Confirmed with Link: Oilers sign Connor Brown to 1-year incentive laden deal ($775K caphit, potentially $3.25M in bonuses)

[Drivesaitl]

That's why i find some fans obsession with losing Kostin funny - he has 1/10th the skill of Kane and isn't anywhere near as intimidating. I honestly like the identity of the team when it comes to VD, Nurse, Kane. If they can find a way to play on the edge and take less penalties, I think that will be a very dangerous combination. The Flames were rattled, if you can find a way to do that but not take eight penalties, it can be a big part of the game.

Its easy. Kostin is a modern day Eddie Shack type prototype. you know when he's on the ice every shift and has a shot, has the mitts, has the hits. He's an energy player and a clown in the room. Appeals to old school sensitivities in anycase. Just love what he brought here. A lot of people HATED Eddie Shack. Not making a comparison at all, but hockey has always had players like that in the game and the fans love em usually even if some coaches and team mates don't.

You see a player like that around rarely though in this day and age and Torres here was the last one. Of course I loved him too. But I can get people feeling such players are dirty or over the top.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Because of salary.

You'd be losing a decent top9 player to fit a guy that can kind of fight and that's about it this season.

Or we could have Brown that half the time has been too slow to hit, doesn't fight, and doesn't score much, and hasn't scored a goal in his last 26 NHL GP.

Brown even had ample time here with McD and some other shifts with Drai. He missed an easy chance for a pass to Drai for a sure tap in. Brown didn't even spot the option and muffed the shot instead.

Kostin has had hardly any looks in Detroit and he isn't playing with Larkin and Debrincat when getting it, he's playing with 4th liners and playing little. Like Klima said it would take a pretty long stick to score from the bench.

"kind of fight" lol. He took on all comers and won fights that very few would win. Kostin is farm boy strong.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Because of salary.

You'd be losing a decent top9 player to fit a guy that can kind of fight and that's about it this season.

"This season". Meanwhile we have 0 points from our bottom 6 "this season". I'd take someone that can hit and fight with minimal offense vs someone who's just there and has minimal offense. At least Kostin can and will go to the crease.

 

[Drivesaitl]

"This season". Meanwhile we have 0 points from our bottom 6 "this season". I'd take someone that can hit and fight with minimal offense vs someone who's just there and has minimal offense. At least Kostin can and will go to the crease.

Yeah. seems like a weak point that Kostin hasn't had a point when none of our bottomsix has one. Well Ryan somehow got a 2nd assist last game. Can't even remember him touching puck.

Absolutely our bottomsix is weaker this season unless we intend to have Foegele and Brown living there in which case one wonders why pay so much for those players. Although in fairness Foegele was good first few games.

But the trouble with our bottomsix is zero identity play. They not only don't challenge goalies they are not difficult to play against in any way. Could use some truculence back there.

 

[Arpeggio]

"This season". Meanwhile we have 0 points from our bottom 6 "this season". I'd take someone that can hit and fight with minimal offense vs someone who's just there and has minimal offense. At least Kostin can and will go to the crease.

Kostin can, but he didn't do it consistently. He was invisible for long stretches during the regular season last year. I would've liked to have kept him, but I don't think it was necessarily the wrong decision to not sign him at $2 million.

If it doesn't work out in Detroit, it may have been the wrong decision to leave. However, I'm not really in a position to turn down $4 million either, so who's to say. But if he had accepted a lower contract, maybe he could've worked his way into a bigger role on a better team. Fourth liner and in and out of the lineup on a bad team is career suicide (assuming Detroit falls back to earth).

Edit: I really think Kostin and his agent looked at the situation here, and decided that even if he did get a chance in the top six, he wouldn't get the pay day because it would be with McDavid and Draisaitl. I don't think a single winger has turned success with them into a big contract with another team. Maroon was probably the closest comparable and he didn't get anywhere close to what he was expecting once he left Edmonton. Kane was in a similar situation, and had to accept what many consider a bargain to stay here. I don't think agents think playing with McDavid and Draisaitl is a good financial move for their clients.

A winger like Kostin probably gets a bigger contract after scoring 30 points with Detroit vs scoring 50 points playing with McDavid.

 

[McDNicks17]

"This season". Meanwhile we have 0 points from our bottom 6 "this season". I'd take someone that can hit and fight with minimal offense vs someone who's just there and has minimal offense. At least Kostin can and will go to the crease.

You’re describing a $2M Erne.

They finally didn’t re-sign the Chiasson/Kassian after a career year before they fell off a cliff.

 

[North Cole]

He has less skill than Kane but a comparable shot. I also find it funny that you think that he's less intimidating. The guy just went toe to toe with one of the league's toughest non 4th line role players in Gudbranson and took the decision. Just because he might clown around a bit doesn't mean that he isn't tough.

He seems to be, he had four majors, Kane had 1, no one wants to fight Kane. Look at the CGY game, he ran some small kid over and no one did anything, Zadorov just went and talked and tried to get him to take a penalty. I didn't say Kostin isn't tough, I just don't think he is more intimidating than Kane. A 'comparable' shot he hardly ever gets off and boat loads less skill. He costs 40% of what Kane costs and isn't even 20% as good.

How anyone can look at our dogs breakfast of a bottom 6 and act like Kostin wouldn't be an upgrade is beyond me. I get that some don't think that he's worth his deal but neither is Nurse and a number of other players based on their play this year and most of them don't have the new team excuse.

Nurse is just a red herring. We are paying 900K for nothing from Derek Ryan, 1M for nothing from Janmark, 2.1M for nothing from Ryan McLeod, 925K for nothing from Holloway, 775K for defense from Connor Brown, 775K for nothing from Erne, and likely about to pay 775K for nothing from Sam Gagner.

Why anyone would want to pay an extra 1M+ on 5/6 of those players just to get more of nothing is beyond me. Kostin is maybe an upgrade on McLeod, but that's hardly any kind of serious bar to clear. I'd rather save the million on both for getting nothing either way. Paying 2M for a fast coke machine is DPE type stuff.

 

[Drivesaitl]

He has less skill than Kane but a comparable shot. I also find it funny that you think that he's less intimidating. The guy just went toe to toe with one of the league's toughest non 4th line role players in Gudbranson and took the decision. Just because he might clown around a bit doesn't mean that he isn't tough.

Kind of wonder if its something aside from hockey that creates like or dislike of certain players. I don't mind irreverence, I like a guy that can cut up a room. Some are more reserved, serious, and don't like that kind of stuff.

On a work crew can say that nothing makes a day go by than have a few people that are cards cracking people up. Good for morale and makes it feel like you're not even at work. I think its good for any team to have people like that. But they oddly are unpopular with some. Some people will even think that a person isn't working hard enough if they're joking or clowning around. You can do both. Connor McDavid is a real serious guy. I wonder even if he liked Kostin. I know Drai did. Just wondering out loud.

 

[Drivesaitl]

He seems to be, he had four majors, Kane had 1, no one wants to fight Kane. Look at the CGY game, he ran some small kid over and no one did anything, Zadorov just went and talked and tried to get him to take a penalty. I didn't say Kostin isn't tough, I just don't think he is more intimidating than Kane. A 'comparable' shot he hardly ever gets off and boat loads less skill. He costs 40% of what Kane costs and isn't even 20% as good.


Nurse is just a red herring. We are paying 900K for nothing from Derek Ryan, 1M for nothing from Janmark, 2.1M for nothing from Ryan McLeod, 925K for nothing from Holloway, 775K for defense from Connor Brown, 775K for nothing from Erne, and likely about to pay 775K for nothing from Sam Gagner.

Why anyone would want to pay an extra 1M on 5/6 of those players just to get more of nothing is beyond me. Kostin is maybe an upgrade on McLeod, but that's hardly any kind of serious bar to clear. I'd rather save the million on both for getting nothing either way. Paying 2M for a fast coke machine is DPE type stuff.

Every player on the team except maybe McDrai/Nuge?hyman are overpaid in relation to Kane. Evander is here due to few teams willing to take him on. We got him on a discount largely due to that. It of course doesn't mean thats the contract others should be compared to.

 

[North Cole]

Every player on the team except maybe McDrai/Nuge?hyman are overpaid in relation to Kane. Evander is here due to few teams willing to take him on. We got him on a discount largely due to that. It of course doesn't mean thats the contract others should be compared to.

Weird, because I responded to a post trying to compare a 4th liner to Darnell Nurse. Kane was the specific player we were comparing too, might as well bring up salary, it's important. Just like how Kostin is overpaid compared to everyone in our bottom 6 except McLeod.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Weird, because I responded to a post trying to compare a 4th liner to Darnell Nurse. Kane was the specific player we were comparing too, might as well bring up salary, it's important. Just like how Kostin is overpaid compared to everyone in our bottom 6 except McLeod.

I don't see anything wrong with Bryans post. We're a capstrapped team due to several overpays in the lineup and lost players like Bjugstad not because they couldn't play, but because we couldn't afford the pay to keep them. We prefer apparently a whole line of league minimums instead.

Both Kostin and Bjugstad were good here and both were in playoffs where it counts most. We get by LA Kings on huge goals from Kostin at important times in those games, and as reward he's not even entertained with a deal. Holland had assumed Kostin wasn't staying. They didn't even put a reasonable offer forward.

 

[oXo Cube]

Kostin with no points and -2 in 7 games on a .650 team averaging less than 10 minutes per night.

Why are we still talking about this nothingburger player?

 

[North Cole]

Kostin with no points and -2 in 7 games on a .650 team averaging less than 10 minutes per night.

Why are we still talking about this nothingburger player?

It's funny, I liked Kostin and have a soft spot for Russian wingers. It's hilarious that Woody got clowned for playing him like 5-8 minutes a game, and a rebuilding team like DET can't be bothered to play him much more themselves, despite giving him his payday.

I don't see anything wrong with Bryans post. We're a capstrapped team due to several overpays in the lineup and lost players like Bjugstad not because they couldn't play, but because we couldn't afford the pay to keep them. We prefer apparently a whole line of league minimums instead.

Both Kostin and Bjugstad were good here and both were in playoffs where it counts most. We get by LA Kings on huge goals from Kostin at important times in those games, and as reward he's not even entertained with a deal. Holland had assumed Kostin wasn't staying. They didn't even put a reasonable offer forward.

I agree we are capstrapped team due to overpays, the issue with Bryans post is exactly that he's advocating for more overpays. I also think you can get away with overpaying your 1D by 21% (2M) more than you can get away with overpaying your 4th liners 50% (1M).

Our bottom 6 is bad. I agree it's bad. I think everyone agrees it's bad. The answer is not Klim Kostin at 2M.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Kostin with no points and -2 in 7 games on a .650 team averaging less than 10 minutes per night.

Why are we still talking about this nothingburger player?

Isn't this odd point to be making in the Connor Brown thread when Brown who has had ample first and 2nd line minutes and has had several times the toi Kostin has had, and has zero pts?

Detroit went out and got a lot of forwards in offseason. Kostin was not bad there in preseason, just a numbers game. WE don't have that here. Our bottomsix here is where Ancient Ryan still exists and where PTO league minimums get jobs.

"Nothingburger" the guy that scored 3 critical goals against LA just last playoffs and scored 14 goals for us in limited usage. We could use some more of those kinds of nothings, not less. Our whole bottomsix hasn't scored a goal. Connor Brown hasn't scored a goal in 26 NHL games spread across his last 3 clubs if we're counting.

Kostin was also +12 here but you don't want to see that.

 

[oXo Cube]

Isn't this odd point to be making in the Connor Brown thread when Brown who has had ample first and 2nd line minutes and has had several times the toi Kostin has had, and has zero pts?

Detroit went out and got a lot of forwards in offseason. Kostin was not bad there in preseason, just a numbers game. WE don't have that here. Our bottomsix here is where Ancient Ryan still exists and where PTO league minimums get jobs.

"Nothingburger" the guy that scored 3 critical goals against LA just last playoffs and scored 14 goals for us in limited usage. We could use some more of those kinds of nothings, not less. Our whole bottomsix hasn't scored a goal. Connor Brown hasn't scored a goal in 26 NHL games spread across his last 3 clubs if we're counting.

Kostin was also +12 here but you don't want to see that.

It's only odd if you think my position on Brown is something that it isn't. That fraud should be waived yesterday.

2 Million is a wild overpayment for a 10 goal scorer which btw Kostin won't even come close to that number this year due to obvious and predictable shooting regression. If we want someone only to hit people 2 seconds after they've already distributed the puck and get scored on we could have just kept Erne around.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

No one is saying Kostin didn’t have a good season last year. Everything pointed to him probably not being able to repeat it though. Looks like that was right.

On a side note … because of the Yams buyout isn’t Detroit essentially paying Kostin 2.5x2?

Isn't this odd point to be making in the Connor Brown thread when Brown who has had ample first and 2nd line minutes and has had several times the toi Kostin has had, and has zero pts?

Detroit went out and got a lot of forwards in offseason. Kostin was not bad there in preseason, just a numbers game. WE don't have that here. Our bottomsix here is where Ancient Ryan still exists and where PTO league minimums get jobs.

"Nothingburger" the guy that scored 3 critical goals against LA just last playoffs and scored 14 goals for us in limited usage. We could use some more of those kinds of nothings, not less. Our whole bottomsix hasn't scored a goal. Connor Brown hasn't scored a goal in 26 NHL games spread across his last 3 clubs if we're counting.

Kostin was also +12 here but you don't want to see that.

What was the bet you made again concerning Kostins numbers?

 

[Drivesaitl]

It's funny, I liked Kostin and have a soft spot for Russian wingers. It's hilarious that Woody got clowned for playing him like 5-8 minutes a game, and a rebuilding team like DET can't be bothered to play him much more themselves, despite giving him his payday.


I agree we are capstrapped team due to overpays, the issue with Bryans post is exactly that he's advocating for more overpays. I also think you can get away with overpaying your 1D by 21% (2M) more than you can get away with overpaying your 4th liners 50% (1M).

Our bottom 6 is bad. I agree it's bad. I think everyone agrees it's bad. The answer is not Klim Kostin at 2M.

I'd wait up on saying Detroit won't play him. Also appears you havent' looked at all the Forwards Detroit acquired in offseason and multiple vets. Its a much deeper roster than we have here so its not at all comparable. Detroit is in compete mode suddenly and serious about doing that. Detroit brought in forwards like Debrincat, Compher, Sprong, Fischer, Kostin etc and Zelano has had a coming out party. Of note Kostin played well with Zelano in preseason and fed him a few times.

Injuries occur though and Kostin could get more looks as season goes on. Hasn't really had opportunity to make impact on new club yet.

No one is saying Kostin didn’t have a good season last year. Everything pointed to him probably not being able to repeat it though. Looks like that was right.

On a side note … because of the Yams buyout isn’t Detroit essentially paying Kostin 2.5x2?


What was the bet you made again concerning Kostins numbers?

25pts. That was made thinking that Wings might honor what they had stated in giving Kostin more of a role there. So far they haven't. At this point its looking sure loss. haha.

Detroil added so many players in offseason and several vets. Most coaches to get a team rolling you go with the vet guys. We'll see what happens. I don't like my chances. Hard to produce much from the bench and only 4th line usage

Kostin and his agent were sold a different bill of goods. Wings stated repeatedly that Kostin would be used more there than here. They haven't honored that to this point due to numbers game.

I'd wrongfully thought Kostin was going to be getting topnine usage given that Detroit basically said he would.

 

[Drivesaitl]

It's only odd if you think my position on Brown is something that it isn't. That fraud should be waived yesterday.

2 Million is a wild overpayment for a 10 goal scorer which btw Kostin won't even come close to that number this year due to obvious and predictable shooting regression. If we want someone only to hit people 2 seconds after they've already distributed the puck and get scored on we could have just kept Erne around.

Sorry, I hadn't realized your opinion on Brown is similar to mine. lol. We can agree on that. Yeah, 2M is overpay. But the same Detroit club preferred Kostin over Yama, hardly anybody mentions that. Its worth noting who they valued more from the outset. Wings could be playing long game with Kostin feeling he needs development time and to be watching more experienced players.

 

[bone]

No one is saying Kostin didn’t have a good season last year. Everything pointed to him probably not being able to repeat it though. Looks like that was right.

On a side note … because of the Yams buyout isn’t Detroit essentially paying Kostin 2.5x2?


What was the bet you made again concerning Kostins numbers?

It's very interesting to see them not pushing him up the lineup yet. That overall transaction is costing them ~$2.5M on the cap yet bottom two minutes on the team. Granted his underlying numbers have been good so perhaps it's just a matter of time.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

To keep Kostin we would have had to dump another prospect to drop Yams, drop an NHL player like Foegs for the extra cap. All to overpay 2x2 for a player who has zero points.

Is this real life? People are upset about that?

 

[Soundwave]

Different players fit different on different teams.

Our team has a wealth of ability to get pucks to high danger areas, whether through obvious raw skill, or even sometimes through 3rd/4th line grinding.

Where we sometimes have a bottle neck is we leave a lot of chances on the table because we don't have a lot of one shot scorers. Even for our "grindy shifts" we'll do a whole bunch of work in the o-zone and then just get a muffin on the goalie's crest.

This is why this team is prone sometimes to making back up goalies look like starters.

Kostin isn't like a superstar player, but he fit our team well because he was able to bury feeds and even get some snipe goals even off scramble plays, which is something we sorely lack, and then also had a physical element to his game, which we also could use.

 

[CupofOil]

How anyone can look at our dogs breakfast of a bottom 6 and act like Kostin wouldn't be an upgrade is beyond me. I get that some don't think that he's worth his deal but neither is Nurse and a number of other players based on their play this year and most of them don't have the new team excuse.

As you know I'm a Kostin fan but he's doing just as much as any of the Oilers bottom 6 this season which is nothing, at least based on the stats as I haven't watched much of the Wings, so I think he'd likely just be thrown into the pile of underachievers here in this bottom 6. It's possible that what we saw from him last season was a flash in the pan.

It's too bad because I thought he fit well here on a team that lacks bite, emotion and purpose at times but it didn't appear that Woodcroft was much of a fan. It doesn't appear that the Wings coaches are either since he's only getting 8 minutes a game there.

On another note, I see that Bjugstad is having a pretty good year again as I just browsed his hockey reference page although in a 16 minute role that he wouldn't be getting here but still, I think he's the guy that they needed to and didn't replace.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Nothing like another thread getting derailed talking about a nothing player that isn’t even an oiler anymore

 

[TheNumber4]

Didn’t realize Brown was on such a long goalless drought. You’d think the Oilers would go all hands in deck to try to get him going. Play him in the Top 6 already or were f***ed.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Didn’t realize Brown was on such a long goalless drought. You’d think the Oilers would go all hands in deck to try to get him going. Play him in the Top 6 already or were f***ed.

Its not even just a goaless drought.
He hasn't even been on the ice wen a goal has been scored for us.
His offensive games is less than non existent. His fancies look good but I am really curious on his opponents. If I was the opposing team I would feel confident putting our weakest forwards and defenders against our third line no worries.

And the team is trying to get him a goal. He has the second highest offensive zone starts on the team, just behind McDavid. He is getting some super easy minutes and while his fancies look good, all he does is get scored against.