News: Blues do not extend QO to Nail Yakupov

[mondo3]

Can he defend? Would he be a good defensive 4th line player who occasionally pops a goal?

 

[67Blues]

Can he defend? Would he be a good defensive 4th line player who occasionally pops a goal?

No. Defense is not in his vocabulary. He seems very confused on what he should do when he does not have the puck. When he does have the puck, he tends to over-skate it and turn it over quite easily. He isn't very physical either, so I don't see him as a 4th liner.

Right now, he needs some quality time to work on his basic skills, and there aren't many teams willing to give that long of a leash at the NHL level. He shows flashes of brilliance followed by games where you don't even remember him being on the ice.

 

[2 Minute Minor]

Can he defend? Would he be a good defensive 4th line player who occasionally pops a goal?

His best chance at an NHL career would be to transform himself into a checking line player who uses his speed as an asset, good forechecker who can provide offense as it occurs without pressure to produce on a top line (which he has failed to do). But I've seen absolutely zero growth in his game in the one season in St Louis. I think he's a legit bust, and wherever he goes next year will be more of the same. I don't think he's capable of playing a different game, and he's too much of a liability to get the role he would need to try and develop into an NHL scoring winger.

Ideally, he ends up in the AHL for a season or two, but is he willing to do that? Maybe it was all doomed regardless, but Edmonton did not do him any favors with his development.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

No, Yak has elite speed and that's it. Everything else is below average

No, he actually has a Great shot. He just has no clue how to get open. Literally zero hockey sense. but his shot speed and stickhandling are all elite.

 

[rumrokh]

No, he actually has a Great shot. He just has no clue how to get open. Literally zero hockey sense. but his shot speed and stickhandling are all elite.

What those videos don't show is all the missed shots and the fact that his release on a wrist or snap shot isn't very quick. There's a lot more to having a great shot than puck speed.