Red Wings swing deal for two forwards, take local goalie during busy Day 2 of NHL Draft

Detroit — The Red Wings finally made a trade, although it wasn't for any of the players most fans would have guessed or probably preferred.

And they completed a busy Thursday at the NHL Entry Draft with nine more selections, stockpiling an expanding collection of prospects.

In all, it was an eventful day for general manager Steve Yzerman — and it only continues around the NHL with the start of free agency on Saturday.

The Wings began retooling their roster Thursday by acquiring forwards Kailer Yamamoto and Klim Kostin from Edmonton for future considerations. The Oilers, under former Wings general manager Ken Holland, were strapped under the salary cap and alleviated the logjam by sending Yamamoto and Kostin away for nothing in return.

Kostin was the key for the Wings. He's a big, bruising forward who appeared to take a step forward in his career this past season.

"Kostin is a big winger who plays hard, and we've been looking to add some of that," Yzerman said at the draft in Nashville. "We watched him this season and he skated well and he was more involved. He played on a real deep team and had an opportunity for a bigger role, and we felt he showed he could play in the NHL as a regular. We're optimistic he can work into a bigger role with us."

Kostin, 24, is a 6-foot-3, 215-pound center/wing who had 11 goals and 10 assists in 57 games with a plus-12 plus-minus rating while getting his first real taste of the NHL. Kostin had a good playoff stretch, with three goals and two assists in 12 games, with a plus-two rating.

A classic power forward, this was Kostin's best stretch of hockey in the NHL. His physical style and aggression made Kostin a fan favorite in Edmonton.

But as a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, Kostin was reportedly looking for a salary of $2 million per season (Kostin was on an entry-level contract, at $863,333 per) and that was impossible for the cap-strapped Oilers. Kostin could be headed back to Russia and the Kontinental Hockey League, but with the Wings possessing ample cap space, it's likely they'll be able to work something out.

Yamamoto had 10 goals and 15 assists in 58 games with the Oilers, before adding one goal and three assists in 12 playoff games.

Yamamoto, 24, is a small player (5-8, 154 pounds) and was coming off a 20-goal season the year before. He dealt with numerous nagging injuries this season, forcing him out of the lineup for lengthy periods and curtailing his effectiveness.

Yamamoto, a right wing, has one more year left on his contract at a $3.1 million salary cap hit. Yzerman said he wants to talk with Yamamoto and the player's agent before assessing Yamomoto's future with the Wings.

The two wingers could shore up some of the holes in the Wings' lineup, although Yzerman made it clear he'll be on the lookout for more offense either through trades or free agency.

"I'd like to add some offense but there's no guarantee I'll do anything," Yzerman said. "We'll fill some spots. With who, I'm not sure and for how much or for how long. We'd to like to add and try to add in some form or another."

There was rampant speculation the Wings were in the mix for Ottawa's Alex DeBrincat (Farmington Hills) and Philadelphia's Travis Konecny, who both were rumored to be available in trade. But neither appears that close to being dealt currently.

The Wings have needs at forward, and are searching to add a right-shot defenseman and a goaltender to back up Ville Husso.

"We don't have a goaltender signed. We'd like to do that, we need to do that," said Yzerman, who is likely to let goaltenders Alex Nedeljkovic and Magnus Hellberg go into the free agent market. "We have roster spots open. We'll see if we can address those in free agency."

In the long term, the Wings added to the depth of their organization with a large haul in the draft.

After selecting forward Nate Danielson and defenseman Axel Sandin Pellikka in Wednesday's first round, the Wings added defensive depth and goaltending primarily in Round 2.

The Wings selected South Lyon goalie Trey Augustine, from the United States National Team Development Program, with the 41st pick overall, then added defensemen Andrew Gibson and Brady Cleveland later in the second round.

Augustine, a 6-1, 183-pounder, is headed to Michigan State after putting together one of the best seasons ever in the U.S. national program. Augustine was 29-1-2 with a 2.13 goals-against average and .926 save percentage and had an impressive world junior tournament.

"He's a competitive goalie, and it sounds silly but he looks good in net," Yzerman said. "We think highly of him."

The Wings then selected Gibson with the 42nd pick, a rugged defenseman from the Soo Greyhounds (OHL).

Gibson (6-3, 196 pounds) missed most of this season after suffering a lacerated kidney earlier in the season. He's considered more of a defensive defenseman, with a strong shot, who loves to block shots and plays with a physical presence.

The Wings capped what would have been their third consecutive pick by sending the 43rd pick to Nashville for the Predators' 47th pick (second round) and 107th pick (fourth round).

With the 47th pick, the Wings went back to the USNTDP and selected Cleveland. Another defenseman with some bite to his game, Cleveland is headed to Wisconsin to play in college.

Cleveland has good size (6-5, 211 pounds) and plays a physical game that translates well to the NHL. He doesn't project to have much of an offensive game, but his defensive instincts and physical presence could translate well to the pro game.

Yzerman and Kris Draper, director of amateur scouting, said it wasn't necessarily a plan to get bigger defensemen, but all were players the organization liked and were available when the Wings drafted.

"It's nice if they are big and can play, it's even better," Yzerman said.

In other highlights for the Wings:

▶ In the third round, the Wings drafted forward Noah Dower Nilsson, a Swedish player who is the brother of Wings prospect Liam Dower Nilsson.

Noah is a 6-foot, 175-pound left wing who had 54 points (26 goals, 28 assists) in 37 games for Frolunda in the SEL.

Liam, incidentally, was a 2021 fifth-round pick of the Wings.

"We feel we got a good piece," said Draper, noting Noah recovered from an early-season injury that held him back. "He's a smart player, good skater, and has good puck skills."

▶ Another defenseman, Larry Keenan, was the Wings' fourth-round pick (117th overall).

Keenan (6-3, 185 pounds) starred at Culver Military Academy (Indiana) this past season and is committed to play at Massachusetts. Keenan led the team in scoring with 11 goals and 37 points in 49 games.

Keenan has elite skating ability and a strength is his ability to move with the puck. How well Keenan develops defensively and with his shot will determine if he can become a pro.

ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @tkulfan