POST-GAME: Kostin showcases his physical edge

EDMONTON, AB -Call it a passing of the fists.
With 31-seconds left to play in the Oilers 8-2 romp over the Arizona Coyotes, Klim Kostin dropped the mitts with former fan favourite Zack Kassian, sparking an eruption from the Oilers faithful.
Speaking to the media after the game, brandishing a mark on his lip and a bloody hand, Kostin couldn't even recall how the battle scars came to be in the heat of the moment.
"I don't know, I didn't see. I was just fighting. He was crosschecking me from behind and grabbed my neck. I was like, okay, so there's like no way to go away from this fight," Kostin said. "I'm not looking for a fight, I just want to play hockey, but if fights come, I'm not going away."
"The way it happened. He stuck up for himself, and I think that's important," Head Coach Jay Woodcroft said after the game. "I think when you do that, people notice around the league. He's a big man and he stuck up for himself."

Even prior to the tilt, Kostin had without a doubt his best game in Oilers silks. The 6-foot-3 forward recorded a goal and an assist, while leading the team in hits with three in his 11:18 of ice time. The 23-year-old former first-round pick showed off the skill that got him selected 31st overall back in 2017 when he picked the top corner on the Coyotes Connor Ingram just over three minutes into the third period.
"I was waiting at this moment. Took a bit of time," Kostin said. "It's like an insane feeling. I can't explain with my words. To score in front of our fans, it's just an amazing feeling."
Kostin is just getting his feet wet with the Edmonton Oilers, but he's already proving himself to be a popular teammate. Call him a lover and a fighter -- the Russian forward was keeping things light at Oilers practice by handing out hugs in the morning, before throwing fists and laying hits in the evening.
Playing alongside Derek Ryan and Devin Shore, there is already an appreciation for the physical dimension Kostin brings on a nightly basis from his linemates.

"I love playing with him. He plays hard and he plays the right way," Ryan said about his linemate. "He holds on to pucks in the offensive zone, neutral zone, and he makes good plays. Obviously, Shoresy and I are pretty direct, straight-line players, and it's nice to add some size, grit and puck protection from him as well, so I love playing with him."
"I think since he's come here, he's been great," Ryan Nugent-Hopkins added. "Big body, obviously plays physical and can shoot the puck really well. So tonight, seeing him get rewarded and being able to mix it up like that at the end, obviously he's got some toughness. He's a big kid for sure, but definitely happy to see him have a good night tonight."
During this year's training camp, the Oilers parlayed their defensive depth into Kostin, dealing Dmitri Samorukov to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for the winger back on October 9. Kostin began the year with the Condors in the American Hockey League, recording 4 points (2g, 2A) in nine games. As the Oilers forward depth dwindled with injuries to Evander Kane and others, Kostin finally saw his shoulder tapped on by the Oilers staff, joining the squad during their East coast road trip in November.
Since then, Woodcroft has tasked the forward with playing a complimentary, straightforward style on a nightly basis. So far, the Kostin has done just that. He currently leads all Oilers forwards who've played at least 10 games in hits-per-60 minutes with 14.07.
"When he plays to a certain formula, I think he's very effective," Woodcroft said about Kostin. "I think simplicity is his formula for success; being physical, being straight ahead, (skating in a) straight line. He's been a good addition to our team, and credit to him since he's come in."

Despite his obvious physical advantages, Kostin isn't here just to drop the gloves. The Oilers have been looking for players to step up and seize the ice time made available by several injuries to their forward group and Kostin has certainly staked his claim for additional shifts.
"We're starting to return some guys that are really making an impact on the game in our lineup," Woodcroft said. "I also think with us returning some healthy bodies, it's getting competitive for ice time. It's not just automatic that people are going in, we're sitting people out."