Nail Yakupov - Part IV

[Fishy McScales]

fine, but it still doesn't negate the fact that he hasn't done anything since.

Need more proof. not saying it's a forgone conclusion that the kid's a bust, just need more proof to overcome the ample amount of evidence (and there is plenty) that he is not that special.

I mean come, man. Most of us didn't just start watching hockey. We've seen good players, average players and bad players.

If you never knew anything about Yak's draft position and just watched him play his first 3 seasons, there is no way anyone would honestly say 'there's a guy that will be a star someday'. If you say you would, I say you're lying.

From what we've seen, heretofore, there is absolutely nothing about Yak that screams out star player. NOTHING!!

I think if Yak were a Canadian drafted in the 2nd round, people would have a vastly different perception of him. Including a certain Dallas Eakins.

 

[Dorian2]

I agree with much of what Up the Irons is saying here.

But Yaks may still prove to be a useful player.

Forget yesterday and remember tomorrow...

(betcha haven't heard this one in a bit Irons!)

 

[KMart27]

I think if Yak were a Canadian drafted in the 2nd round, people would have a vastly different perception of him. Including a certain Dallas Eakins.

If he was a Canadian drafted in the second round he would have spent the 2012-2013 season entirely in the CHL and 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 likely in Oklahoma City. Yakupov is who he is and what he is, using hypotheticals accomplishes nothing.

 

[Fishy McScales]

If he was a Canadian drafted in the second round he would have spent the 2012-2013 season entirely in the CHL and 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 likely in Oklahoma City. Yakupov is who he is and what he is, using hypotheticals accomplishes nothing.

My point was that Up The Irons was using hypotheticals and drawing extremely hypothetical conclusions, so I was trying to point out that things can go either way when coming up with these kinds of what-if scenarios.

 

[Oilers10]

fine, but it still doesn't negate the fact that he hasn't done anything since.

Need more proof. not saying it's a forgone conclusion that the kid's a bust, just need more proof to overcome the ample amount of evidence (and there is plenty) that he is not that special.

I mean come, man. Most of us didn't just start watching hockey. We've seen good players, average players and bad players.

If you never knew anything about Yak's draft position and just watched him play his first 3 seasons, there is no way anyone would honestly say 'there's a guy that will be a star someday'. If you say you would, I say you're lying.

From what we've seen, heretofore, there is absolutely nothing about Yak that screams out star player. NOTHING!!

I don't know about this "NOTHING!!!". Last month of his rookie season he outscored everyone in the NHL except ALex Ovechkin. Then Eakins happened. Then end of last year certain games he was the best player on the ice and maybe not dominating games but was certainly a factor. You could see there was something there and you'd dream of what a 23/24yr old Yak would look like.

That's not to say he hasn't looked horrible and lost at times. I will not say he WILL be a star one day but he's shown enough for me to honestly say he COULD be a star one day and if you can't see that then you haven't watched closely enough imo.

 

[McOvechking]

As someone who has gone back to rewatch/watch the Nelson era from the end of last season, I can comfortably say that Yakupov, on most nights, was our most dangerous forward.

Hall and RNH suffered a lot of injuries, though. And ultimately Eberle put up more points than anyone else. But I still think Yakupov was our best forward more often than not.

 

[McShogun99]

I think if Yak were a Canadian drafted in the 2nd round, people would have a vastly different perception of him. Including a certain Dallas Eakins.

If Yak were a Canadian drafted 1st overall then people would have a vastly differant opinion of him, including a certain Davo Ikinzom.

 

[Aerrol]

1. RNH, who is all of 6 months older than Yak, did not regress under Eakins (neither did Hall, tho he had 2 full seasons before Yak)

3. Yak's rookie season is not, IMO, proof of a star player.

your other points are not real points.

Yak supportors are fans. They do not need proof. Case in point: "Yak has a great shot". Based on what? Where are the goals? The detractors need to see actually goals, not a hard shot or a quick release, before we call his shot great.

I simply have not seen, with my eyes and not my heart, enough... yet... from Yak to believe we have a star player. Look at Tarashenko. Now there's a player that has proven he has star quality. Same for Hall. PPG. Dominant shifts, dominant games. Teams game planning against him. That's proof.

I'll say it again. Just prove it, kid. Go out there and score a minimum of 25 goals... this season. Then you will see the detractors shut up. I will for sure. I'll be happy to be, well I won't say proven wrong, because I too believe he has potential, but at this point he has to do it.

Since you seem to have discredited his rookie season, I'll just leave this here. Also, 488fitter's videos are always worth another watch.


I'd say over half of these goals are goals solely because of the quality of Yakupov's shot. I don't think anyone else on the team has the shot to pull off those goals.

I have to head out but I'm going to go back and cut through some of Yakupov's goals because I distinctly remember times where he's had some phenomenal individual effort goals, contrary to what you've said.

This isn't to dispute some of the other concerns re: Yakupov, especially his ability to think the game. But as I've said before, hyperbole doesn't really add much to the conversation. Nail has the skills - skating, stickhandling, shot. He has the drive and the work ethic. The big question is whether he can put it together under a good coach. Maybe he never does, but I'm still very hopeful regarding Yakupov.

 

[Smartguy]

As someone who has gone back to rewatch/watch the Nelson era from the end of last season, I can comfortably say that Yakupov, on most nights, was our most dangerous forward.

Hall and RNH suffered a lot of injuries, though. And ultimately Eberle put up more points than anyone else. But I still think Yakupov was our best forward more often than not.

I agree with this as well I have watched games recently where yak is our most dangerous offensive threat, not saying best player on the ice, but most dangerous in the offensive zone. With that said indeed these games were under a nelson or Kruger. Yak said it himself that how is he supposed to score when he played 10 minutes a night on the 3rd or 4th line with not great players. He needs a playmaker, a veteran one like Roy as you seen, and skilled players with offensive zone time and power play time. He will never be a complete player but I'll give him a year under McClellan and with skilled players before saying he won't be anything special

 

[KMart27]

My point was that Up The Irons was using hypotheticals and drawing extremely hypothetical conclusions, so I was trying to point out that things can go either way when coming up with these kinds of what-if scenarios.

Fair enough.

I don't think either side of the debate should be using hypotheticals.

 

[The Nuge]

If he was a Canadian drafted in the second round he would have spent the 2012-2013 season entirely in the CHL and 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 likely in Oklahoma City. Yakupov is who he is and what he is, using hypotheticals accomplishes nothing.

That's correct, but it's important to remember that what he is, is a highly skilled, 21 year old with a wicked onetimer. Nyquist, for example, didn't stick in the NHL until he was 24.

 

[UnrefinedCrude]

I'm gonna let some of you in on a secret: The "haters" want to be wrong.

This is untrue.

Why on earth would any of us WANT a high level draft pick of the Oilers to fail?

To be an internet know it all and be able to tell people "I told you so!" ???

I would suggest there is a large contingent of people like that on the internet.

 

[SK13]

This is untrue.

I guess in a world this poor I should make allowances for the mentally ill and ungodly stupid, but there is no Oiler fan on the planet who will be upset by Nail Yakupov exceeding their expectations.

 

[Up the Irons]

I agree with much of what Up the Irons is saying here.

But Yaks may still prove to be a useful player.

Forget yesterday and remember tomorrow...

(betcha haven't heard this one in a bit Irons!)

beauty tune!!! thanx for that, and ur right, its been a while, tho not decades. Favourite from that album was Phantom of Opera.

as for this discussion, it useless. No one is going to change their mind until they've seen enough.

I haven't seen enough to believe the kid is a star, tho I do reserve a shred of belief that he could still be a 20-30 goal scorer, which is still quite good.

and the believers, well, good on ya. won't diss ya for believing.

Cheers mates!!!

 

[Narnia]

If Yak were a Canadian drafted 1st overall then people would have a vastly differant opinion of him, including a certain Davo Ikinzom.

Right after the Oilers drafted Yak, Don Cherry went on an said the Oilers would regret not drafting Murray. Don Cherry has a fetish for Canadian-born players and will bash any player that isn't Canadian

 

[Throttlehead]

Right after the Oilers drafted Yak, Don Cherry went on an said the Oilers would regret not drafting Murray. Don Cherry has a fetish for Canadian-born players and will bash any player that isn't Canadian

OR, Cherry like everyone else on the planet knew the Oilers needed a defenceman. This is nothing against Yakupov or Galchenyuk (if he was rated first), but the Oilers had the ability to pick their need.

Was Cherry right or wrong in your opinion?

 

[ohheyhemsky]

OR, Cherry like everyone else on the planet knew the Oilers needed a defenceman. This is nothing against Yakupov or Galchenyuk (if he was rated first), but the Oilers had the ability to pick their need.

Was Cherry right or wrong in your opinion?

In hindsight? Neither. Having injury prone Ryan Murray isn't any better than having an under performing Yakupov.

 

[Throttlehead]

In hindsight? Neither. Having injury prone Ryan Murray isn't any better than having an under performing Yakupov.

Well in hindsight there were other better picks.

I wasn't really asking in hindsight, just asked if Cherry was wrong at the time he said it.

 

[sepHF]

.

fixed!

I'm a big Yakupov fan but I admit he is an extremely disappointing player for a 1st overall pick. Hope he turns it around because he seems like a great kid.

1. RNH, who is all of 6 months older than Yak, did not regress under Eakins (neither did Hall, tho he had 2 full seasons before Yak)

Hall and RNH are better players, plain and simple.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

Well in hindsight there were other better picks.

I wasn't really asking in hindsight, just asked if Cherry was wrong at the time he said it.

In hindsight, there weren't really any better players. Morgan Rielly and Galchenyuk play in a joke conference and get fluff minutes, Trouba has taken a big step back, Lindholm has one of the best teams around him to anchor his play, Maata as well, and the list goes on.

If you're wondering if Cherry was wrong at the time he said it, then the answer is still yes. Yes, he was wrong. You take BPA. Yakupov was BPA.

 

[UnrefinedCrude]

Hall and RNH are better players, plain and simple.

Hall and RNH got a lot more support from the club in the early stages of their careers.
Part of that is that Hall and RNH never had a "Hall and RNH and Eberle" ahead of them in the development scheme. Hall RNH and Ebs never had to worry when they had their hiccups, because there were no comparable players to compete with for ice time/slot in the line up. Yak had the misfortune of being behind these guys, meaning he needed to really shine to move up in the line up. The only 3 skilled player we had were just starting to stand on their own two skates, they weren't ready to foster/mentor him, and we had no one in the line up who could.

But the reality is that on top of having more developed talent ahead of him in the line up, Yakupovs development was entrusted to the worst coach in the NHL in at least a decade and a half.

The deck was stacked against Yak. I still think we'll see something special under competent coaching.

 

[sepHF]

Hall and RNH got a lot more support from the club in the early stages of their careers.
Part of that is that Hall and RNH never had a "Hall and RNH and Eberle" ahead of them in the development scheme. Hall RNH and Ebs never had to worry when they had their hiccups, because there were no comparable players to compete with for ice time/slot in the line up. Yak had the misfortune of being behind these guys, meaning he needed to really shine to move up in the line up. The only 3 skilled player we had were just starting to stand on their own two skates, they weren't ready to foster/mentor him, and we had no one in the line up who could.

But the reality is that on top of having more developed talent ahead of him in the line up, Yakupovs development was entrusted to the worst coach in the NHL in at least a decade and a half.

The deck was stacked against Yak. I still think we'll see something special under competent coaching.

Oh forsuure, don't get me wrong. He wasn't put in the same position to succeed as the other 1sts were, and all of those things played a part in his career so far but I still feel like he is generally underwhelming compared to the others.

Just a quick eye test and you can see it. He has a long way to go.

The other two aren't perfect by any means but they are better hockey players.

 

[Up the Irons]

In hindsight, there weren't really any better players. Morgan Rielly and Galchenyuk play in a joke conference and get fluff minutes, Trouba has taken a big step back, Lindholm has one of the best teams around him to anchor his play, Maata as well, and the list goes on.

If you're wondering if Cherry was wrong at the time he said it, then the answer is still yes. Yes, he was wrong. You take BPA. Yakupov was BPA.

in hindsight, 2012 would have been the year to trade the 1st oa pick for veteran help. but, who thought that then?

Hall and RNH got a lot more support from the club in the early stages of their careers.
Part of that is that Hall and RNH never had a "Hall and RNH and Eberle" ahead of them in the development scheme. Hall RNH and Ebs never had to worry when they had their hiccups, because there were no comparable players to compete with for ice time/slot in the line up. Yak had the misfortune of being behind these guys, meaning he needed to really shine to move up in the line up. The only 3 skilled player we had were just starting to stand on their own two skates, they weren't ready to foster/mentor him, and we had no one in the line up who could.

But the reality is that on top of having more developed talent ahead of him in the line up, Yakupovs development was entrusted to the worst coach in the NHL in at least a decade and a half.

The deck was stacked against Yak. I still think we'll see something special under competent coaching.

you could be right. hope you are. I do believe he is better than we've seen thus far, but like I've been saying all along, belief is not proof.

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

In hindsight, there weren't really any better players. Morgan Rielly and Galchenyuk play in a joke conference and get fluff minutes, Trouba has taken a big step back, Lindholm has one of the best teams around him to anchor his play, Maata as well, and the list goes on.

If you're wondering if Cherry was wrong at the time he said it, then the answer is still yes. Yes, he was wrong. You take BPA. Yakupov was BPA.

Yep. It wasn't even remotely close that year. Nobody had anyone besides Yak first (publicly).

 

[Uchiha]

I was getting down on Yak tbh during the first half of the season, but anyone that watched him after Eakins would have noticed how much more effective and confident he was on the ice.

I really don't get how anyone that watched him the second half of the season could not be feeling optimistic about him going into next season with one of the best Head coaches in the league, and to top it off have him playing with one of Mcdavid, RNH or Lander.