The harsh reality of living in a salary cap world is that sometimes, even the more popular players on an NHL roster may have to be sacrificed in order to make the numbers work.
Unfortunately for the Edmonton Oilers, forward Klim Kostin was one of those sacrifices made by general manager Ken Holland last week. He shipped both Kostin and Kailer Yamamoto to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for future considerations; Kostin was immediately signed by Detroit to a two-year contract extension, while Yamamoto was waived and eventually signed by the Seattle Kraken.
Kostin skated in 57 games this past season with Edmonton, scoring 11 goals and 10 assists while adding another three goals and two assists in 12 postseason games. And it's clear that despite no longer being a part of the organization, he'll forever hold fond memories of his time with the Oilers.
He wrote the following message of gratitude and farewell to Oilers fans on his Instagram account, thanking them for giving him "a second wind" and promising never to forget it:
“I can’t extend my gratitude enough to the best fans I [have] ever seen,” Kostin wrote. “Your love and support mean a lot to me. You gave me a second wind, and I’ll always remember it. I’m sad we couldn’t bring the Oilers a Cup this year. [You] really deserve it! Thank you again Oilers fans. See you later.”
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