Line Combos: Is Yakupov a Left Winger?

[Petes2424]

He played left pretty much all last year, but he is a natural RW. It would make sense to keep him at left if we plan on bringing in Horton, but if we don't, then what?

Most NHL guys have played both and it's really one of the most overrated things. Sure, there's a comfort zone on one side but there's several guys who are good mentally playing on either.

 

[tiger_80]

no, we need Clarkson, Clowe or some other LW. We don't want the log jam back at RW. Yaks has to be nubmer two RW on gags line. would be nice if we got a good experienced LW on that side.

Hartnell might be available after Philly signed Lecavalier.

 

[aleshemsky83]

Hartnell might be available after Philly signed Lecavalier.

I thought this too but then I remembered they are allowed to go 5 million over the cap because Pronger will be injured(I would say he doesn't count against the cap but I know somebody would correct me).

I still think they would welcome a Hartnell trade, we should offer them Hemskys expiring deal and see if they bite, also isn't Penner a free agent again? We could use fatso around here to occupy some space.

 

[thadd]

He's clearly a right winger.

 

[McTedi]

He's clearly a right winger.

Folks always make to much of it. There is advantages (shooting from a better angle in the attack zone) and disadvantages (accepting Dman passes on your backhand) playing your offwing. Yak clearly likes to setup on RW boards and has had some success there on the PP. But at EV I don't think it matters a whole lot just as long as he continues to get opportunites to blast onetimers on the PP from the right side.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

probably the biggest reason Hemsky has to go. got to let Yaks thrive on RW. We need a LW. I actually think we should target Ryan Clowe.

Absolutely not. Ryan Clowe is one of the most immobile players in the NHL. He used to be good at driving past players and parking in front of the net, but his strength has started to dwindle as well and he can't even do those effectively either. Think Dustin Penner except without the puck possession, much much slower, and easier to push around. Do you really want a slightly bigger Ryan Smyth playing on RNH/Yakupov/Eberle/Gagner's wing?

 

[CorpseFX]

He played left pretty much all last year, but he is a natural RW. It would make sense to keep him at left if we plan on bringing in Horton, but if we don't, then what?

100% no. he stays RW or this organization are idiots.

Horton can play center.

 

[CorpseFX]

Folks always make to much of it. There is advantages (shooting from a better angle in the attack zone) and disadvantages (accepting Dman passes on your backhand) playing your offwing. Yak clearly likes to setup on RW boards and has had some success there on the PP. But at EV I don't think it matters a whole lot just as long as he continues to get opportunites to blast onetimers on the PP from the right side.

false.
when youre accustomed to a position you have tendencies and tactics you rely upon to be successful. saying the side doesnt matter for someone who "specialized" at a certain side is bogus. could he MAYBE adjust? sure. did we see more success with him on his accustomed side? stats supposedly say yes. and for someone who enjoys rush puck control and firing the puck... i want him where his thinking, tactics and abilities are optimized.

 

[Oilers Apologist]

I thought this too but then I remembered they are allowed to go 5 million over the cap because Pronger will be injured(I would say he doesn't count against the cap but I know somebody would correct me).

I still think they would welcome a Hartnell trade, we should offer them Hemskys expiring deal and see if they bite, also isn't Penner a free agent again? We could use fatso around here to occupy some space.

Hartnell would be a perfect fit on the 2nd line, but i think we'd have to give up too much to get him. Maybe MacT will pull off one of his 'Bold Moves'

 

[jukon]

If Hemsky is still here next season he will be forces to the left side. Yakupov on his natural side> Hemsky on his natural side.

 

[BOUNCE]

Yakupov is a RW. He is dynamic on that side. He can pass, he can shoot, he can dangle, or cut into the middle Yak is very unpredictable there. He will score 30G next year if RNH is his centerman.

 

[McTedi]

false.
when youre accustomed to a position you have tendencies and tactics you rely upon to be successful. saying the side doesnt matter for someone who "specialized" at a certain side is bogus. could he MAYBE adjust? sure. did we see more success with him on his accustomed side? stats supposedly say yes. and for someone who enjoys rush puck control and firing the puck... i want him where his thinking, tactics and abilities are optimized.

Well, we will just have to disagree then. Playing the offwing doesn't change the position, it may change the comfort level and to a certain extent a few tendencies. But Yak has to grow as a player, this is just one of those progressions.

 

[copper_blue]

Yakupov flourished in the last third of the season when he was returned to his natural position of RW.

 

[McOilers97]

Personally, i would like to see the big 4 (Hall, Yak, Eberle, RNH) in pairs on lines.

Hall-Gagner-Yakupov
X-RNH-Eberle

After seeing Hall and Yakupov together last year, I'm surprised more people aren't insisting that those 2 should play together consistently. Throw Gagner between them in order to keep the RNH-Eberle duo together and find a bigger skill guy to make space for the two of them. Getting the big skilled guy will obviously be the tough part.

By playing Yak on the LW, we would be holding back his greatest attribute; his shot, which is far more dangerous on his off-wing (RW).

 

[Sloth Slothersons*]

Personally, i would like to see the big 4 (Hall, Yak, Eberle, RNH) in pairs on lines.

Hall-Gagner-Yakupov
X-RNH-Eberle

After seeing Hall and Yakupov together last year, I'm surprised more people aren't insisting that those 2 should play together consistently. Throw Gagner between them in order to keep the RNH-Eberle duo together and find a bigger skill guy to make space for the two of them. Getting the big skilled guy will obviously be the tough part.

By playing Yak on the LW, we would be holding back his greatest attribute; his shot, which is far more dangerous on his off-wing (RW).

I thought Yak and Horcoff were a good duo last year. I think we should keep them together.

 

[McNutty780]

regardless of where he plays, he needs to calm the **** down when he has the puck. I'm not bashing him; it's a natural thing to learn.

You just don't know what he's going to do. And some of his passes are borderline slap shots lol.

It's part of his game that's kind of exciting, though. All that energy. Just needs to focus it a bit more, which will happen this season.

 

[Comrade Blunderbore]

regardless of where he plays, he needs to calm the **** down when he has the puck. I'm not bashing him; it's a natural thing to learn.

You just don't know what he's going to do. And some of his passes are borderline slap shots lol.

It's part of his game that's kind of exciting, though. All that energy. Just needs to focus it a bit more, which will happen this season.

maybe it'd be more useful for his linemates to get used to those slap-passes. every time he made one of those two or three men on other team were just standing dumbfounded. if anybody would expect such a pass it'd create a huge advantage, and half dozen times it all actually went through it wreaked all kinds of chaos in the attacking zone.

 

[Auguste McEscoffier]

He deserves to be our first line RW. Eberle and RNH has next to no chemistry.

 

[MetaOil1993]

He deserves to be our first line RW. Eberle and RNH has next to no chemistry.

Yup this^ I only see them with chemistry when RNH looks for him on the PP.

 

[Faelko]

Yup this^ I only see them with chemistry when RNH looks for him on the PP.

So..

Hall-Gagner-Eberle
Xxx-RNH-Yakupov
Paajarvi-xxx-xxx
xxx-xxx-xxx
Brown
Smyth


Why do I feel that Horcoff will be back?

 

[Roof Daddy]

Then why so much talk about bringing in another RW in Horton?

Well, first we should look at who is talking about bringing in Horton. Is it HF posters and Stauffer, or is it a legit source? Because the guy that I think is the most legit source in the media - LeBrun - is saying it sounds like he's leaning towards a non-traditional hockey market and was seen hopping a plane to Columbus.

If we make a pitch for a RW it will probably be Stalberg to play on the 3rd line. Hopefully Clarke MacArthur to be 2nd line LW.

As for Yak, it's not even a question, the guy looks 100x more comfortable on the right side. A guy with a release like that you definitely want playing off wing to get it away that much quicker.

 

[McQuixote]

Yakupov plays the same position as Ovechkin.

 

[Alberta]

Yakupov should play left wing next season. Since NHL.com has him listed as right wing, he could get on the all-star team twice.

 

[thadd]

I'm really confused with our line now.

Hall-Hopkins-Eberle
Magnus-Gagner-Yakupov
???-???-???
Smyth-???-Brown

I'm still convinced that Hemsky will get traded. That's a helluva lot of question marks.

Smid-Petry
????-Schultz
????-????

Lefties: Nick Schultz, Klefbom and Marincin
Righties: Belov, Larsen and Potter

I'm really not sure what's going to happen over the off season.

 

[McQuixote]

Hartnell would be a perfect fit on the 2nd line, but i think we'd have to give up too much to get him. Maybe MacT will pull off one of his 'Bold Moves'

Scott Hartnell is 31 years old and has 5 years and 22.5 million dollars left on a contract with a 4.75 million cap hit, and is coming off a year that had him on the same 30 point pace as some other notorious disappointments around the NHL.

If he would cost much more than a 7th round pick and Philip Larsen, it must be because Holmgrem thinks the Flyers have 2 freebee buyouts each year under the new CBA.