Former Fan Favorite Wants Another Shot With Oilers

Former Edmonton Oilers forward Klim Kostin isn’t hiding his feelings about where he wants to play next. Speaking with Sport-Express in Russia, Kostin said he would love nothing more than to rejoin Edmonton, where he felt most at home during his NHL career.

“In Edmonton, I wanted to die on the ice for the fans,” Kostin said. “This is the place where I felt most comfortable and was myself. Of course, this is my dream.”

Kostin only spent one season with the Oilers in 2022–23, but he left a lasting impression. In 57 games, the 6’4 forward posted 11 goals, 21 points, and 157 hits while averaging just over 10 minutes of ice time per game. His physical play and willingness to drop the gloves made him a quick fan favorite.

He signed with the Detroit Red Wings on July of 2023, and things didn’t work out terribly well for him there. He had three goals and four points in 33 games. He was later moved to the San Jose Sharks where he played more often, but still didn’t find a lot of consistency on the ice. He scored a total of six goals for the Sharks over parts of two seasons. For much of his time with other clubs, he would occassionally show up at Oilers playoff games.

It was clear Edmonton had a unique place in his heart.

He added that Oilers fans were special to him, saying they always noticed hard work, even in games where he didn’t score. Early fan reaction to his comments has been overwhelmingly positive, with many hoping the team at least offers him a professional tryout.

Whether Edmonton is interested remains to be seen. They have some depth on the roster all fighting for spots and someone like Kostin would be competing with Max Jones for a spot on the roster.

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