With the calendar turning to September and NHL training camps looming closer, former Detroit Red Wings forward Klim Kostin is still without a contract.
He believes that his reputation as a player has suffered. And he’s blaming the Wings for initiating that change in opinion.
The Red Wings acquired the 2017 NHL first-round draft pick in a 2023 trade with the Edmonton Oilers. Kostin insists that he was given implicit instructions by the team’s brass to operate as an enforcer on the ice.
Klim Kostin is slapped with a 10-minute misconduct after he tries shoving Connor Murphy’s face into the ice. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/MQF8WcbEeI
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 1, 2023
“I was counting on a different role,” Kostin explained in an interview with writer Alexey Shevchenko of the Russian website Sport-Express. “I signed the contract hoping to play, but after my arrival, they made it clear: your task is to fight.
“It was a shock for me. They left no room for maneuver.”
Kostin Says Red Wings Pulled a Bait And Switch
Kostin insists that what Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman told him they were looking for as his contribution to the club was completely different than what they were demanding of him once the season began.
“When I was talking to (Detroit GM) Steve Yzerman, they explained to me a completely different role,” Kostin said. “I thought there would be room to play, a chance to prove myself. But in the end, they immediately made it clear: a fight was needed.
“I was shocked, but there was nowhere to go.”
In 33 games with Detroit, the 6-foot-4, 232-pound Kostin fought twice. He tangled with Erik Gudbranson of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Nicolas Deslauriers of the Philadelphia Flyers. He also scored three goals. The Red Wings dealt Kostin to the San Jose Sharks at the 2023-24 NHL deadline.
Kostin was also making it abundantly clear that he isn’t anti-fighting. His only stance is against choreographed fights that don’t follow the natural flow of the game.
“Yes, you can secure a place in the lineup, but what’s the point if you’re going out on the ice for a fight?” he asked. “I’ve always said: if emotions run high, I can fight. But fighting specifically when that’s all that’s expected of me is not my thing.
“I am not someone who only goes out to fight. I can be aggressive, tough, but I am a forward, and I want to play with the puck, score, be useful with my efficiency, not with my fists.”