Daigle and Yakupov

[Aceonfire*]

Alexandre Daigle is often called a bust on these boards and is usually referred to as one of the most disappointing 1st overall picks ever.

But was it his fault?

He was brought into a young but very bad Senators organization. He faced a lockout early in his career and a coaching carousel.

The best player on the team at that time was Yashin..

He was forced into a larger role on a team that was expected to lose.

The team was accused of intentionally tanking which resulted in the draft lottery being created.

He was way overpaid as a rookie and was incredibly cocky.

Doesn't this sound familiar?

I honestly think that if Daigle had been drafted by a different team, he may have been a great player. But the situation he was brought into that had zero accountability and a losing culture ruined him as a player.

If the Oilers continue to use the NHL as a development league they ruin players like Yakupov and Draisaitl.

Click to read more...

 

[Duke749]

The Oilers are a toxic environment for any young player right now.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

Yakupov isn't a bust yet.

 

[Romang67]

Wasn't Daigle's problem mostly that he wasn't that interested in playing hockey? He was just damn good at it.

Or was that someone else?

 

[Satastic]

Daigle didn't want to play, Yakupov actually does. Both were/are on very bad teams. I think Yak's will to play is the difference, but who knows. I think he'd do better somewhere else.

 

[Satastic]

Wasn't Daigle's problem mostly that he wasn't that interested in playing hockey? He was just damn good at it.

Or was that someone else?

You're thinking of the right person, that was Daigle

 

[penguins2946*]

In hindsight, he shouldn't have been the 1st overall pick. He had a lot of raw talent that made him dominate juniors, but his low hockey IQ prevented him from doing that in the NHL (to this point). His struggles have been exaggerated due to the team he's on, but those struggles aren't completely on playing with the Oilers. He never had the hockey IQ to develop into another Stamkos (like he was projected to be when he was drafted). Obviously, the Oilers had no way of knowing this, but he's a classic case of someone with a bunch of tools but no toolbox.

Could he still become a 40 goal scorer? Yeah, but it will mainly be because of who he'd be playing with. I don't doubt that he'd be a 40 goal scorer on a line with Malkin and on a PP with Crosby, Malkin, Pouliot and Hornqvist, but he'd only put up that many points because of how good his teammates are.

 

[Extra Texture]

Alexandre Daigle is often called a bust on these boards and is usually referred to as one of the most disappointing 1st overall picks ever.

But was it his fault?

He was brought into a young but very bad Senators organization. He faced a lockout early in his career and a coaching carousel.

The best player on the team at that time was Yashin..

He was forced into a larger role on a team that was expected to lose.

The team was accused of intentionally tanking which resulted in the draft lottery being created.

He was way overpaid as a rookie and was incredibly cocky.

Doesn't this sound familiar?
.

Not really, no. I see what you are trying to do, and I personally dont think its Yak's fault he hasnt developed as well as he should be in that bad situation. I still think he will be an excellent player down the road.

But aside from the teams being bad and both players going #1 overall, the situations are not very similar. As far as I know, Yakupov doesnt have the questions surrounding his attitude (never mind any cockiness or issue with his role on the team) he just is not coming along as well as expected. Which is no surprise.

Lastly, the team situations are not alike at all. Ottawa had no expectation of winning, and was latching onto the next big thing. They were all in on Daigle, and maybe that pressure, combined with a lax personality, resulted in his failure to become big.

Edmonton want to win, but are just horrible at it. They've spent 5 years trying to escape this funk. They are just unwilling to make the kind of massive changes needed to clean out the existing regime completely. If Yak busts, its not the be-all, end-all to the Oilers. They still have RNH, Hall, Nurse, Draisaitl and more young talent on the way. Yakupov is not the golden child, whom the prophecy says will lift them single-handedly to a title.


Yak is going to be a success, either with a "fixed" Oilers club, or with someone else. His problems are external, not internal.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Yakupov isn't a bust yet.
Daigle was far better out of the gate.
Yakupov's effort is much better than Daigle's.


If Daigle actually liked playing hockey he'd have been pretty damn good. When he tried to revive his career later on he'd lost most of his offensive talent, but turned himself into a legitimately decent player for the Penguins and Wild for a bit, before he fell back into his old habits.


Yakupov is in a toxic environment and I still think he can be a damn good player in this league...though I don't think he's going to warrant that #1 draft pick.

 

[Aceonfire*]

Yakupov isn't a bust yet.

I am not calling him a bust, far from it.

I am saying the Oilers are setting Yakupov up for failure.

Others are right in that Yakupov has the work ethic and desire to play and that sets him apart from Daigle.

That being said, Daigle could at least perform when he wanted to.

Yak is scoring like a 3rd liner right now.

Something has to change.

 

[Vesa Awesaka]

Isnt Patrick Stephan a better comparison? Daigle was moderately succesful but didnt live up to the hype

 

[KrisLetAngry]

I am not calling him a bust, far from it.

I am saying the Oilers are setting Yakupov up for failure.

Others are right in that Yakupov has the work ethic and desire to play and that sets him apart from Daigle.

That being said, Daigle could at least perform when he wanted to.

Yak is scoring like a 3rd liner right now.

Something has to change.

I haven't watched an Edmonton game recently as I know the outcome 9/10 times. But if he is still getting limited minutes little PP time and plays on the 3rd line. Scoring like a 3rd liner makes sense

 

[Aceonfire*]

Isnt Patrick Stephan a better comparison? Daigle was moderately succesful but didnt live up to the hype

Stefan was a bit of an odd case. He had injury issues before he was even drafted.
I think he went first based on the reputation he had built up.

He was that big center every team wanted.

The comparisons were ridiculous. The next Jagr etc..

That draft itself was pretty crappy. The Nucks getting the Sedins out of that draft was pure robbery.

 

[winnipegger]

I haven't watched an Edmonton game recently as I know the outcome 9/10 times. But if he is still getting limited minutes little PP time and plays on the 3rd line. Scoring like a 3rd liner makes sense

He gets 15min of ice a game. Excuses for not producing more are just that, excuses.

 

[Strik_IX]

He gets 15min of ice a game. Excuses for not producing more are just that, excuses.

Pretty much, a bunch of young, talented players started with reduced ice time and forced management/coaching's hand... Yak hasn't.

TBH, I think that if the Oilers dont trade him or completely overhaul the entire management and coaching staff that he will in fact turn into an Alexandre Daigle even if it isn't in the exact same context. I mean, one season or two more of this and it might just break him completely.

 

[TrillMike]

It's a shame that these young players get their career ruined by being rushed. How can anyone expect an 18 year old to thrive in a situation like the one going on in Edmonton.

 

[ZeroPT*]

I think Yakupov needs to get the hell out of there. Same with Draisaitl. They're just ruining these guys and I feel really bad for there fans. It's just so obvious.

I never would have thought that a sports team could be this incompetent.

 

[Strik_IX]

I think Yakupov needs to get the hell out of there. Same with Draisaitl. They're just ruining these guys and I feel really bad for there fans. It's just so obvious.

I never would have thought that a sports team could be this incompetent.

I know it's OT, but Drai had no business staying in the NHL given the climate in EDM. Maybe give him 9 games to check him out, but let him get top minutes instead of keeping him in a ****** environment and putting him in a position to lose confidence.

The same could've been said about Yak when he was drafted.

 

[Satastic]

I think Yakupov needs to get the hell out of there. Same with Draisaitl. They're just ruining these guys and I feel really bad for there fans. It's just so obvious.

I never would have thought that a sports team could be this incompetent.

The fact that they didn't even loan Drai (unless I missed t) to the WJC's is insane.

 

[Vesa Awesaka]

The fact that they didn't even loan Drai (unless I missed t) to the WJC's is insane.

lol then they healthy scratched him after they told germany they wouldnt loan him

 

[Paddyjack]

I haven't watched an Edmonton game recently as I know the outcome 9/10 times. But if he is still getting limited minutes little PP time and plays on the 3rd line. Scoring like a 3rd liner makes sense

But is that really a bad thing? I don't watch EDM games either but if you make a comparison with his Junior linemate Alex Galchenyuk who got drafted by Montreal two ranks below Yakupov, he was also playing on the third line up until 5 games ago and it was part of his dvelopment. In fact, if you look at the numbers, the first two years were pretty similar between the two. It is only this season that Yakupov seems to tank while AG is having his breakout year. I suspect management here for that. I think Yakupov if coached correctly could still emerge.

 

[Strik_IX]

lol then they healthy scratched him after they told germany they wouldnt loan him

I swear the Oilers are the poster boy for mismanagement.

 

[KevinBXA]

Leave the oilers alone

 

[Satastic]

lol then they healthy scratched him after they told germany they wouldnt loan him

I can't help but laugh at this point. What a mess they've made of him so far

 

[No Quarter*]

I don't know much about him but wasn't Yakupov labeled an egotistical jackass comin into the league???