A shoulder injury in January followed by subsequent surgery in February not only ended Russian winger Klim Kostin’s season, but caused the 18-year-old to slip on many draft boards. Despite the injury, Kostin still finished the season as NHL Central Scouting’s top-ranked European skater, which is a testament to his mix of size and skill on the wing.
Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 207 pounds, Kostin boasts the strength on and off of the puck that you’d expect from a big, physical winger, as well as a dynamic offensive skillset, NHL Director of European Scouting Goran Stubb told NHL.