Nail Yakupov - 3rd liner

[mister_mcgoo]

Until he starts playing like he deserves 1st or 2nd line minutes, I do not see what all the fuss is about. I shudder to think about have many more goals we would allow with Yakupov on the ice for 20 minutes a game. Where he was picked in the draft is irrelevant IMO, Yak has some serious holes in his game and make-up as a player and there is no way he would be getting top-6 minutes on a good team with how he has played. Accountability within an organization has to start somewhere.

Earn the minutes, get the minutes.

^this

You guys have seen it a million times before, I'm amazed you still don't see the trend yet...highly touted, offensively gifted Russian struggles to deliver 'full' game and doesn't pan out as expected? That shit just does NOT fly in the NHL. Unless you're a superstar like Ovie or Malkin you don't get a pass for being one-dimensional. If Yaks learns that lesson and improves this season, he has a chance to be a dynamic scoring forward, if he doesn't and keeps on with his same schtick he'll be in the KHL before you can say 'buh bye'

[doulos]

^this

You guys have seen it a million times before, I'm amazed you still don't see the trend yet...highly touted, offensively gifted Russian struggles to deliver 'full' game and doesn't pan out as expected? That shit just does NOT fly in the NHL. Unless you're a superstar like Ovie or Malkin you don't get a pass for being one-dimensional. If Yaks learns that lesson and improves this season, he has a chance to be a dynamic scoring forward, if he doesn't and keeps on with his same schtick he'll be in the KHL before you can say 'buh bye'

I agree. I've generally been one to downplay Russian bias etc, but enough's enough. I'd rather the team I cheer for stop wasting picks on these guys and draft closer to home.

[Kabonov]

Use him properly like how? Let him bleed goals even more than he did last season?

No olier that played more then 10games had a plus rating periond last season. Hall was a -15 and he's the best they have...
And thats usually with Ebs and Nug with him. So whos not bleeding goals... It's EDM

[Shiva Blaster]

No olier that played more then 10games had a plus rating periond last season. Hall was a -15 and he's the best they have...
And thats usually with Ebs and Nug with him. So whos not bleeding goals... It's EDM

Except Yak ended up -37 with almost half the amount of ice-time as Hall, Ebs and Huge who played big minutes against the other teams' best players. Yakupov literally hurt the team twice as much, with half the ice time, playing against 2nd and 3rd liners.

[doulos]

No olier that played more then 10games had a plus rating periond last season. Hall was a -15 and he's the best they have...
And thats usually with Ebs and Nug with him. So whos not bleeding goals... It's EDM

+/- is a useless stat in my books, so you won't convince me of much of anything using it.

However, it was very clear in watching the games that Yakupov was struggling in all areas of the game. Not only was he mising his defensive assignments on a routine basis, but he looked lost in the offensive zone as well. He didn;t even show the same confidence in his shot that he did the season prior. He was a hot mess out there. He showed flashes at points of what he is capable of, but flashes end up getting you great Rob Schremp videos, and not long term NHL careers. Simply put, he was a disaster, even on a team of disasters.

Now, it needs to be pointed out that I actually still really think he can put it together. The kid LOVES to play hockey and he works harder than almost anyone else on the entire roster. I have no questions about his work ethic , and his talent is through the roof. It's his brain I question, and whether he is going to be able to think the game at the NHL level. I REALLY hope so, and still do believe he can put it together, but there's just no defending how bad he was across the board last season.

I know it seems to be the narrative to blame the coach for his struggles, and maybe there is a small element of that with learning a new system etc, but talented players ae not held back by that.

In short, I'm a fan, but he needs to ramp things up to become an NHL player, particularly one that has the expectations that Oiler fans like myself have for him.

[Shiva Blaster]

I'm with doulos.....all it takes is to watch a few games to see for yourself. I had to stop focussing on him during games because I would get so worked up and frustrated. He's lazy a lot of the time, he makes frequent terrible decisions, he's immature, he sulks, he's very easy to get off his game, and he had a highlight reel of embarrassing plays where he either handed over the puck on a silver platter or bailed out on a hit only to cause a goal against.

I agree that +/- is a very unfair and misleading stat. There were plenty of minuses doles out last year which should have been solely attributed to Yakupov and his play, and IMO he deserved every bit of that -37 as it really does reflect how poorly he played and how ineffective he was.

[ds760]

Nothing to do with the coach right guys? It's all Yakupov. I'm sure that explains his rookie season right?

[doulos]

Never heard of Sophomore slump hey dude?
Players always progress in each and every season right?

[lobo1969]

Nothing to do with the coach right guys? It's all Yakupov. I'm sure that explains his rookie season right?

<sigh>

We get it. You hate Eakins. You hate Oiler's management.

But Yak is going to have to learn to play under the current coach because the Oiler's are NOT changing coaches again anytime soon.

[arctic_rogue]

I've been a big defender of Russian hockey players as I believe they get far too much hate.

BUT... we are seeing caution from NHL teams, and I know myself that will account for the KHL risk in future deals. I'll still gladly acquire or keep a Russian player, but I will devalue slightly from a similarly producing player from elsewhere.

[Shiva Blaster]

Being Russian doesn't factor into it at all for me. I watch every Oilers game and would be saying the same thing if it was a Swedish, American, or Canadian former #1 overall pick that had the type of season that Yakupov just had.

I also tend to dislike any player that plays lazy and shows a piss-poor attitude, which Yakupov has. Eakins deserves some blame, but Yakupov getting his agent to drag everything into the spotlight and make demands at the beginning of the season didn't help and forced the Oilers' hand somewhat.......you can't just bump a player up in the line-up every time their agent makes a stink in the media, and that just created a circus around the whole situation here in Edmonton.

[MXHockey]

Being Russian doesn't factor into it at all for me. I watch every Oilers game and would be saying the same thing if it was a Swedish, American, or Canadian former #1 overall pick that had the type of season that Yakupov just had.

I also tend to dislike any player that plays lazy and shows a piss-poor attitude, which Yakupov has. Eakins deserves some blame, but Yakupov getting his agent to drag everything into the spotlight and make demands at the beginning of the season didn't help and forced the Oilers' hand somewhat.......you can't just bump a player up in the line-up every time their agent makes a stink in the media, and that just created a circus around the whole situation here in Edmonton.

The reality of the KHL and lucrative contracts for Russian players has to make us lessen their value. Look at Kovalchuk.............no one saw that coming and it only happened because he is Russian and because the K would give him huge $$$$$

As for Yakupov, maybe he drop one line per year, so next season we should see him starting on the 4th line?

[Zorro]

3rd or 4th line?? Might aswell play in the AHL..

[gfunkb7]

You guys are all making good and valid points. I believe its too early to write him off (dont look at sig).

[The Comish]

Yak will be fine, just a sophomore slump while adjusting to a new coach, new system (he says as he takes a big swig of blue and orange kool-aid).