Oilers trade Yamamoto and Kostin to the Red Wings

The Edmonton Oilers have traded Kailer Yamamoto and Klim Kostin to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for future considerations.

Both Yamamoto and Kostin had rumours swirling around their futures in Edmonton as of late, as general manager Ken Holland needs to clear out salary, and both players were looked at as potential cap casualties.

Despite being taken 22nd overall in the 2017 Draft, Yamamoto was never able to get comfortable in Edmonton, often struggling to produce offence despite spending plenty of time alongside both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. In 58 games this past season, he scored 10 goals and 25 points.

Kostin was acquired by the Oilers just prior to the 2022-23 season from the St. Louis Blues. After struggling to make an impact in St. Louis, he instantly became a fan favourite in Edmonton, providing a physical edge along with some secondary scoring. He set career highs across the board this season with 10 goals and 21 points in 57 games.

With the trade, the Oilers have freed up some salary, as Yamamoto has one more season remaining on his deal that carries a cap hit of $3.1 million. Kostin, meanwhile, is an RFA but is due for a significant raise from his salary this past season of $750,000. While Holland would have loved to keep the Russian forward on his roster, he simply couldn’t afford to do so.

While this trade could prove to be beneficial for both players, Yamamoto will be the one who could really get his career going in the right direction. Despite showing flashes with the Oilers, he was never able to put things together on a consistent basis, often to the frustration of the Oiler fan base. He is still just 24 years old and had a 20-goal season in 2021-22.

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