Yamamoto, Kostin traded to Red Wings by Oilers

Klim Kostin and Kailer Yamamoto were traded to the Detroit Red Wings by the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday for future considerations.

"Kostin is a big guy who skates well, and it looks like he took a step in Edmonton this year and has a chance to maybe get a bigger opportunity in Detroit," Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said Thursday. "We'll see what the plan is for Kailer, we'll kind of get back (to Detroit) and evaluate. He has a lot of skill, he's useful and can play in all situations.

Yamamoto had 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in 58 regular-season games for the Oilers and four points (one goal, three assists) in 12 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

The 24-year-old forward has one season remaining on a two-year contract ($3.1 million average annual value) he signed with the Oilers on Aug. 3, 2022, and can become a restricted free agent after next season.

"I like 'Yammo,' and when we did (his last contract) I had no idea what the (NHL salary) cap was going to be this year, hoping that we could catch up and get the cap moving," Oilers GM Ken Holland said. "The cap doesn't move, it goes from 82.5 to 83.5 (million) so we have to make difficult decisions."

Selected by Edmonton in the first round (No. 22) of the 2017 NHL Draft, Yamamoto has 118 points (50 goals, 68 assists) in 244 regular-season games and 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in 34 playoff games.

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Kostin set NHL career highs in goals (11), assists (10) and points (21) in 57 regular-season games this season and had five points (three goals, two assists) in 12 playoff games. The 24-year-old forward can become a restricted free agent July 1.

"I talked to Klim Kostin's agent multiple times and was really negotiating against the [Kontinental Hockey League], so I knew we weren't going to be able to find a way to keep him, so I had to trade the player," Holland said. "Steve Yzerman was really interested in Klim Kostin and obviously $3 million for Yammo, I had to get money off the cap."

Selected by the St. Louis Blues in the first round (No. 31) of the 2017 draft, Kostin has 32 points (16 goals, 16 assists) in 103 regular-season games for the Oilers and Blues.

Edmonton (50-23-9) finished second in the Pacific Division this season before losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in six games in the Western Conference Second Round.

Holland said trading away two players for little return is part of the unique situation he's in with the salary cap, which will be $83.5 million next season.

"I think if the cap was $86 or $87 (million) then I think it would work out. It's just the cap never moves, and (goalie Stuart) Skinner is due a raise, (defenseman Evan) Bouchard is due a raise, (center Ryan) McLeod is due a raise," Holland said. "We made a deal for (defenseman Mattias) Ekholm at the deadline, so there's got to be those same players that if you go back to prior to the trade deadline, there was no Ekholm at $6 million and Bouchard is at $1.7 (million), McLeod's at 800 (thousand), Skinner is at 750 (thousand) and now Skinner is at 2.6 (million). It's just the evolution of how the system works, so the money gets moved around."

Detroit (35-37-10) finished sixth in the Atlantic Division and failed to qualify for the playoffs for the seventh straight season.

NHL.com staff writer Derek Van Diest contributed to this report