates smartly for his measurement. He can also be bodily on instance and has an NHL-caliber shot. All of which can be elements to make a a success energy ahead. But the enigma used to be that the entire items by no means have compatibility in combination for Kostin.
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“He’s got good skill,” trainer Craig Berube stated after Kostin scored his simplest preseason purpose remaining Tuesday towards Minnesota “But for me, it’s consistency. That’s a big thing. As a coach, you want to know what you’re getting when the guy goes over the boards every time in his situation.”
And that used to be by no means the case with Kostin. Earlier in camp, Berube stated he had to see extra from Kostin.
“He’s gotta show us a little bit more,” Berube stated. “He’s gotta get engaged more in the games. I’m not seeing enough yet.”
So the caution indicators had been there that Kostin’s time with the Blues may well be in jeopardy. The emergence of more youthful skill equivalent to Jake Neighbours, Alexey Toropchenko or even Nikita Alexandrov made it harder for Kostin to earn a roster spot.
Over portions of 3 seasons with the Blues, the local of Penza, Russia, performed in 46 video games, scoring 5 objectives with six assists, and averaging 9:11 of ice time.
Forty of the ones 46 video games got here remaining season, when Kostin had 4 objectives and 5 assists. His spotlight got here on Oct. 18, 2021 – the second one sport of the season – when he scored two objectives in a 7-4 win at Arizona.
For all his promise and low flashes, Kostin by no means scored greater than 14 objectives in any of his 5 seasons {of professional} hockey – maximum of which have been spent within the AHL.
As for Samorukov, the local of Volgograd, Russia, used to be taken in the similar 2017 draft as Kostin – within the 3rd around at No 84 general by the Oilers. Samorukov and Kostin had been teammates on Russia’s World Junior groups in 2018 and 2019.
Like Kostin, possibly a metamorphosis of surroundings will do him excellent. He additionally used to be placed on waivers Friday by the Oilers and went unclaimed Saturday.
Last season, Samorukov ignored about six weeks with a damaged jaw suffered in a Sept. 18 possibilities sport towards Calgary. Three months later, he made his NHL debut at Enterprise Center in St. Louis in a 4-2 loss by the Oilers on Dec. 29.
Samorukov performed simplest 4 shifts and simply 2:28 of ice time, and used to be minus-2. He used to be victimized by Jordan Kyrou on either one of the ones “minuses.”
Four mins into the sport, Kyrou skated previous Samorukov down proper wing simply throughout the blue line. Samorukov more or less waved on the puck, Kyrou flashed by in opposition to the web, leading to a 2-on-0 rush and a Robert Thomas purpose.
Less than 3 mins later, Kyrou once more skated previous Samorukov on just about the very same spot on the ice. Kyrou made a stutter-step as though shifting within, then blew previous Samorukov on the outdoor. This time Kyrou took it in himself for the purpose and a 2-0 St. Louis lead.
Samorukov performed yet one more shift in that sport, after which used to be benched for the remainder of the competition. The subsequent day he used to be shipped out to the minors, and that Dec. 29 contest stays his simplest NHL sport. He performed 51 video games for the Bakersfield Condors within the AHL remaining season with 3 objectives and 15 assists, and used to be plus 16.
Samorukov, 6-3, 188, is on a one-year, $775,000 contract, and prefer Kostin he’s going to be a limited unfastened agent after this season who isn’t arbitration eligible.
There has been no respectable announcement, however the Blues are anticipated to assign Samorukov to Springfield.
Leivo’s spot on the waiver twine used to be sudden as a result of he has an excellent preseason with the Blues, scoring two objectives (each on Sept. 26 in Dallas) and 3 assists in 5 exhibition video games. He led the staff with 16 pictures on purpose.