Line of 3 1st overall ????

[sharpp87]

somebody ask that question in the Jordan Eberle piece on the main page....

Does 3 1st overall pick have ever played together ? This could really happened next season.

That team is going to be awesome !!!!!!!

I will grab Dubnyk in my pool because he will become a star in this team !!!!

[robmyatt]

If Yak, RHN & Hall, all play on the same line together. It will the first time in NHL history that 3 first overall choices have played on the same line together. I have no proof of this other than I scanned the list of 1st overall choices and I'm pretty confident in my assumptions.

I too intend to take Dubnyk this season but my expectations are tempered a bit as they're still a very young team (including Dubnyk) and there are still a lot of questions on D.

Regardless, this will be a very fun team to watch as the skill levels are off the charts and will improve every game!

[Pengwin7]

Not sure if it ever happened, but back in 1983-1984 the Habs had:
Guy Lafleur (1971 #1 overall: MON)
Bobby Smith (1978 #1 overall: MIN)
Doug Wickenheiser (1980 #1 overall: MON)

Smith was traded to MON early in the season.
Wick was traded to STL mid-season.

So, no idea if they ever played together... but that is a case of three #1 forwards on the same team for about 15 games.
Smith & Wick were both centres, so probably not though.

[robmyatt]

Not sure if it ever happened, but back in 1983-1984 the Habs had:
Guy Lafleur (1971 #1 overall: MON)
Bobby Smith (1978 #1 overall: MIN)
Doug Wickenheiser (1980 #1 overall: MON)

Smith was traded to MON early in the season.
Wick was traded to STL mid-season.

So, no idea if they ever played together... but that is a case of three #1 forwards on the same team for about 15 games.
Smith & Wick were both centres, so probably not though.

Good dig Pengwin

[burnsy00]

I think the fact that they are 3 consecutive 1st overall picks by the same franchise is even more exciting!

[holypuck]

Hall and Yak both are LW, i'm not sure if the oilers would want/try to convert either of them to RW to have the 3 no.1's together. Then where would that leave Eberle and Hemsky? They appear to be the top two RW. Obviously Hemsky may get hurt which may allow hall or yak to try the right side...

[arctic_rogue]

Hall and Yak both are LW, i'm not sure if the oilers would want/try to convert either of them to RW to have the 3 no.1's together. Then where would that leave Eberle and Hemsky? They appear to be the top two RW. Obviously Hemsky may get hurt which may allow hall or yak to try the right side...

I believe Yakupov is naturally a Right Winger. However I did read an article (forget the source) where the author hypothesized about Hall being moved to the 2nd line and Yak bumped to LW on the 1st line.

[bondon]

It's pretty odd to me how Dubnyk went from underrated to overrated over a span of like 4 months lol.

In any case, I doubt the three of them will play on the same line. It would be cool to see though, and I suppose possible if Yakupov does adapt to playing RW like I believe he is set to this year?

[robmyatt]

I believe Yakupov is naturally a Right Winger. However I did read an article (forget the source) where the author hypothesized about Hall being moved to the 2nd line and Yak bumped to LW on the 1st line.

I watched a few Sarnia Sting games this year and Yak was always on the right side. Very confident he'll be a RW.

[arctic_rogue]

It's pretty odd to me how Dubnyk went from underrated to overrated over a span of like 4 months lol.

In any case, I doubt the three of them will play on the same line. It would be cool to see though, and I suppose possible if Yakupov does adapt to playing RW like I believe he is set to this year?

I watched a few Sarnia Sting games this year and Yak was always on the right side. Very confident he'll be a RW.

That's what I thought too. So I don't think there's any adjusting to do, B0ndon.

[bondon]

Oh, I thought I had heard that Yakupov was usually a LW. Never mind then lol.

[holypuck]

http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/201...s-depth-chart/

The above is a good look at potential lines for the oil, in regards to Yakupov, some interesting points:

"In this deployment, Yakupov plays his “natural” side (LW), meeting one of Ralph Krueger’s preferences of “sticks on the boards” in the defensive end."

"In this version of the depth chart, Yakupov is deployed in his own preferred spot of a left-shooting right winger, dropping Ales Hemsky down to a tough minutes role on the “third” line"

So it seems that yakupov being on the left or right side is up for debate. Looks like the oilers will have a lot of options this year though. If he is that comfortable playing rw then a line of 3 no.1's is a good possibility, at least just as a trial anyways.

[dyzfunctioned]

Oh, I thought I had heard that Yakupov was usually a LW. Never mind then lol.

He's a RW but he'll likely be switched to LW, at least to start the season.

[bondon]

He's a RW but he'll likely be switched to LW, at least to start the season.

Oh right, never mind it was my own stupid mistake I had the LW / RW mixed up in my head LOL. Sigh...

[arctic_rogue]

Oh right, never mind it was my own stupid mistake I had the LW / RW mixed up in my head LOL. Sigh...

No worries. We are all permitted brain farts!