Around the NHL: Bye bye, Lavy!

[BHD]

The Caps' (projected) D pairings...

Karl Alzner – Mike Green
Alexander Urbom – John Carlson
Nate Schmidt – Steve Oleksy

Yup...

 

[Frederick Stanley]

Who is Nate Schmidt?

 

[Sivek]

That classless, gutless Czech who hates and actively disrespects traditional Canadian values and social mores has scored another goal.

I'm going to watch some Wendell Clark and Doug Gilmour VHS tapes in response.

 

[SirBrad]

Capitals, Rangers, Devils and Flyers have combined for 3 wins in 21 games. Ouch.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Capitals, Rangers, Devils and Flyers have combined for 3 wins in 21 games. Ouch.

This division might get real ugly.

 

[Sivek]

Marty Biron: 2GP 7.61 GAA & .763 Sv%

Making Henrik look good.

 

[66-30-33]

I did not know the Metro division was actually the South East division? easy to play against and the worst division EASILY of the 4.

 

[KIRK]

Marty Biron: 2GP 7.61 GAA & .763 Sv%

Making Henrik look good.

It's the Zakoff strategy. Remind the disconcerted fans that the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Yakupov was apparently a healthy scratch tonight. Someone should get him and Bennett into a support group.

 

[Waffle Fries]

Yakupov was apparently a healthy scratch tonight. Someone should get him and Bennett into a support group.

The funny thing is, in the past I have thought that Bennett and Yakupov flanking Sid would be a damn good line.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

The funny thing is, in the past I have thought that Bennett and Yakupov flanking Sid would be a damn good line.

Now they're both obviously busts whose fancy boy styles don't translate to the NHL. Should've gone with good Canadian boys.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

The funny thing is, in the past I have thought that Bennett and Yakupov flanking Sid would be a damn good line.

I'm not big on Yakupov, but I think that's more Edmonton's doing than his. Would Edmonton like Niskanen?

Bylsma would hate it.

 

[KIRK]

I'm not big on Yakupov, but I think that's more Edmonton's doing than his. Would Edmonton like Niskanen?

Bylsma would hate it.

Yeah, but he'd love Niskanen for Ryan Smyth.

EDIT: He'd love Despres for Ryan Smyth even more.

 

[orby]

I'm not big on Yakupov, but I think that's more Edmonton's doing than his. Would Edmonton like Niskanen?

I don't think any of the Pens assets on defense are going to get Yakupov in return, unless it was Maatta + more. He's apparently been a ghost in their past few games - floating up and down the ice and not engaging in plays - so that's why he was benched. I think they're just trying to send a message rather than booting him off the team.

In any case I can't wait til the Pens play the Oilers - free points for everyone!

 

[Waffle Fries]

Now they're both obviously busts whose fancy boy styles don't translate to the NHL. Should've gone with good Canadian boys.

Obviously

I'm not big on Yakupov, but I think that's more Edmonton's doing than his. Would Edmonton like Niskanen?

Bylsma would hate it.

His shot is insanely good. And last year he always played with so much passion and genuinely looked like he was having fun.

With a good playmaking center, he has the ability to easily be a 50 goal scorer. With Crosby, I honestly think that in his prime he could get close to 60.

But yeah, Bylsma would hate it, and we don't have the assets to get him anyways.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Despres and Sutter for Yak.

 

[Will Hunting]

But yeah, Bylsma would hate it, and we don't have the assets to get Yakupov anyways.

I think we do have assets. It would be Niskanen/Orpik(they both would be almost like superstars in EDM´s defense ) + Maatta + Dumoulin + Jarry.. or something like that..

 

[Darth Vitale]

Some of you guys are off the reservation thinking we should offer major assets for Yakupov. Let the guy prove that he's more than a flash in the pan first. Every Top 10 pick does not turn out to be a franchise type player. There have been plenty of highly touted prospects who can dangle like crazy and score highlight reel goals early in their career, who turn out to be nothing. And Edmonton has a nack for finding them. See also: Linus Omark and to a lesser degree MPS. The last few years they've drafted and signed any Euro they can find who scores flashy goals.

Trading 2 or 3 top D prospects and a top G prospect for him would be nuts at this point in time.

Now they're both obviously busts whose fancy boy styles don't translate to the NHL. Should've gone with good Canadian boys.

While this is obviously a message sending to Yakupov (he has been living up to "lazy Russian" status, unfortunately -- thus perpetuating the stereotype among Canadians) I would not compare him and Bennett in any sense. That is to say, I would take Bennett over Yakupov (as an all-around player with big upside) any day over Yakupov. Yak has the higher goal total upside and the highlight reel upside but Bennett is better in every other phase of the game other than raw speed.

So in terms of coaching, benching someone like Bennett is harder to explain than Yakupov. Beauner plays the full 200 in all the games I've watched, and is an offensive threat every time he touches the puck to boot. He's also not a hot-dog, which Yakupov clearly is (and that's fine but let's call a spade a spade -- he loves the spotlight). Also I don't think there's any chance in hell Shero or Bylsma would trade for Yakupov -- he is the opposite of their mindset. Not saying he couldn't be beneficial to our team just saying I doubt it's in the cards. If we're paying a big price, we're getting a well-rounded stud player in return.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I'm pretty certain that Shero/Bylsma would rather take an (extended) bubble bath with Gilles Meloche than trade anything for Yak.

 

[Darth Vitale]

Yep. We're a lot more likely to trade for the James Neal's and Bobby Ryan's of the world (and pay a heavy price), or trade for the Kyle Palmieri's (paying a price in prospects)... than we are to trade for the Nail Yakupov's of the world. And frankly, that's probably a good thing. Because the only way a team will cut someone like Yak loose is if he's causing problems in the room, or not hustling consistently. In either case you want no part of that. See also: Filatov. Anyone here still want to "take a chance" on Filatov? Or [edit: Zherdev]? Yakupov could end up being another Filatov. Easily. Everyone gushes over his natural talent, and by relying on it the whole time, he plays himself out of the league.

Maturity does count for something and that's one of the more impressive aspects of Beau. He really had his **** together from day 1.

Not saying Yak is beyond improvement / that he's not going to mature on day, but you let one person like that into the fold in an organization like this... where everyone else is pulling their weight... and you take a real chance of causing problems in the room. He's got a strong personality so I don't know that the "leadership by example" thing would have that big an impact on that type of player.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

But... he wears number 64. And his first name is Nail.

Too much from my childhood to pass up.

 

[Darth Vitale]

I understand your emotional attachments and I will try my best not to ridicule you for it.

 

[KIRK]

Despres and Sutter for Yak.

Dollars don't work.

 

[KIRK]

I'm pretty certain that Shero/Bylsma would rather take an (extended) bubble bath with Gilles Meloche than trade anything for Yak.

Well, there are LOTS of things Shero/Bylsma would prefer less than taking an (extended) bubble bath with Gilles Meloche, but your point is taken nonetheless.

Plus, we don't need a 3.75M third liner. We already have two of them on the first line.