Nail Yakupov - Part IV

[McTedi]

Its all about setting someone up for success or failure. Yakupov lead the team in goals with Krueger and was totally a different player under Nelson. Oh hes also FOUR years younger than Eberle.

It will be very interesting this year for him and Im sure McLellan will use him correctly rather than set him up to fail like Eakins did.

I guess we will see. It benefits no one for Yakupov to fail so I don't understand your first statement at all. Eberle is straight up a better finisher than Yakupov at this point. IMO I think Yakupov could end up being the better player if he can refine his play and learn to use his teammates more effectively. To say his play at times is erratic is an understatement.

 

[Hockey Nightmare]

So going by this thread, I guess Ikinzom was right in how he developed Yak. He didn't treat him differently from anyone else? MacT was right! It was just the record that was his downfall. He was otherwise not a bad coach.

 

[Kalost]

Yak needs top6 time,enough of this 3rd line crap. He plays much better with competent coaching give him a good Center like Nuge or McDavid for a whole season and we will see a much improved player.

its a contract year for Teddy Bear, doesn't mean we hand him top6 minutes. he can earn his next pay by working his but off with Lander and Korpi making a very good 3rd line that should put up points and be defensively responsible.

 

[sepHF]

I don't see the connection. Hall being with McDavid means Pouliot is with Nuge (as he should be). It has no impact on Yak.

I don't know how McLellan plans on doing things but Pouliot is a LW and Yak is a RW

 

[Jamie]

Can this be made a poll? I love polls. They're easy and fun to participate in.

I'd like to see how many goals/points people think Yak will put up. Maybe even make a series of it, for say the top ten from most valuable Oiler threads? I like seeing it in poll format on these boards because sometimes the loudest voices around here aren't the most common of voices. Personally, I think Yak will put up over 30 goals and 60+ points next season.

 

[Raoul Duke]

So going by this thread, I guess Ikinzom was right in how he developed Yak. He didn't treat him differently from anyone else? MacT was right! It was just the record that was his downfall. He was otherwise not a bad coach.

Who said that?

 

[Raoul Duke]

Yak needs top6 time,enough of this 3rd line crap. He plays much better with competent coaching give him a good Center like Nuge or McDavid for a whole season and we will see a much improved player.

its a contract year for Teddy Bear, doesn't mean we hand him top6 minutes. he can earn his next pay by working his but off with Lander and Korpi making a very good 3rd line that should put up points and be defensively responsible.

Purcell needs to work for it from the third line. Yakupov shouldn't have to. Got it.

 

[Kalost]

Purcell needs to work for it from the third line. Yakupov shouldn't have to. Got it.

Yakupov is in the longterm plans, Purcell is not.

and that 3rd line is better than any 3rd line Yak ever had to play on

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

So going by this thread, I guess Ikinzom was right in how he developed Yak. He didn't treat him differently from anyone else? MacT was right! It was just the record that was his downfall. He was otherwise not a bad coach.

No he was treated bad. But he did absolutely nothing to show fans he really earned top 6 minutes

So what it's like "Awe poor Yak you were mistreated. Here is guaranteed minutes and we will never bench you again even if you are at a -35 again. Don't worry we love you"

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

Yakupov is in the longterm plans, Purcell is not.

and that 3rd line is better than any 3rd line Yak ever had to play on

Purcell is sadly a better player at this point

 

[6ix]

If he doesn't produce this year he's done there will be no where for him to hide.

He's got the drive and fire so hopefully he puts it all together.

 

[Raoul Duke]

Yakupov is in the longterm plans, Purcell is not.

and that 3rd line is better than any 3rd line Yak ever had to play on

The lines should be set up however benefits the team not an individual.

Pouliot, RNH, Eberle is a line that's proven against good competition.
Hall's probably our best winger so he should play with McDavid. I'm not dead set against Yakupov on the other wing but I worry about his erratic play hindering a rookie center.

Playing him there may help Yakupov but not necessarily McDavid or the team. Maybe it would work out great. I'd rather have a more stable veteran, at least to start.

 

[Raoul Duke]

No he was treated bad. But he did absolutely nothing to show fans he really earned top 6 minutes

So what it's like "Awe poor Yak you were mistreated. Here is guaranteed minutes and we will never bench you again even if you are at a -35 again. Don't worry we love you"

Yep. It's getting a little Omarkian around here.
Yakupov is a far better player, with far more potential, than Schremp or Omark but it's sounding similar. Never the player's fault.
I think he finds his game this year with a better environment but it might not be the top end we were hoping for and it's up to him.

 

[McShogun99]

With Hall, Mcdavid and Purcell skating together at Biosteel I think they end up as a line to start the season. That leaves Yakupov on the third line with Korpikosky, Lander/Draisaitl and some 2nd unit PP time.

 

[GMofOilers]

Alot similar thread to last year, but a lot more people on my side this year.

If Yak isnt in the top6 by the end of the year, that says alot more about the player than it does the Organization.

 

[Kalost]

The lines should be set up however benefits the team not an individual.

Pouliot, RNH, Eberle is a line that's proven against good competition.
Hall's probably our best winger so he should play with McDavid. I'm not dead set against Yakupov on the other wing but I worry about his erratic play hindering a rookie center.

Playing him there may help Yakupov but not necessarily McDavid or the team. Maybe it would work out great. I'd rather have a more stable veteran, at least to start.

Yak doing well helps the team more than us helping Purcell earn better $$ on his next contract.

and Yak playing with McDavid could help both of them. McDavid can dish the puck well Yak can fire it well..

but imo the top6 should look like this

Hall Nuge Yak

Pouliot McDavid Eberle

teams will play their best against Hall and Nuge and it gives McDavid a very good supporting cast.

Purcell and Yak had very similar stats last season across the board. Yak is the better top6 option he will outperform Purcell easily with high end linemates for once and a good coaching staff.

 

[Raoul Duke]

Yak doing well helps the team more than us helping Purcell earn better $$ on his next contract.

and Yak playing with McDavid could help both of them. McDavid can dish the puck well Yak can fire it well..

but imo the top6 should look like this

Hall Nuge Yak

Pouliot McDavid Eberle

teams will play their best against Hall and Nuge and it gives McDavid a very good supporting cast.

Purcell and Yak had very similar stats last season across the board. Yak is the better top6 option he will outperform Purcell easily with high end linemates for once and a good coaching staff.

So take apart the RNH line that showed great chemistry and balance against strong opposition last season? I guess.

Yakupov played better with Roy than anyone and even Roy said he had no idea where Yak was going to be.
I'm sure that will be a great way to start our rookie sensation's nhl career.

 

[Kalost]

So take apart the RNH line that showed great chemistry and balance against strong opposition last season? I guess.

Yakupov played better with Roy than anyone and even Roy said he had no idea where Yak was going to be.
I'm sure that will be a great way to start our rookie sensation's nhl career.

i don't have Yak playing with said rookie sensation so.... but hey lets throw Hall and McDavid together so our rookie sensation plays the other teams best every night and keep a line together that did well.. because they will fail if they are not all together?

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

i don't have Yak playing with said rookie sensation so.... but hey lets throw Hall and McDavid together so our rookie sensation plays the other teams best every night and keep a line together that did well.. because they will fail if they are not all together?

Or we can have Yak playing against top oppositions every night and he absolutely slaughtered

That and Yak plays god awful with RNH.

That's the problem. He and RNH have awful chemistry and it destroys the line. He is to much of a defensive liability to start with McDavid. 3rd line is the best spot for him for the team

 

[Raoul Duke]

i don't have Yak playing with said rookie sensation so.... but hey lets throw Hall and McDavid together so our rookie sensation plays the other teams best every night and keep a line together that did well.. because they will fail if they are not all together?

My mistake on Yakupov and McDavid.
If Hall and McDavid play the best opposition, the RNH line will score a lot. If McDavid has a defensively responsible winger he'll be fine.
A coach can get away from those line matches anyway for at least 41 games. RNH should be playing the better match ups and that gets tougher with Yakupov on the ice.
It might work but there's no reason in the world Yakupov can't start on a third line with Korpikoski, Lander or Letestu and earn his way up.

Unless, of course, it's all about Yak.

 

[Kalost]

people are acting like Purcell is a legit top 6 player who is great defensively.

 

[Raoul Duke]

people are acting like Purcell is a legit top 6 player who is great defensively.

No, they're acting like Yakupov is terrible defensively.

Maybe he shows up for preseason and erases all concerns. Never know, I guess.

 

[Kalost]

No, they're acting like Yakupov is terrible defensively.

Maybe he shows up for preseason and erases all concerns. Never know, I guess.

McDavid has speed and can backcheck, Pouliot is probably our best defensive winger anyways who i'm suggesting plays with McDavid.

Yak isn't good defensively but lets not pretend Eberle is a good defensive player either.

He was a much different player sans Eakins anyways. Lets just hope everyone on the team is better under the new coaching staff and system.

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

McDavid has speed and can backcheck, Pouliot is probably our best defensive winger anyways who i'm suggesting plays with McDavid.

Yak isn't good defensively but lets not pretend Eberle is a good defensive player either.

He was a much different player sans Eakins anyways. Lets just hope everyone on the team is better under the new coaching staff and system.

No one is pretending like Eberle is a good defensive player. He isn't. He is average at best. But he is miles better defensively then Yak. That being said his CAREER +/- is equal to Yakupov last year alone. Eberle also scores to make up for his average to below average defensive play. His worst scoring season was in the lock out year and still had more points then Yakupov's best.

 

[KMart27]

people are acting like Purcell is a legit top 6 player who is great defensively.

I don't see anybody saying Purcell is great defensively. He is a legit top 6 forward though.