Does Nail Yakupov have more to give?

[2 Minute Minor]

No matter which set of linemates, I never saw Yakupov be able to integrate into a line that could support offensive possession. There was lots of effort and activity, but no pressure and precious little that looked like a scoring chance.

He spent time with top 6 skilled linemates, and with protected minutes, and with 3rd line talent. It all looks about the same.

I wish him success. I think the ideal situation for him is one with strong fundamental coaching and lots of minutes. Ideally, he'd play in the AHL next year to try and strengthen those areas of his game. I think an NHL team taking him on as a project is doomed to fail, and is ultimately counterproductive for Nail's career.

 

[Cassano]

I think he should go to some place like Switzerland, find his confidence, move to KHL, become a top player there and come back to the NHL in his late 20's.

 

[Fondue]

I really believe a kid like him would do well on the Penguins or Caps. Throw him in a cant screw up situation, learn the game the right way, and then see what he can do on his own.

How were that many scouts so wrong about him?

That's what I came into this thread to say.

He needs a team that'll not only nourish him, but have enough other offensive powers around him to give him room to develop. He can't be the "go-to" guy right now. At all. But he can develop into a great player, I think.

He's got all the tools.

Hell, give him to Boudreau. Let the kid have some fun. He needs an environment he can thrive in.

 

[howkie]

Send him to Jets, call him Thorburn and he will get how many chances he wants and can play with whoever he likes..... I´m not joking......

 

[Zobitembois]

I think that, what's interesting with Yak' is that his value is at it's lowest and, RFA or UFA he's going to free agency.

I don't think it will happen, but I think some gm should take the risk on him. Value is so low and his next contract would be so cheap.

Pardon my ignorance but, is there a russian player, that played in NA from juniors to NHL that ever bolted back to Russia ?

 

[La Bamba]

I think that, what's interesting with Yak' is that his value is at it's lowest and, RFA or UFA he's going to free agency.

I don't think it will happen, but I think some gm should take the risk on him. Value is so low and his next contract would be so cheap.

Pardon my ignorance but, is there a russian player, that played in NA from juniors to NHL that ever bolted back to Russia ?

Yes. Off the top of my head: Burmistrov (but he came back), Radulov, Zharkov.

 

[Volica]

When Kovalchuk and Shipachyov sign with Jersey, Nail would be a good pickup as well. The guy certainly tries, he just will never amount to more than a depth option.

 

[Stud Muffin]

He does but not right now imo, the best thing for Yak to do is go and play for SKA next season and take it from there, if his numbers aren't at his 12/13 level with nezhnekamsk then I guess we would Know the Answer to wether he still has potential or not.

 

[These Are The Days]

The talent is there. The problem is he needs an actual opportunity to prove himself. If he can't make good on a new team then I'd say he has no more to give. St. Louis might as well have been purgatory for him.

 

[Henkka]

He does but not right now imo, the best thing for Yak to do is go and play for SKA next season and take it from there, if his numbers aren't at his 12/13 level with nezhnekamsk then I guess we would no the Answer to wether he still has potential or not.

Yeah, go to SKA and learn all the NHL secrects from Datsyuk and them come back.

 

[tony d]

Given he didn't do much in St.Louis either I think the guy's a bust and probably goes back to Russia once his contract expires.

 

[Captain Creampuff]

Does he have to be qualified at his 2.5? He can't take a two way deal for less money and spend time in the AHL?

 

[McRpro]

Does he have to be qualified at his 2.5? He can't take a two way deal for less money and spend time in the AHL?

He's a UFA if he isn't qualified by the Blues.

 

[missinthejets]

If he's that mentally fragile he was never/will never be anything other than what he is now.

Perhaps but if someone is willing to rebuild his fragile mental state they could pay off. I don't know that anyone will have the patience for it but that's what the situation is.

There is enough talent there, just gotta deal with his flakiness first.

 

[Rorschach]

I would like the Kings to try him for cheap. Let him lead the AHL in scoring, get his confidence back, learn the Kings' system and then put some pop into our third line while getting top PPU minutes with guys like Doughty, Carter, Kopitar and Toffoli.

 

[mouser]

Does he have to be qualified at his 2.5? He can't take a two way deal for less money and spend time in the AHL?

He has to be qualified at $2.5m, however I believe the qualifying offer can be a 2-way since he didn't play 60 games this season.

So St Louis could submit a 2-way QO and negotiate a lower salary 1-way.

 

[Zobitembois]

Yes. Off the top of my head: Burmistrov (but he came back), Radulov, Zharkov.

Thanks for answering.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Given he didn't do much in St.Louis either I think the guy's a bust and probably goes back to Russia once his contract expires.

I mean he played only 10 minutes per game with sub par offensive talent in a defensive system. What did you expect from him?

 

[2 Minute Minor]

He has to be qualified at $2.5m, however I believe the qualifying offer can be a 2-way since he didn't play 60 games this season.

So St Louis could submit a 2-way QO and negotiate a lower salary 1-way.

But to be clear, even a 2-way contract would not mean he would avoid waivers if he were sent down to the AHL. Just a lower salary when he's there.

 

[Seanaconda]

Magnus seems to of found his game I wouldn't give up on nail yet

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

He had 11 goals in the final 14 games of the season. Six of them came in the last 3 games.

He randomly got hot and played the best 3 weeks of his career. I don't think there's more to it than that.

What about his streak to finish off the 14/15 season, with 20 pts in his final 28 games (which bled into 15/16 where he started with 10pts in his first 12 games, for a total 30pts in 40 consecutive games)?

He's a young sniper, he's going to be streaky. But those streaks signal untapped potential. I don't expect him to be a 60+ point player, but I see no reason why he can't end up in the 40-55 point range, especially given more time with true top line forwards and more opportunities on the PP.

During his time in Edmonton, his 5v5 points/60 was 1.46. That's far from awful considering the team he played for (middle of the pack among forwards during that time) and his PP points/60 was in the top 30% among forwards during that time.

Again, not eye popping, but considering his age and circumstances (played under 4 different Oilers coaches in 4 years) it's not bad.

Strange stat: in his 5 years in the league, he's had 6 different coaches despite only playing on 2 different teams. Can't be an easy way to start off your career.

 

[Loosie]

Considering Galchenyuk is still leading the 2012 crop in points, it's unfair to even compare the two.

That will change sometime next season.

 

[joestevens29]

The problem with Nail is he doesn't know where to be, even on the PP.

 

[pheasant]

There is almost no chance STL qualifies him at 2.5M, so he'll be an unrestricted free agent this upcoming off season.

I guess a team giving up a 5th for him if he were an RFA signed to a one year six figure deal wouldn't be that out of place. But with him being a UFA, the likely situation might be Yakupov hitting free agency on July 1st and signing somewhere on a 1 year 1 way deal for something around 650k-950k.

My prediction would be that he gets one more kick at the can in the NHL on a 1 way contract, which at this point is pretty generous but being a 1st overall pick will probably buy him another last chance. If the KHL calls with a nice contract, maybe he gives up the NHL dream and goes tehre.

What about if it was half that amount? Because I could see Vegas snatching him up with a 1.2M offer sheet that requires no compensation. I still think that the Blues will just let him go.

I honestly think Vegas is the best place for him. Gerard Gallant was good with the kids in Florida. And they should have the ability to put him in an offensive role. Plus he would be a decent marketing tool for a new team.

 

[RempireStateBuilding]

What about his streak to finish off the 14/15 season, with 20 pts in his final 28 games (which bled into 15/16 where he started with 10pts in his first 12 games, for a total 30pts in 40 consecutive games)?

He's a young sniper, he's going to be streaky. But those streaks signal untapped potential. I don't expect him to be a 60+ point player, but I see no reason why he can't end up in the 40-55 point range, especially given more time with true top line forwards and more opportunities on the PP.

During his time in Edmonton, his 5v5 points/60 was 1.46. That's far from awful considering the team he played for (middle of the pack among forwards during that time) and his PP points/60 was in the top 30% among forwards during that time.

Again, not eye popping, but considering his age and circumstances (played under 4 different Oilers coaches in 4 years) it's not bad.

Strange stat: in his 5 years in the league, he's had 6 different coaches despite only playing on 2 different teams. Can't be an easy way to start off your career.

Thing is you can only call it "potential" for so long, and you don't want to perpetually be the guy whose biggest talking point is all the "untapped potential" he has. At some point, that potential has to either be realized or you have to come to grips that it just won't happen consistently and that he'll be, at best, a depth player.