Klim Kostin's season

[Renard]

I almost never give up on a Blues prospect. I still had hope for Jake Walman.

But I am near giving up on Klim Kostin. He seemed to have distinguish himself in the KHL last year. Hartley coached him up and Kostin learned what he needed to do to be a success in the NHL. But I didn't see any progress from the guy in the NHL this season, except that he learned to take fewer dumb penalties.

I know he is still young but how long will the Blues remain patient?

Click to read more...

 

[AjaxManifesto]

Is he not doing well in the AHL?

 

[Celtic Note]

Is he not doing well in the AHL?

3 points in 10 games. Not exactly up to top 6 standards.

 

[shpongle falls]

Kostin has been disappointing this year for sure but I still think he has potential to be a good skilled bottom 6 forward for us. He’s only 22 and can still develop and breakout at some point.

 

[The Note]

I guess it depends on what you're expecting of him. The odds of him being a top 6 contributor have seemed long for a while, and that's probably safe to write off at this point. He can probably be a useful piece of a bottom 6 that chips in offensively occasionally, but I'm not holding out hope for much more than that.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

If it says anything, he exceeded my expectations. But at this point, I think Brown has pretty well passed him in terms of value as an asset. I see Kostin as a guy that can become a solid 4th liner (and I mean that in the best sense). He has shown that he can play with linemates in a way that I was skeptical about. But the possibility of being a power forward who helps make a line dangerous seems pretty much impossible. (Having said that, I though the same thing about Sundqvist after his first season here. If Kostin can bottle some of the fire and drive that Sundqvist showed, there may still be hope.) Also, Klim is still young enough to expect better.

 

[stl76]

 

[Linkens Mastery]

I think the Blues will give Kostin one more season. It's weird with how little of a leash they gave to Thompson and Bokk how long they have given Kostin tho.

Tho, I don't really think it was anything Thompson did, and more that RoR was worth losing Thompson.

 

[Xerloris]

I think the Blues will give Kostin one more season. It's weird with how little of a leash they gave to Thompson and Bokk how long they have given Kostin tho.

Tho, I don't really think it was anything Thompson did, and more that RoR was worth losing Thompson.

We only gave Thompson a shot because of injuries. He was also playing on like the 2nd line? Leash gets a lot bigger there than for a 4th liner.

 

[tfriede2]

I saw flashes - he has good speed, but doesn’t use it consistently enough, like Toropchenko does. He can make plays with the puck on his stick, but sometimes he seems hesitant to do so. When he’s engaged, he’s a tough, skilled bottom 6 PF. I hope we see him again on the 4th line this season.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

We only gave Thompson a shot because of injuries. He was also playing on like the 2nd line? Leash gets a lot bigger there than for a 4th liner.

I'm more speaking about the time on the team. Kostin has been here since 2017. So 5ish years, while Tage was picked in 2016, traded in 2018, 2ish years, and Bokk was picked in 2018 and traded in 2019, barely even a year. Bokk has seemed to completely fizzle out, rumors saying he won't even come over to the US anymore, and Tage has flourished in Buffalo since they randomly thought "let's make him into a center".

 

[DatDude44]

I'm more speaking about the time on the team. Kostin has been here since 2017. So 5ish years, while Tage was picked in 2016, traded in 2018, 2ish years, and Bokk was picked in 2018 and traded in 2019, barely even a year. Bokk has seemed to completely fizzle out, rumors saying he won't even come over to the US anymore, and Tage has flourished in Buffalo since they randomly thought "let's make him into a center".

The real reason rage is flourishing is because they took a patient approach to his development once Adams took over and marinated him in the AHL, while also transitioning him to C in the A to learn etc…. Then when he was actually ready, called him back up.

 

[BlueDream]

I'm more speaking about the time on the team. Kostin has been here since 2017. So 5ish years, while Tage was picked in 2016, traded in 2018, 2ish years, and Bokk was picked in 2018 and traded in 2019, barely even a year. Bokk has seemed to completely fizzle out, rumors saying he won't even come over to the US anymore, and Tage has flourished in Buffalo since they randomly thought "let's make him into a center".

I mean, in Thompson’s case, I don’t think they gave up on him or were impatient. It was more so that they just valued Thomas and Kyrou more and when a deal came available for ROR where they didn’t have to include either of those two, they smartly took it.

Now, Kostin is probably in the same situation where the Blues value Neighbours and Bolduc more. We don’t know if Kostin has been in trade talks or not but I’m sure the Blues would be willing to part with him. His production has been stagnant for a while now so his value may be plummeting.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

I mean, in Thompson’s case, I don’t think they gave up on him or were impatient. It was more so that they just valued Thomas and Kyrou more and when a deal came available for ROR where they didn’t have to include either of those two, they smartly took it.

Now, Kostin is probably in the same situation where the Blues value Neighbours and Bolduc more. We don’t know if Kostin has been in trade talks or not but I’m sure the Blues would be willing to part with him. His production has been stagnant for a while now so his value may be plummeting.

I’m sure we would gladly deal him for value, but what could you get for him? Mid-round pick? Another bust? It’s not like we are only ones to see he isn’t very good.

 

[AjaxManifesto]

I expect he will rebound.

I also expect a Blues rebuild in the next 1-2 years. He will be needed.

 

[Renard]

I’m sure we would gladly deal him for value, but what could you get for him? Mid-round pick? Another bust? It’s not like we are only ones to see he isn’t very good.

I'm sure he has no trade value at this time. Klim needs to come through for us. Maybe he is just a draft mistake. I thought he has looked awful on the 4th line. There is no where to go from there except the press box or the minors. Toropchenko has taken his job.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

I'm sure he has no trade value at this time. Klim needs to come through for us. Maybe he is just a draft mistake. I thought he has looked awful on the 4th line. There is no where to go from there except the press box or the minors. Toropchenko has taken his job.

Biggest problem with Kostin is he has the body and skills of a power forward, but wants to play like a finesse/playmaker/Sniper. If he'd just buy into the fact he's got the makings of a nasty power forward he'd be great. Imho

 

[AjaxManifesto]

I'm sure he has no trade value at this time. Klim needs to come through for us. Maybe he is just a draft mistake. I thought he has looked awful on the 4th line. There is no where to go from there except the press box or the minors. Toropchenko has taken his job.

If he is the prospect we think he is, he will pull through. I still remember when he landed at the Mills for training camp. He was paired with Toropchenko on drills. All the hype was on Klin, but Toropchenko intrigued me more with his size and speed. Klin was supposed to be the more physical and talented one. I think the pressure on him early on might have gone to his head while Toropchenko had less pressure and built up his game. Hopefully, he pulls through. We are thin on prospects, so we need everyone to play to their max abilities.

 

[EXTRAS]

Power forwards take time to develop. I was a big 6'4 guy at 18 and I didnt really get the strength where I could man handle other adults until I was probably 24-25.

 

[STLegend]

I'd like to see him get called back up and get a shot on the 4th line now that Toropchenko has found his stride. Put Barbashev between them and go with:

Saad-ROR-Perron
Kyrou-Thomas-Tarasenko
Walker-Schenn-Buchnevich
Kostin-Barbashev-Toropchenko
Bozak/Brown

 

[Brian39]

I think the Blues will give Kostin one more season. It's weird with how little of a leash they gave to Thompson and Bokk how long they have given Kostin tho.

Tho, I don't really think it was anything Thompson did, and more that RoR was worth losing Thompson.

I don't think that trading Thompson/Bokk was an indication that the organization gave them less leash than they have/do Kostin. I think that those two were more sought after than Kostin by the teams that acquired them.

All 3 of those guys never rose higher than 2nd tier prospects. Each was drafted in the late 1st round. Thomas/Kyrou both had fantastic post-draft seasons to elevate their value/reputation league wide and make teams regret passing on them. They became 1st tier prospects. None of Thompson/Bokk/Kostin did anything in the couple years following their draft to increase the value/reputation they had on draft day, so they remained in that 2nd tier of blues prospects. All 2nd tier prospects are available in the right deal and (for the most part) it is the team trading the NHL player who picks the 2nd tier prospect they want. Obviously there are exceptions, but it is much more often "pick one of these X prospects" than it is "we'll give you this prospect and this prospect only." We know that Kyrou/Thomas were the only "off limits" prospect for ROR and we haven't ever heard that Kostin was off limits for Faulk.

If Buffalo wanted Kostin more than Thompson, that isn't a deal breaker for Army. If Carolina wanted Kostin more than Bokk, I doubt that is a deal breaker for Army. If a team trading a top 4 LHD in the last year wanted Kostin, the Blues absolutely would have been willing to make him the prospect in that deal.

There is no doubt in my mind that Kostin would have been out the door if he was the prospect targeted in a trade for a #1C or #2D. I don't think any team has presented us with an offer where we acquire an impact NHL player in a trade where Kostin is the centerpiece.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

I don't think that trading Thompson/Bokk was an indication that the organization gave them less leash than they have/do Kostin. I think that those two were more sought after than Kostin by the teams that acquired them.

All 3 of those guys never rose higher than 2nd tier prospects. Each was drafted in the late 1st round. Thomas/Kyrou both had fantastic post-draft seasons to elevate their value/reputation league wide and make teams regret passing on them. They became 1st tier prospects. None of Thompson/Bokk/Kostin did anything in the couple years following their draft to increase the value/reputation they had on draft day, so they remained in that 2nd tier of blues prospects. All 2nd tier prospects are available in the right deal and (for the most part) it is the team trading the NHL player who picks the 2nd tier prospect they want. Obviously there are exceptions, but it is much more often "pick one of these X prospects" than it is "we'll give you this prospect and this prospect only." We know that Kyrou/Thomas were the only "off limits" prospect for ROR and we haven't ever heard that Kostin was off limits for Faulk.

If Buffalo wanted Kostin more than Thompson, that isn't a deal breaker for Army. If Carolina wanted Kostin more than Bokk, I doubt that is a deal breaker for Army. If a team trading a top 4 LHD in the last year wanted Kostin, the Blues absolutely would have been willing to make him the prospect in that deal.

There is no doubt in my mind that Kostin would have been out the door if he was the prospect targeted in a trade for a #1C or #2D. I don't think any team has presented us with an offer where we acquire an impact NHL player in a trade where Kostin is the centerpiece.

Yes. Because everyone knows he isn’t very good. everyone other than a few fans on here.