News Article: Enigmatic Yakupov and The Bounce Back

[oilz89*]

Do you have proof Yakupov whined to his agent? Based off reports, it was Larionov himself who decided he had seen enough and had to come over to deal with Yakupov's mistreatment. You would too if you saw Eakins scratch Yakupov to suck up to Ales Hemsky, a player who actually sulks when things aren't handed to him, then scratch him again the next game for no reason other than to use him as a Scapegoat.

This

 

[Philly85*]

Considering enigmatic pretty much means mysterious, I don't think it's such a bad term for Yaks.

I know many in the media will spin the word into something else to suit their views, but whatever, it's just a word (that seems to be used in the wrong context)

how is he mysterious? this is simpleton Alberta talk. He has shown to have an infectious personality and in the past (aside from Belanger the bum), at the junior and NHL levels his teammates have had nothing but positive things to say about him. He's a muslim and doesn't like to party like some of these good ol' Canadian boys. That is the only "mysterious" thing about him, that he comes from a different culture, when in reality he's exactly the same as all of us, except comes from a place where traditions, values and cultural norms may be a bit different. He still smiles, laughs, is intense and loves the game all the same. He's not a comic book hero/villain for God's sake.

I can't even talk about Yakupov anymore because it drives me nuts reading what people have to say about him. 20 year old kid with tons of hype trying to bridge the gap here...

 

[oilz89*]

how is he mysterious? this is simpleton Alberta talk. He has shown to have an infectious personality and in the past (aside from Belanger the bum), at the junior and NHL levels his teammates have had nothing but positive things to say about him. He's a muslim and doesn't like to party like some of these good ol' Canadian boys. That is the only "mysterious" thing about him, that he comes from a different culture, when in reality he's exactly the same as all of us, except comes from a place where traditions, values and cultural norms may be a bit different. He still smiles, laughs, is intense and loves the game all the same. He's not a comic book hero/villain for God's sake.

I can't even talk about Yakupov anymore because it drives me nuts reading what people have to say about him. 20 year old kid with tons of hype trying to bridge the gap here...

I'm tired of it too. It's like because he doesn't act like a good ol' Canadian boy and has a different culture then the rest he's enigmatic. I guess if the kid doesn't go to the Ranch every saturday night then he's whined to his agent and requested a trade. Give me a break

 

[aleshemsky83]

Yes, I like to think being a canadian, we dont have any of that idiotic stuff, but I think about that islamic school that was closed for a few weeks on the North side after 9/11 because of threats and I realize that even here there is a lot of ignorance.

I think if Yakupov was playing well people would accept him, unfortunately he's not so he isn't one of us.

Thankfully there is a large muslim community and fanbase in edmonton though so I think that Yakupov isn't feeling so much of that alienation in the real world, but unfortunately on the internet its very visible.

 

[McAsuno]

how is he mysterious? this is simpleton Alberta talk. He has shown to have an infectious personality and in the past (aside from Belanger the bum), at the junior and NHL levels his teammates have had nothing but positive things to say about him. He's a muslim and doesn't like to party like some of these good ol' Canadian boys. That is the only "mysterious" thing about him, that he comes from a different culture, when in reality he's exactly the same as all of us, except comes from a place where traditions, values and cultural norms may be a bit different. He still smiles, laughs, is intense and loves the game all the same. He's not a comic book hero/villain for God's sake.


I can't even talk about Yakupov anymore because it drives me nuts reading what people have to say about him. 20 year old kid with tons of hype trying to bridge the gap here...

Pretty much. He's nowhere near enigmatic. That word doesn't define Yakupov in any way. Good grief.

 

[oilinblood]

Yeah but he's a kid who's played only 1.5 NHL seasons. Like people come on! Give him a chance before you start beating on him. How do we know he's going to be disappointing this year. I still don't get how he was disappointing but Huberdeau wasn't

I dont see how he is disappointing, other than having issues sitting out games and not listening to vets like Boyd Gordon (witnessed many times with my own eyes, in two cases in my immediate memory he cost us goals by not even trying to do what Gordon had clearly signalled and communicated verbally pre-faceoff him to do).

The moments after those goals were telling. In fact in the washington game prior to his scratching... He proceeded to not do anything on a key draw where boyd told him to simply get ovechkins stick...ovechkin didnt move and neither did yak as he simply watched. Yaks response in the second period was to try to put his head down and beat the capitals himself, giving a turn over and odd man rush and a lot of angry faces and swearing on the bench. Both moments were momentum swings. I have never seen someone so unwilling to listen to a vet. Most teams would demote the player but this is a desperate late place piece of crap team that had only one healthy centre to start the year. For the record we dominated the first period and all momentum was sapped from yak and dubie. But i had become used to it from the fact we were eight games in to the season at that point.

I would like to see him turn a corner but ive seen what his personality involves in many games. Personality cant be changed...habits can. Hopefully he is selfish enough to want to achieve indivually to get his stock up and his name worth something. Right now its a big hazard sign.

As far as disappointing i agree with Eakins assessment to start the year when asked about rookies. He said its rediculous that people think they will get 82 games out of every rookie player. Most come from junior or college playing 40-60 reg season games under far less quality of competition. A rookie might only play 65 games and if so than that is what it is. If a player is getting it, he plays, if he doesnt get it...he doesnt play. Team first.

He has a good shot, but the iq and integrity is not there. Not sure if it ever will. Doubt it. Give him pp time and make him look good, get his stock up.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Wow, Oilnblood. Some pretty horrible things you're saying about a 20 year old that left his life to come to North America to play hockey in a strange city, then once he got drafted moved his entire family here. I heard a story about how Yakupov basically slept at Rexall his first 3 days in the city - arena staff couldn't get him to leave. Doesn't sound at all like what you're describing. Having met him a few times personally, I can say Yak is a humble kid that just loves the **** out of hockey. It's literally what he lives for. He then has to endure a season where nothing much goes right for him on the ice and he's seemingly the only one being held accountable. Sam Gagner comes back from injury and needs a roadmap in the D zone, Eberle turns the puck over 10 times in a game trying to dangle the blue line, but Dubnyk lets in a floater from the blue line from Yak's man and he gets benched. Certain media types like Rishaug then do their level best to cast him in the worst possible light while he answers questions as best he can in his 2nd language. When things finally start going better for him, he takes not one but two slap shots off the ankle that sideline him for the remainder of the season.

Sorry for my money I want a guy that is PISSED he is scratched. I don't want him to turn the other cheek and timidly take his press box seat. Why in the world would you want a player that is just fine and dandy not doing what he loves and not helping his team?

 

[DipsyMcDoodles]

Wow, Oilnblood. Some pretty horrible things you're saying about a 20 year old that left his life to come to North America to play hockey in a strange city, then once he got drafted moved his entire family here. I heard a story about how Yakupov basically slept at Rexall his first 3 days in the city - arena staff couldn't get him to leave. Doesn't sound at all like what you're describing. Having met him a few times personally, I can say Yak is a humble kid that just loves the **** out of hockey. It's literally what he lives for. He then has to endure a season where nothing much goes right for him on the ice and he's seemingly the only one being held accountable. Sam Gagner comes back from injury and needs a roadmap in the D zone, Eberle turns the puck over 10 times in a game trying to dangle the blue line, but Dubnyk lets in a floater from the blue line from Yak's man and he gets benched. Certain media types like Rishaug then do their level best to cast him in the worst possible light while he answers questions as best he can in his 2nd language. When things finally start going better for him, he takes not one but two slap shots off the ankle that sideline him for the remainder of the season.

Sorry for my money I want a guy that is PISSED he is scratched. I don't want him to turn the other cheek and timidly take his press box seat. Why in the world would you want a player that is just fine and dandy not doing what he loves and not helping his team?

This.

 

[oilz89*]

I dont see how he is disappointing, other than having issues sitting out games and not listening to vets like Boyd Gordon (witnessed many times with my own eyes, in two cases in my immediate memory he cost us goals by not even trying to do what Gordon had clearly signalled and communicated verbally pre-faceoff him to do).

The moments after those goals were telling. In fact in the washington game prior to his scratching... He proceeded to not do anything on a key draw where boyd told him to simply get ovechkins stick...ovechkin didnt move and neither did yak as he simply watched. Yaks response in the second period was to try to put his head down and beat the capitals himself, giving a turn over and odd man rush and a lot of angry faces and swearing on the bench. Both moments were momentum swings. I have never seen someone so unwilling to listen to a vet. Most teams would demote the player but this is a desperate late place piece of crap team that had only one healthy centre to start the year. For the record we dominated the first period and all momentum was sapped from yak and dubie. But i had become used to it from the fact we were eight games in to the season at that point.

I would like to see him turn a corner but ive seen what his personality involves in many games. Personality cant be changed...habits can. Hopefully he is selfish enough to want to achieve indivually to get his stock up and his name worth something. Right now its a big hazard sign.

As far as disappointing i agree with Eakins assessment to start the year when asked about rookies. He said its rediculous that people think they will get 82 games out of every rookie player. Most come from junior or college playing 40-60 reg season games under far less quality of competition. A rookie might only play 65 games and if so than that is what it is. If a player is getting it, he plays, if he doesnt get it...he doesnt play. Team first.

He has a good shot, but the iq and integrity is not there. Not sure if it ever will. Doubt it. Give him pp time and make him look good, get his stock up.

Wow your so smart bud... except Yak was 19 years old well done it takes time to teach a kid you know? Plus the team is complete crap! You can't tell me that he wasn't the only one not listening. I'm pretty sure some of your good ol' Canadian boys were like that even though you weren't paying attention to them

 

[oilinblood]

Wow, Oilnblood. Some pretty horrible things you're saying about a 20 year old that left his life to come to North America to play hockey in a strange city, then once he got drafted moved his entire family here. I heard a story about how Yakupov basically slept at Rexall his first 3 days in the city - arena staff couldn't get him to leave. Doesn't sound at all like what you're describing. Having met him a few times personally, I can say Yak is a humble kid that just loves the **** out of hockey. It's literally what he lives for. He then has to endure a season where nothing much goes right for him on the ice and he's seemingly the only one being held accountable. Sam Gagner comes back from injury and needs a roadmap in the D zone, Eberle turns the puck over 10 times in a game trying to dangle the blue line, but Dubnyk lets in a floater from the blue line from Yak's man and he gets benched. Certain media types like Rishaug then do their level best to cast him in the worst possible light while he answers questions as best he can in his 2nd language. When things finally start going better for him, he takes not one but two slap shots off the ankle that sideline him for the remainder of the season.

Sorry for my money I want a guy that is PISSED he is scratched. I don't want him to turn the other cheek and timidly take his press box seat. Why in the world would you want a player that is just fine and dandy not doing what he loves and not helping his team?

I want the winner attitude of being scratched..."what do i have to do coach". Team first. No pouting. Taylor shouldnt have to be yelling at Yak to learn where to be. Boyd Gordon, who isnt a vocal guy, shouldnt be trying to figure out how and why yak didnt do what he clearly told and signalled him to do and would have taken a minute effort to execute.

You might like the spoiled brat whos pissed. I prefer the guy who wants to fix his deficiencies and help the team rather than hurt it. I want the listener who understands this is a huge step from his peewee where peter sarno once won scoring titles. Someone who understands no one in the nhl cares what he did with kids in junior as they blew their noses on their sweaters and checked out rink bunnies.

I hope he gets it. Larionov represents more than just yak. Its not the agent.

 

[oilinblood]

Wow your so smart bud... except Yak was 19 years old well done it takes time to teach a kid you know? Plus the team is complete crap! You can't tell me that he wasn't the only one not listening. I'm pretty sure some of your good ol' Canadian boys were like that even though you weren't paying attention to them

If someone doesnt like a russian player..,he doesnt like russians?
I never mentioned canadian boys. Bonsignore comes to mind if you want to play nationality. Yeah i just love that pile of dog ****. If you didnt notice i mentioned Lindros as one of those snivelling whiners.

The only reason nationality should ever come up for yak is that it is possible he can make a tonne and be more comfortable in russia. Thats always an option for him.

Would he go? I dont care.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

I want the winner attitude of being scratched..."what do i have to do coach". Team first. No pouting. Taylor shouldnt have to be yelling at Yak to learn where to be. Boyd Gordon, who isnt a vocal guy, shouldnt be trying to figure out how and why yak didnt do what he clearly told and signalled him to do and would have taken a minute effort to execute.

You might like the spoiled brat whos pissed. I prefer the guy who wants to fix his deficiencies and help the team rather than hurt it. I want the listener who understands this is a huge step from his peewee where peter sarno once won scoring titles. Someone who understands no one in the nhl cares what he did with kids in junior as they blew their noses on their sweaters and checked out rink bunnies.

I hope he gets it. Larionov represents more than just yak. Its not the agent.

Again with the accusations. Pouting? Spoiled brat? I have no idea where you're getting any of this stuff aside from something you allegedly saw on the bench during what would amount to Yak's 60th or 70th NHL game. Clearly he should be perfect, it's not like guys like Monahan, Huberdeau, Barkov and Galchenyuk had a rough ride last year or anything. You must be one of the people misinterpereting what Yak said during one of his few media availabilities where a hack reporter like Rishaug or Jones wasnt jumping down his throat.

Doesnt want to learn or help his team? The same Yak that Eakins himself praised toward the end of the season for his tireless off-ice work, dedication and fitness? Sure sounds like a guy not willing to improve to me.

Taylor? The same guy that got so angry on the bench with how a game was going he got benched for soaking Eakins head and routinely gets lost in the defensive zone? He's an incredibly talented player but one of the smartest things the Oilers have done lately is not make him captain - he's too fiery, too passionate, and he needs to temper that to be a teacher. When do you learn best, when someone screams at you in a language you aren't fluent in when you make a mistake, or when someone sits you down and works with you with game tape to show you what you did wrong? Adding Ramsay and Thompson were fantastic moves and will pay huge dividends with the young guys this year.

Ultimately I think your disdain is ridiculous and unfounded.

 

[OiledUp]

I dont see how he is disappointing, other than having issues sitting out games and not listening to vets like Boyd Gordon (witnessed many times with my own eyes, in two cases in my immediate memory he cost us goals by not even trying to do what Gordon had clearly signalled and communicated verbally pre-faceoff him to do).

The moments after those goals were telling. In fact in the washington game prior to his scratching... He proceeded to not do anything on a key draw where boyd told him to simply get ovechkins stick...ovechkin didnt move and neither did yak as he simply watched. Yaks response in the second period was to try to put his head down and beat the capitals himself, giving a turn over and odd man rush and a lot of angry faces and swearing on the bench. Both moments were momentum swings. I have never seen someone so unwilling to listen to a vet. Most teams would demote the player but this is a desperate late place piece of crap team that had only one healthy centre to start the year. For the record we dominated the first period and all momentum was sapped from yak and dubie. But i had become used to it from the fact we were eight games in to the season at that point.

I would like to see him turn a corner but ive seen what his personality involves in many games. Personality cant be changed...habits can. Hopefully he is selfish enough to want to achieve indivually to get his stock up and his name worth something. Right now its a big hazard sign.

As far as disappointing i agree with Eakins assessment to start the year when asked about rookies. He said its rediculous that people think they will get 82 games out of every rookie player. Most come from junior or college playing 40-60 reg season games under far less quality of competition. A rookie might only play 65 games and if so than that is what it is. If a player is getting it, he plays, if he doesnt get it...he doesnt play. Team first.

He has a good shot, but the iq and integrity is not there. Not sure if it ever will. Doubt it. Give him pp time and make him look good, get his stock up.

You mean the Yakupov who got into a fight, despite having zero talent as a fighter, trying to defend one of the vets?

Your ability to read bodylanguage withstanding. I haven't heard anything about him not being willing to listen. Frustrated players will sulk and be pissed, especially younger guys. Yak ain't the first. Doesn't mean he's not willing to learn.
Also from working with russians I'll tell you, they're much more straight forward with what they feel and think than swedes, americans or canadians. I had a canadian friend over the other day who's played in a lot of orchestras with russians and we both had come to the same conclusion. This might sometimes clash and lead to misunderstandings.

 

[Lacaar]

I think yakupov had a real hard time adapting to a system last year. May have been his first experience with such a structured game. He struggled horribly with it. Looked like a lost puppy on the ice. Always a step or two away from the puck. He couldn't help the team with any puck retrieval or support.

That being said when he did get the puck there was some great creative things done. Towards the end of the year he got more involved with the play.

If yak can anticipate the play better and improve in his puck pursuit and retrieval he should have a good bounce back year.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Yak isn't enigmatic... at all.

Honestly, he's a simple boy/man. He LOVES hockey with a passion that borders on obsessiveness. In fact he probably does have some sort of OCD in how much he practices and loves the game.

He's far from being mysterious or complex... he simply loves the game and wants to be the best he can and help his team in the way he believes he can... but shockingly sometimes a 18/19/20 year old doesn't actually know everything they think they do and they actually know less about what it takes at the NHL level in terms of the balance between defense/offense/positioning/responsibilities on the ice than they think they do.

Think of teens learning to drive... in new jobs, in situations where things are new and at a tougher and more challenging level than they've ever experienced before.

It's less about arrogance and more about naivety and inexperience... something that will diminish in time as he gains more experience and self-reflects.

It all comes down to Yaks ability to learn and the coaching environment to let him gain that experience without crushing his self-esteem and ego to the point where he is fragile and doubting his own abilities.

It's a fine balance and he could bust or flourish depending on how he is handled by the coaches on this team and how he reacts to the extreme pressure (much of it self-induced) to be better and contribute positively with and without the puck.

He has the will and the talent... he simply needs to let the game itself teach him where he is making mistakes.

He does need to listen more and realize he doesn't know everything and isn't good enough yet to be taking on the other team by himself without using his teammates or listening to the vets who have been "around the block" more than he has.

It's a team game and the Oilers simply aren't a very good team (with very mediocre coaching imo)... which also obviously makes it much harder for a rookie/sophomore to develop the habits and get the type of positive feedback to know what he's doing right/wrong out there.

This team was so bad even a solid all-around player with plenty of NHL experience would struggle... let alone a young player trying to find his way in a pressure filled environment where EVERYONE is underachieving.

So in short... yes he has to learn to be better... but that comes with simply playing more games and having the chance to make mistakes and learn from them without his teammates and coaches using him as the scapegoat for the team's mediocrity (not saying that's entirely the case... but that does exist to some degree).

I think he becomes a solid NHL player in time but it may not be a quick or smooth process and probably a good chance it won't be with the Oilers.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

I dont see how he is disappointing, other than having issues sitting out games and not listening to vets like Boyd Gordon (witnessed many times with my own eyes, in two cases in my immediate memory he cost us goals by not even trying to do what Gordon had clearly signalled and communicated verbally pre-faceoff him to do).

The moments after those goals were telling. In fact in the washington game prior to his scratching... He proceeded to not do anything on a key draw where boyd told him to simply get ovechkins stick...ovechkin didnt move and neither did yak as he simply watched. Yaks response in the second period was to try to put his head down and beat the capitals himself, giving a turn over and odd man rush and a lot of angry faces and swearing on the bench. Both moments were momentum swings. I have never seen someone so unwilling to listen to a vet. Most teams would demote the player but this is a desperate late place piece of crap team that had only one healthy centre to start the year. For the record we dominated the first period and all momentum was sapped from yak and dubie. But i had become used to it from the fact we were eight games in to the season at that point.

I would like to see him turn a corner but ive seen what his personality involves in many games. Personality cant be changed...habits can. Hopefully he is selfish enough to want to achieve indivually to get his stock up and his name worth something. Right now its a big hazard sign.

As far as disappointing i agree with Eakins assessment to start the year when asked about rookies. He said its rediculous that people think they will get 82 games out of every rookie player. Most come from junior or college playing 40-60 reg season games under far less quality of competition. A rookie might only play 65 games and if so than that is what it is. If a player is getting it, he plays, if he doesnt get it...he doesnt play. Team first.

He has a good shot, but the iq and integrity is not there. Not sure if it ever will. Doubt it. Give him pp time and make him look good, get his stock up.

So much wrong with this post. First of all, I highly doubt the Gordon thing was Yakupov purposely ignoring him. How do you know Gordon told him to get Ovechkin's stick? Did you have a microphone recording their conversation? Chances are he was told to cover Ovechkin, and because Ovechkin wasn't moving, Yakupov didn't either. The kid just simply doesn't have a clue what to do defensively, and when the guy you're being asked to cover happens to be the best goal scorer of the 21st century, there's going to be problems. If it were Eberle or Gagner getting burned like that (as they were countless times last season), I don't think you'd just jump to that conclusion. Nothing changes about Yakupov being a mess in his own zone, that's something that certainly needs to be fixed. But to use this to suggest that he's ignoring veterans is ludicrous.

Also, Washington game prior to his scratching? What the ****? Nail Yakupov was scratched on October 12, October 14, and December 30. The game you're referring to with Ovechkin happened on October 24. You've literally made up facts to make it seem like Yakupov was scratched due to not being a team player/not listening to referees, when this can be debunked simply by searching up a couple boxscores. This proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that you have an agenda against Yakupov. You can't even deny it now, this is irrefutable evidence for your bias against him. You've actually created an alternative reality for yourself to consolidate your preconceived notion that Yakupov is some arrogant selfish Russian.

As for the turnover, would you rather Yakupov just skate to the bench lazily while showing no emotion after a turnover like Hemsky, Penner, Nilsson, and O'Sullivan used to? The kid knew he made a terrible play and was beating himself down over it. He was already frustrated due to a combination of the team losing, the coaching staff giving him such a short leash, being scratched not once, but twice less than a week ago, and most of all his own lack of production. He lacked confidence and was trying to do too much to get out of the funk, and it wasn't working out. And I don't know about you, but 19 year olds tend not to handle their emotions as well as 30 year olds. I'm sure the person most disappointed with Yakupov's play last season was Nail Yakupov. I'd much rather he show he cares about it than be a heartless loser like Hemsky or O'Sullivan and brush it off as if nothing happened.

What exactly did Yakupov do to not deserve to be on the team? Leading the team in goals the previous season? Not producing when put on lines featuring Boyd Gordon, Jesse Joensuu, and Luke Gazdic? Dallas Eakins is honestly... a lot like you. He went into training camp with a prejudice towards Yakupov that he just couldn't shake off. His 82 games comment is without a doubt targeted at Yakupov and we all know it. When the entire team started off atrocious defensively, he benched Yakupov and let other prime offenders like Eberle, Hemsky, and J Schultz go, because of good ol' confirmation bias.

This is me acting out the lead role Dallas Eakins in the Oscar winning comedy that is the Edmonton Oilers: Yakupov can't handle the swarm system? Must be because he's a lazy Russian. Definitely nothing wrong with my awesome system that I'm going to continue to employ for at least 20 more games regardless of whether it's working or not. The other hard working non-Russians will pick it up eventually, although I really shouldn't let Hemsky get burned anymore. Don't want to have my super duper awesomest favouritest player in the world looking bad do I n... ERR MAH GERRD! HEMZKY JUST GETZ A TAKEAWAY! MOAR ICE TIME! MOAR POWER PLAY TIME! HERE, CONTINUE HAVING THE FIRST LINE RW SPOT I HANDED YOU ON DAY 1 OF TRAINING CAMP! Okay, now time to have a press conference and tell everyone just how sucky Yakupov is, and say to the reporters that the rest of the team needs to be more like Ales Hemsky and we need to have a whole team of Ales Hemskys. <break: to those of you that never saw the interview, he literally said that, I kid you not. It's sometime in October 2013 on the Oilers video section I believe> There's no way the team would suddenly get more lazy, more irresponsible, more entitled, more sulking, give less effort, and be less concerned with fixing flaws in their game by emulating Hemsky right?

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

I think yakupov had a real hard time adapting to a system last year. May have been his first experience with such a structured game. He struggled horribly with it. Looked like a lost puppy on the ice. Always a step or two away from the puck. He couldn't help the team with any puck retrieval or support.

That being said when he did get the puck there was some great creative things done. Towards the end of the year he got more involved with the play.

If yak can anticipate the play better and improve in his puck pursuit and retrieval he should have a good bounce back year.

Honestly I wouldn't call Eakins' system a "structured" game. The kid is terrible defensively though, and absolutely needs someone to just sit down with him and show what he's doing wrong, what he needs to do instead, and what he can do to get better. But as he showed last season, Eakins is not the guy that can do this. Hopefully Ramsay is.

 

[McPuritania]

The way some people attack Yakupov is disgusting. They should be ashamed of themselves.

 

[dobiezeke*]

So much wrong with this post. First of all, I highly doubt the Gordon thing was Yakupov purposely ignoring him. How do you know Gordon told him to get Ovechkin's stick? Did you have a microphone recording their conversation? Chances are he was told to cover Ovechkin, and because Ovechkin wasn't moving, Yakupov didn't either. The kid just simply doesn't have a clue what to do defensively, and when the guy you're being asked to cover happens to be the best goal scorer of the 21st century, there's going to be problems. If it were Eberle or Gagner getting burned like that (as they were countless times last season), I don't think you'd just jump to that conclusion. Nothing changes about Yakupov being a mess in his own zone, that's something that certainly needs to be fixed. But to use this to suggest that he's ignoring veterans is ludicrous.

Also, Washington game prior to his scratching? What the ****? Nail Yakupov was scratched on October 12, October 14, and December 30. The game you're referring to with Ovechkin happened on October 24. You've literally made up facts to make it seem like Yakupov was scratched due to not being a team player/not listening to referees, when this can be debunked simply by searching up a couple boxscores. This proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that you have an agenda against Yakupov. You can't even deny it now, this is irrefutable evidence for your bias against him. You've actually created an alternative reality for yourself to consolidate your preconceived notion that Yakupov is some arrogant selfish Russian.

As for the turnover, would you rather Yakupov just skate to the bench lazily while showing no emotion after a turnover like Hemsky, Penner, Nilsson, and O'Sullivan used to? The kid knew he made a terrible play and was beating himself down over it. He was already frustrated due to a combination of the team losing, the coaching staff giving him such a short leash, being scratched not once, but twice less than a week ago, and most of all his own lack of production. He lacked confidence and was trying to do too much to get out of the funk, and it wasn't working out. And I don't know about you, but 19 year olds tend not to handle their emotions as well as 30 year olds. I'm sure the person most disappointed with Yakupov's play last season was Nail Yakupov. I'd much rather he show he cares about it than be a heartless loser like Hemsky or O'Sullivan and brush it off as if nothing happened.

What exactly did Yakupov do to not deserve to be on the team? Leading the team in goals the previous season? Not producing when put on lines featuring Boyd Gordon, Jesse Joensuu, and Luke Gazdic? Dallas Eakins is honestly... a lot like you. He went into training camp with a prejudice towards Yakupov that he just couldn't shake off. His 82 games comment is without a doubt targeted at Yakupov and we all know it. When the entire team started off atrocious defensively, he benched Yakupov and let other prime offenders like Eberle, Hemsky, and J Schultz go, because of good ol' confirmation bias.

This is me acting out the lead role Dallas Eakins in the Oscar winning comedy that is the Edmonton Oilers: Yakupov can't handle the swarm system? Must be because he's a lazy Russian. Definitely nothing wrong with my awesome system that I'm going to continue to employ for at least 20 more games regardless of whether it's working or not. The other hard working non-Russians will pick it up eventually, although I really shouldn't let Hemsky get burned anymore. Don't want to have my super duper awesomest favouritest player in the world looking bad do I n... ERR MAH GERRD! HEMZKY JUST GETZ A TAKEAWAY! MOAR ICE TIME! MOAR POWER PLAY TIME! HERE, CONTINUE HAVING THE FIRST LINE RW SPOT I HANDED YOU ON DAY 1 OF TRAINING CAMP! Okay, now time to have a press conference and tell everyone just how sucky Yakupov is, and say to the reporters that the rest of the team needs to be more like Ales Hemsky and we need to have a whole team of Ales Hemskys. <break: to those of you that never saw the interview, he literally said that, I kid you not. It's sometime in October 2013 on the Oilers video section I believe> There's no way the team would suddenly get more lazy, more irresponsible, more entitled, more sulking, give less effort, and be less concerned with fixing flaws in their game by emulating Hemsky right?

As I stated in the other thread - Yak is a talent.

Yak had moments of brilliance. Yak had moments where he looked lost on the ice. Yak got frustrated when he wasn't able to produce at the level he was accustomed to.

Eakins is no genius. However, I agree with Yak sitting. Yak needed the opportunity to actually watch an NHL game with his team from above and see how the game is played. He was not prepared for the NHL when he started. Yak is not the first top pick to see pressbox time. It didn't hurt him. Yak has a desire to win which he demonstrated in his frustration.

Those that dump on Yak - give him a chance to develop. Those that are pissed that he was allegedly singled out - take a step back and realize that he needs to develop and that includes time watching the game from afar and understand how he needs to adjust to be successful.

And comparing his situation to Hemsky is laughable. You would be the only person that didn't realize the Oilers were pumping Hemsky up to ditch him at the end of the season.

 

[MCDAVIDISH]

Yakupov is Ovechkin 2.0, they say he's bulking up big time this summer.

 

[dobiezeke*]

Yakupov is Ovechkin 2.0, they say he's bulking up big time this summer.

Who's "they"?

 

[Pablo Aimar]

I dont see how he is disappointing, other than having issues sitting out games and not listening to vets like Boyd Gordon (witnessed many times with my own eyes, in two cases in my immediate memory he cost us goals by not even trying to do what Gordon had clearly signalled and communicated verbally pre-faceoff him to do).

The moments after those goals were telling. In fact in the washington game prior to his scratching... He proceeded to not do anything on a key draw where boyd told him to simply get ovechkins stick...ovechkin didnt move and neither did yak as he simply watched. Yaks response in the second period was to try to put his head down and beat the capitals himself, giving a turn over and odd man rush and a lot of angry faces and swearing on the bench. Both moments were momentum swings. I have never seen someone so unwilling to listen to a vet. Most teams would demote the player but this is a desperate late place piece of crap team that had only one healthy centre to start the year. For the record we dominated the first period and all momentum was sapped from yak and dubie. But i had become used to it from the fact we were eight games in to the season at that point.

I would like to see him turn a corner but ive seen what his personality involves in many games. Personality cant be changed...habits can. Hopefully he is selfish enough to want to achieve indivually to get his stock up and his name worth something. Right now its a big hazard sign.

As far as disappointing i agree with Eakins assessment to start the year when asked about rookies. He said its rediculous that people think they will get 82 games out of every rookie player. Most come from junior or college playing 40-60 reg season games under far less quality of competition. A rookie might only play 65 games and if so than that is what it is. If a player is getting it, he plays, if he doesnt get it...he doesnt play. Team first.

He has a good shot, but the iq and integrity is not there. Not sure if it ever will. Doubt it. Give him pp time and make him look good, get his stock up.

What a bunch of ****.

 

[Oilking83]

I dont see how he is disappointing, other than having issues sitting out games and not listening to vets like Boyd Gordon (witnessed many times with my own eyes, in two cases in my immediate memory he cost us goals by not even trying to do what Gordon had clearly signalled and communicated verbally pre-faceoff him to do).

The moments after those goals were telling. In fact in the washington game prior to his scratching... He proceeded to not do anything on a key draw where boyd told him to simply get ovechkins stick...ovechkin didnt move and neither did yak as he simply watched. Yaks response in the second period was to try to put his head down and beat the capitals himself, giving a turn over and odd man rush and a lot of angry faces and swearing on the bench. Both moments were momentum swings. I have never seen someone so unwilling to listen to a vet. Most teams would demote the player but this is a desperate late place piece of crap team that had only one healthy centre to start the year. For the record we dominated the first period and all momentum was sapped from yak and dubie. But i had become used to it from the fact we were eight games in to the season at that point.

I would like to see him turn a corner but ive seen what his personality involves in many games. Personality cant be changed...habits can. Hopefully he is selfish enough to want to achieve indivually to get his stock up and his name worth something. Right now its a big hazard sign.

As far as disappointing i agree with Eakins assessment to start the year when asked about rookies. He said its rediculous that people think they will get 82 games out of every rookie player. Most come from junior or college playing 40-60 reg season games under far less quality of competition. A rookie might only play 65 games and if so than that is what it is. If a player is getting it, he plays, if he doesnt get it...he doesnt play. Team first.

He has a good shot, but the iq and integrity is not there. Not sure if it ever will. Doubt it. Give him pp time and make him look good, get his stock up.

0/10 would not read again.

 

[oilz89*]

Yak isn't enigmatic... at all.

Honestly, he's a simple boy/man. He LOVES hockey with a passion that borders on obsessiveness. In fact he probably does have some sort of OCD in how much he practices and loves the game.

He's far from being mysterious or complex... he simply loves the game and wants to be the best he can and help his team in the way he believes he can... but shockingly sometimes a 18/19/20 year old doesn't actually know everything they think they do and they actually know less about what it takes at the NHL level in terms of the balance between defense/offense/positioning/responsibilities on the ice than they think they do.

Think of teens learning to drive... in new jobs, in situations where things are new and at a tougher and more challenging level than they've ever experienced before.

It's less about arrogance and more about naivety and inexperience... something that will diminish in time as he gains more experience and self-reflects.

It all comes down to Yaks ability to learn and the coaching environment to let him gain that experience without crushing his self-esteem and ego to the point where he is fragile and doubting his own abilities.

It's a fine balance and he could bust or flourish depending on how he is handled by the coaches on this team and how he reacts to the extreme pressure (much of it self-induced) to be better and contribute positively with and without the puck.

He has the will and the talent... he simply needs to let the game itself teach him where he is making mistakes.

He does need to listen more and realize he doesn't know everything and isn't good enough yet to be taking on the other team by himself without using his teammates or listening to the vets who have been "around the block" more than he has.

It's a team game and the Oilers simply aren't a very good team (with very mediocre coaching imo)... which also obviously makes it much harder for a rookie/sophomore to develop the habits and get the type of positive feedback to know what he's doing right/wrong out there.

This team was so bad even a solid all-around player with plenty of NHL experience would struggle... let alone a young player trying to find his way in a pressure filled environment where EVERYONE is underachieving.

So in short... yes he has to learn to be better... but that comes with simply playing more games and having the chance to make mistakes and learn from them without his teammates and coaches using him as the scapegoat for the team's mediocrity (not saying that's entirely the case... but that does exist to some degree).

I think he becomes a solid NHL player in time but it may not be a quick or smooth process and probably a good chance it won't be with the Oilers.

How in the heck can you say it won't be with the oilers?? the guy hasn't even played over 150 games! All of a sudden we should trade him?? Are the Panthers gonna trade Huberdeau after his horrible season? Christ

 

[oilz89*]

As I stated in the other thread - Yak is a talent.

Yak had moments of brilliance. Yak had moments where he looked lost on the ice. Yak got frustrated when he wasn't able to produce at the level he was accustomed to.

Eakins is no genius. However, I agree with Yak sitting. Yak needed the opportunity to actually watch an NHL game with his team from above and see how the game is played. He was not prepared for the NHL when he started. Yak is not the first top pick to see pressbox time. It didn't hurt him. Yak has a desire to win which he demonstrated in his frustration.

Those that dump on Yak - give him a chance to develop. Those that are pissed that he was allegedly singled out - take a step back and realize that he needs to develop and that includes time watching the game from afar and understand how he needs to adjust to be successful.

And comparing his situation to Hemsky is laughable. You would be the only person that didn't realize the Oilers were pumping Hemsky up to ditch him at the end of the season.

Yeah I think everyone knows he still needs development time but that doesn't mean he should be singled out as the one solely responsible for the oilers suckage. Every player takes the blame and so does the swarm genius Eakins. Isn't hockey a team game?