Is Yakupov getting enough here?

[Oi'll say!]

Is he getting enough icetime, does he have the quality of linemates that he needs to succeed, would he be better of if the team relied on him a bit more and if he was more of a go-to guy?

I understand that it would be really hard for the Oilers to trade any of their top 6 offensive fwds right now (4, 14, 64, 83, 89, 93) but playing on the 3rd line with Belanger and Smyth is like being sent to Siberia for the winter.

Right now the Oilers star fwds are used:
3 on the 1st line
2 on the 2nd line
1 on the 3rd line

Tough to say that it didn't work out for the offense overall against the Avs last night, or for the #1 line in particular, but Yakupov was more or less invisible last night for most of the game.

Would the Oilers be better off going
2
2
2?

In the 80's it was enough for the Oilers to have
Gretz Kurri _______
Messier Anderson _______

Would Hall RNH ____ be a dominant line? (Petrell, MPS, Harski playing the role of Esa Tikkanen...)
______ Gagner Hemsky. (Smyth)
Eberle _____ Yak (Horc, Belanger)

I think that the chances of shutting down all 3 of those lines would be zero. Someone would be hot every single game. As an opposing coach you'd be happy as a clam to shut down RNH, Hall and then Gagner & Hemsky and then you still have Eberle and Yakupov coming over the boards... If the Oilers are behind and they're rolling 3 lines you'd literally never get a break. Your 3rd d pairing would have to sit.

Thoughts?

Click to read more...

 

[Chef10]

From what i saw of the game as soon as he got off the line with belange and smyth he was on fire and all over the ice!

 

[oilersrule14]

I think anyone in our top 9 is good enough for Yakupov to succeed. He's still a work in progress, he tends to be invisible, with the exception of the PP or just having that natural ability to know where to go to get goals. He's walking in here as less NHL ready than Hall or Hopkins did, mind you that's not speaking to his potential at all. Smyth and Belanger scored twice last night, once with Hemsky as their winger, and another with Paajarvi. There's no reason that Yakupov can't score with them either, and they might be a good fit to babysit a bit and teach him to simplify the game a bit.

 

[Cerebral]

I thought Yakupov played a pretty solid game including some great patience with the puck and some defensive awareness as well (he had one fantastic backcheck I can remember clearly).

He's not a finished product but you can definitely see signs of the player he will develop into. I'm fine the way Krueger is using him - he'll get his chances this year and I'm sure his role will grow as the season progresses.

 

[Spawn]

His game stepped up when he got put back with Hemsky and Gagner in the 3rd. I don't necessarily disagree with you in that perhaps the offense should be spread out a little more (or that the Oilers should bring in a 3rd line forward with more of an offensive punch).

I'm not too concerned about Yakupov. He isn't going to get the same opportunities in his rookie year that Hall and RNH got simply because there were not the players that were better in front of them. But Yaks scoring right now (in a very limited size of course) at essentially the exact same pace that Hall and Tavares did in their rookie season and oh so slightly ahead of Stamkos.

 

[The Nuge]

I'm fine with how he's been used. Yak is much more raw than Nuge, Ebs, and Hall were when they came in, and hasn't rounded out his game. He needs to be sheltered this year and play big minutes on the PP

 

[OilerNut*]

He had 15:34 of ice time last night, that is plenty.

Don't need him playing 20+ minute nights, he isn't there yet.

 

[MinnesotaFats]

This is the perfect way to get Yak acclimated to the league. He has the luxury of not having the pressure of bring THE go to guy while he's learning the NHL game.

Besides that, I really don't think this will be an issue come next year. Something has to give - one of Gagner or Hemsky has to go and Yak will have more regular second line minutes.

 

[Alex87]

Besides that, I really don't think this will be an issue come next year. Something has to give - one of Gagner or Hemsky has to go and Yak will have more regular second line minutes.

I'm not sure why one of Gags or Hemsky would NEED to go to accommodate Yak. The three have been playing on a line together for most of the season.

 

[booyakasha]

Is he getting enough icetime, does he have the quality of linemates that he needs to succeed, would he be better of if the team relied on him a bit more and if he was more of a go-to guy?

I understand that it would be really hard for the Oilers to trade any of their top 6 offensive fwds right now (4, 14, 64, 83, 89, 93) but playing on the 3rd line with Belanger and Smyth is like being sent to Siberia for the winter.

Right now the Oilers star fwds are used:
3 on the 1st line
2 on the 2nd line
1 on the 3rd line

Tough to say that it didn't work out for the offense overall against the Avs last night, or for the #1 line in particular, but Yakupov was more or less invisible last night for most of the game.

Would the Oilers be better off going
2
2
2?

In the 80's it was enough for the Oilers to have
Gretz Kurri _______
Messier Anderson _______

Would Hall RNH ____ be a dominant line? (Petrell, MPS, Harski playing the role of Esa Tikkanen...)
______ Gagner Hemsky. (Smyth)
Eberle _____ Yak (Horc, Belanger)

I think that the chances of shutting down all 3 of those lines would be zero. Someone would be hot every single game. As an opposing coach you'd be happy as a clam to shut down RNH, Hall and then Gagner & Hemsky and then you still have Eberle and Yakupov coming over the boards... If the Oilers are behind and they're rolling 3 lines you'd literally never get a break. Your 3rd d pairing would have to sit.

Thoughts?

if you have to ask that question, then he shouldn't have been a #1 overall draft pick.

if a player needs someone to make excuses for them,...then they really aren't as good as perceived.
wouldn't a great player be making others look good, then having others make him look good?

 

[The Perfect Human*]

I think it'd be good to put him with some "model" NHLers for this season. I'd like to see him with Horcoff-Jones when they come back. Guys that can show him how to backcheck and do some NHL player things.

These are still things missing from the repertoires of Hemsky/Gags/Hall/Ebs - they never really got to develop much because they were all thrown into the fray far too soon. RNH is a rare talent (like Toews) that developed these talents on his own. Even Crosby and Tavares took a couple years to become difference makers on both sides of the ice.

If we give him the "Datsyuk treatment" and let him play with two model players in terms of all-around play, it'll bode well for him long term. SJS, Detroit, STL have done this with their young wingers for years - and it's paying off now.

 

[rockinghockey]

He is a rookie and doing just fine, he will be a very good player.

 

[McDrai]

PRV/Gagner/Hemsky
Eager/RNH/Eberle
Hall/Belanger/Yakupov

I wouldn't mind something like this to spread out the offense

 

[molsonmuscle360]

He's still getting used to a style of game where he doesn't have a ton of space to move all over the ice. He tends to glide around looking for an open space alot and ends up confusing the forecheck. He's also a little gun shy going in the corners as well. But I'm sure that's all stuff he'll grow in to.

 

[nexttothemoon]

With Yak it just comes down to playing more games and getting more experience in all situations... in his own end, on the PP, at even strength, on the 2nd line, 3rd line etc.

He'll continue to adapt and acclimatize to learn the NHL pace and learn how to get into scoring positions and into areas where he doesn't expose himself badly defensively.

I don't think there's any magic formula except playing games and having patience while he makes mistakes and learns from them.

Some rookies adapt faster than other and others take a lot longer. He seems to be doing all right out there offensively. Like others he's getting chances but not always cashing in. Still 9 pts through his first 14 games is not bad at all for a rookie.

He's been a defensive liability sometimes but I think it's not for lack of effort... he works hard but just makes some dumb decisions at times... again that comes with being a green rookie and really only time and experience will see him improve and make less errors over time.

I was on Krueger's case somewhat earlier when they were sliding Yak down to the 3rd line, and obviously he does do better with linemates that are more creative offensively... but I do understand that in the long run he needs to just play to gain that experience, no matter where it is in the lineup.

 

[McDraekke]

PRV/Gagner/Hemsky
Eager/RNH/Eberle
Hall/Belanger/Yakupov

I wouldn't mind something like this to spread out the offense

No Hartikainen? I'd much rather him than Eager on a line with two stars...

 

[MinnesotaFats]

I'm not sure why one of Gags or Hemsky would NEED to go to accommodate Yak. The three have been playing on a line together for most of the season.

One of those guys will have to go for cap reasons. Hall and Ebs have new deals kicking in next year. RNH will be the year after that along with Schultz. Just no room for Hemsky's contract. With one year left on Hemmer's deal, this is the deadline or summer to deal him. I don't see the team being in a place where resigning him makes sense even if Smyth, Belanger and Horc come off the books.

 

[Spawn]

No Hartikainen? I'd much rather him than Eager on a line with two stars...

I donno about that. Hartikainen hasn't really shown much at the NHL level to suggest he is going to be able to score goals in this league. He's never even been a particularly good AHL producer.

I think sometimes we get enamored with his ability to hold onto the puck behind the net. But he never does anything with it. He doesn't distribute it effectively and doesn't put himself in a position to get a shot on net (12 in 13 games this year).

Someone else pointed out the similarity, but he is sort of like George Laraque in that regard. Players can drape themselves all over him and can't for the life of them get the puck away, but he doesn't know what to do with it once he gets some time/space. Difference is he is not the most feared fighter in the league.

Ben Eager has the speed, and a decent enough shot that he might not fare too poorly on a line with some good puck distributors. At least in a temporary assignment once in awhile. For all of his bad play last year he did score 8 goals last year in 63 games.

 

[Hoogaar23]

I'd just like to see Hemsky moved to LW and roll with: Hemsky-Gagner-Yakupov. At least try it for a game. Yakupov looks so much better there, and Hemsky on the LW would give Gagner 2 one time options to dish to off the rush.

I know Hemsky is a bit of a sensitive player and may not like the idea of being moved because of a rookie, but I really think that it would make that line twice as lethal.

 

[Jumptheshark]

He had 15:34 of ice time last night, that is plenty.

Don't need him playing 20+ minute nights, he isn't there yet.

that is my reaction as well-- he is not ready for prime time minutes all the time. This board loves tossing the kids into the deep end and believe that they will thrive right away

 

[smackdaddy]

I'd just like to see Hemsky moved to LW and roll with: Hemsky-Gagner-Yakupov. At least try it for a game. Yakupov looks so much better there, and Hemsky on the LW would give Gagner 2 one time options to dish to off the rush.

I know Hemsky is a bit of a sensitive player and may not like the idea of being moved because of a rookie, but I really think that it would make that line twice as lethal.

It was night and day for Yak. If that's the case then it's a no brainer from the Koach. Put him in his natural position and watch Taylor Hall 2.0 score you into the playoffs.

 

[AlowlyMcOilersfan]

I'm fine with how he's been used. Yak is much more raw than Nuge, Ebs, and Hall were when they came in, and hasn't rounded out his game. He needs to be sheltered this year and play big minutes on the PP

This.

 

[Hoogaar23]

It was night and day for Yak. If that's the case then it's a no brainer from the Koach. Put him in his natural position and watch Taylor Hall 2.0 score you into the playoffs.

Koach - Awesome. Love it!

 

[Seedling]

Yes. He is still learning the NHL game. He is not Parise yet.

 

[Alex87]

One of those guys will have to go for cap reasons. Hall and Ebs have new deals kicking in next year. RNH will be the year after that along with Schultz. Just no room for Hemsky's contract. With one year left on Hemmer's deal, this is the deadline or summer to deal him. I don't see the team being in a place where resigning him makes sense even if Smyth, Belanger and Horc come off the books.

Ah ok, I thought you were talking purely about ice-time, but the cap consideration is a good point as well. I suppose if the Oilers are shaping up to be a winner, there's always the possibility that Hemmer would re-sign here for cheap. As far as Gagner is concerned, if he keeps up his current production, it looks like management may have screwed up by not signing him to a longer term deal sooner, because he could cost us big (although hindsight is 20/20, and I think we made the right decision at the time).