Prospect Info: Klim Kostin (31st overall in 2017)

[Mike Liut]

I guess I just dont see the Rick Nash comparison. Watching Klim's videos and breaking down his stats, he just seems alot more like Jamie Benn when he was playing juniors for the Kelowna Rockets. Both have the, "I'm driving to the net whether you like it or not" attitude and have a excellent blend of offensive upside and being very physical/scrappy.

Here is a pro scouting report for Jamie Benn from the hockey news. it reads alot like Kostin's amateur scouting report today.

That's a good comparison

 

[Bluesnatic27]

Kostin is a very hard player to get a good comparison for. I just can't find the one player that seems to work best for his mix of great shot, physicality, and good skating ability. Sure people throw out Rick Nash, but Nash seems to reliant on his ability to balance instead of his physicality in order to create scoring chances. Jamie Benn seems much quicker than Kostin, and I think it's Benn's mix of speed and winning board battles that make him a prolific goalscorer.

I'm not saying I can think of any better, but I just can't find myself loving any of the comparisons I've heard thus far.

 

[PiggySmalls]

Jamie Benn was considered slow in '07 when he got drafted and that was consider a major factor why he dropped to the 5th round. To me it goes back to commitment to improve, a trait Kostin has been showing since he has came on scene.

Hockey Future's draft report on Been:

Benn is a pure sniper with both good shooting and deking abilities in close. He has an uncanny knack for finding loose pucks, finding the space to make himself available for a pass and being in the right spot to bury rebounds. But his skating is average at best. How he will adjust to less time and space in the pros is an open question. At 6’2, 185 lbs he doesn’t use his size particularly well and he’s not an overly physical force. He is extremely effective when he has the time to set up and shoot or on odd-man rushes. His defensive play will need improvement.

 

[EastonBlues22]

I guess I just dont see the Rick Nash comparison. Watching Klim's videos and breaking down his stats, he just seems alot more like Jamie Benn when he was playing juniors for the Kelowna Rockets. Both have the, "I'm driving to the net whether you like it or not" attitude and have a excellent blend of offensive upside and being very physical/scrappy.

Here is a pro scouting report for Jamie Benn from the hockey news. it reads alot like Kostin's amateur scouting report today.

Young Rick Nash was very much that sort of player. You still see flashes of it every now and then, but like many skilled power forwards before him, his game has evolved as he's aged.

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

I didn't think Benn was fast, but I don't watch that much of him anymore. That's why I didn't mention him - but the thought had occurred to me. The Nash comparison feels right, but I think Kostin is more deadly without the puck. Nash was never a guy (as far as I'm aware) that really excelled at the one-timer and receiving a good pass - he made more of the offense on his own (which Klim actually does). I just think Klim uses his teammates BETTER (still not great). It's Kostin's biggest flaw, imo. But he has the tools to utilize teammates and has capitalized before) whereas Nash never struck me as a guy that was comfortable with the one-timer, etc.

Maybe I'm remembering prime Nash incorrrctly, but I believe that is the biggest difference in their comps.

 

[bluesfan94]

Nash in his prime didn't really have too many teammates to utilize.

 

[Splatter]

While everybody else is on vacation...

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

Notice it says the '17-'18 NHL Season, and not the AHL. . .

Top 9 confirmed E5

 

[RandallRitchey]

Kostin, if physically ready, could do what Parayko did, come in, and just blow everyone away and just force himself on the team. Unlikely, yes, but not impossible.

 

[bleedblue1223]

He definitely has the right attitude.

 

[David Dennison]

Kostin, if physically ready, could do what Parayko did, come in, and just blow everyone away and just force himself on the team. Unlikely, yes, but not impossible.

Apples and oranges. Parayko didnt appear in the NHL until 22, and played 3 years of NCAA and AHL. I even disagree that Parayko 'forced' himself onto the roster, the Blues were already high on him and his competition for ice time last season was Schmaltz/Lindbohm/Bortuzzo/Edmundson/Butler.

When was the last time a Russian player playing in the NHL the year after being drafted worked out? Nichkushin, Filatov, Grigorenko, Yakupov, Burmistrov, Tikhonov, Kulikov, yikes.

 

[LetsGoBooze]

When was the last time a Russian player playing in the NHL the year after being drafted worked out? Nichkushin, Filatov, Grigorenko, Yakupov, Burmistrov, Tikhonov, Kulikov, yikes.

Legit prolly Ovi.

 

[MU_Beerman]

Wasnt Hedman pretty good? But yeah been a bit. Fail!

 

[David Dennison]

Wasnt Hedman pretty good? But yeah been a bit.

He is a Ikea-loving, employer-provider-health-insurance-system-hating Swedish meatball.

Legit prolly Ovi.

He was even a year older because of the lockout. Kovalchuk.

 

[BlueDream]

Apples and oranges. Parayko didnt appear in the NHL until 22, and played 3 years of NCAA and AHL. I even disagree that Parayko 'forced' himself onto the roster, the Blues were already high on him and his competition for ice time last season was Schmaltz/Lindbohm/Bortuzzo/Edmundson/Butler.

When was the last time a Russian player playing in the NHL the year after being drafted worked out? Nichkushin, Filatov, Grigorenko, Yakupov, Burmistrov, Tikhonov, Kulikov, yikes.

I agree with this.

Why do people always act like they were surprised when Parayko made the team in 2015 camp? I wasn't at all.

Kostin is more like Fabbri. Fabbri had a great camp in 2014 but wasn't quite ready. I bet Kostin will probably be the same way.

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

Fabbri was ready - he got injured IIRC

 

[BlueDream]

Fabbri was ready - he got injured IIRC

That's assuming he would have made the team if he didn't get injured and this is speculating but I really don't think he would have. I don't recall having all that much room for him.

 

[Dbrownss]

Fabbri most likely would have pushed for a 9 game in 14-15. Would he have stayed...probably not if i use hindsight.


Idk why people are saying this about Kostin though...granted i boarderlined exclusively followed Fabbri pre draft but he looked immensely better then anything ive seen about Kostin. He has a few hurdles to climb...smaller ice, NA hockey..... lets wait till at least Traverse before labeling him NHL ready

 

[Mike Liut]

Imagine Klim packing on 10-12 lbs of muscle. Damn, hes going to be a monster

 

[aceoutdoor]

I read somewhere Traverse was going to be aired or streamed this year.

 

[Splatter]

I read somewhere Traverse was going to be aired or streamed this year.

Wasn't it last year?

 

[simon IC]

He is a Ikea-loving, employer-provider-health-insurance-system-hating Swedish meatball.



He was even a year older because of the lockout. Kovalchuk.

Awesome! Could be the best post of the summer!

 

[bleedblue1223]

Best-case scenario is a Pastrnak situation. Very different styles, but if Kostin does what Pasta did, impress at camp, and then go to the minors and absolutely tear it up, then he'll be called up.

If he has a good camp, tell him in a constructive way to go to the AHL and tear it up, and if you do, after 20 or so games, you'll be up here. That way we'll get a player with real confidence, instead of just being thrown into the fire.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

Armstrong's already said that he expects Walman to prove himself in Traverse City, if Kostin can do the same thing and force his way into the conversation, I don't see any reason why he shouldn't be in the NHL.

Now, do I think he will? Not really. I am expecting he'll do pretty well in TC, and hang around training camp for awhile, but there are just too many other factors at play for that to happen. A year in the minors will do him good. Maybe more than that. If he just matches Barbashev's development path, I'll be very pleased. If he makes it quicker than that, amazing. If he takes longer, that's completely ok too, as long as he doesn't bolt.

 

[JoshFromMO]

Is Kostin a winger? RW?