Post-Game Talk: Oilers lose 3-1, sky is falling, etc

[StoveTopStauffer]

To me I don't want Slepy there because Slepy is much better on the left wing and I rather him play there. I also want Pouliot there so its hard.

Yea I think Korpse should be there simply because he's expendable in terms of whether or not hes better RW or LW. I don't think it would affect his game greatly.

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

I can't even see that, he's so clearly NHL quality it's ridiculous.

I could see the ahl argument cause it might be better for him to go win more then stay and lose. But I mean he is too good for that.

 

[Replacement*]

No offense, but at this stage in his career, neither is Yak.
The only thing top six about Yak is his shot. And we barely even see that anymore.

I'm sure Yakupov isn't looking down his nose at Lander (like some folks on this board are doing). If he's smart, he will see that he has a lot to learn about hockey from Lander.

A team with a #1 pick and two top pick centers has no excuse, none, for not featuring a #1 pick prospect like Yak with either RNH, or McDavid. Yak should be paired with either and especially in the absence of Eberle.

No worries though. Some other team will learn to slot Yak more appropriately.

We barely see Yak because he's getting subpar service.

The weird thing about this org right now is its throwing "coolers" on just about every line. Its like they're negating the efficacy and puck control of lines by doing that. For instance with Purcell who does anything but support offense.

We're a low scoring team with a ******** of offensive talent and not using it properly. We just got held off the scoreboard last night. Your answer is to continue to bury one of the best one shot goal scorers we have on the team?

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

I could see the ahl argument cause it might be better for him to go win more then stay and lose. But I mean he is too good for that.

Fair enough, but yeah, he just is. "Needs more strength" is something who hasn't actually watch him says.

I expect him to have some small struggles with strength in certain situations, but he's not small and getting pushed around.

 

[booyakasha]

A team with a #1 pick and two top pick centers has no excuse, none, for not featuring a #1 pick prospect like Yak with either RNH, or McDavid. Yak should be paired with either and especially in the absence of Eberle.

No worries though. Some other team will learn to slot Yak more appropriately.

We barely see Yak because he's getting subpar service.

The weird thing about this org right now is its throwing "coolers" on just about every line. Its like they're negating the efficacy and puck control of lines by doing that. For instance with Purcell who does anything but support offense.

We're a low scoring team with a ******** of offensive talent and not using it properly. We just got held off the scoreboard last night. Your answer is to continue to bury one of the best one shot goal scorers we have on the team?

even when Yak gets A1 service he misses, then needs a do-over, and another....
after about the 3rd try it goes in.

Yak gets service all the time...he fails to convert on most...that's NOT because of "sub-par" service, but because of sub-par finishing.

 

[Replacement*]

even when Yak gets A1 service he misses, then needs a do-over, and another....
after about the 3rd try it goes in.

Yak gets service all the time...he fails to convert on most...that's NOT because of "sub-par" service, but because of sub-par finishing.

Being that you compare Yakupov to Omark how about I ignore your opinion.

 

[Canovin]

even when Yak gets A1 service he misses, then needs a do-over, and another....
after about the 3rd try it goes in.

Yak gets service all the time...he fails to convert on most...that's NOT because of "sub-par" service, but because of sub-par finishing.

Oh, Nail can finish. Without a doubt. Being poorly handled will do that to your confidence.

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

A team with a #1 pick and two top pick centers has no excuse, none, for not featuring a #1 pick prospect like Yak with either RNH, or McDavid. Yak should be paired with either and especially in the absence of Eberle.

No worries though. Some other team will learn to slot Yak more appropriately.

We barely see Yak because he's getting subpar service.

The weird thing about this org right now is its throwing "coolers" on just about every line. Its like they're negating the efficacy and puck control of lines by doing that. For instance with Purcell who does anything but support offense.

We're a low scoring team with a ******** of offensive talent and not using it properly. We just got held off the scoreboard last night. Your answer is to continue to bury one of the best one shot goal scorers we have on the team?

I feel like McLellan doesn't want to put all our eggs into one basket and have a line full of plugs. Have good players on 3 lines and out someone meh as a filler on the lines in hopes the skill guys can bring up the level of play of the meh player.

He has always like 3 scoring lines and seems like he really wants Lander and Yak to work.

I want 3 scoring lines to work....we just need to replace Purcell with a good player and get Eberle back.

 

[harpoon]

A team with a #1 pick and two top pick centers has no excuse, none, for not featuring a #1 pick prospect like Yak with either RNH, or McDavid. Yak should be paired with either and especially in the absence of Eberle.

I'm not really arguing against giving him an audition with McDavid. Let's try it, why not.
At this point I'd probably do it just so that the weeping and wailing about how hard done by Yak is would be toned down a bit.

The weird thing about this org right now is its throwing "coolers" on just about every line. Its like they're negating the efficacy and puck control of lines by doing that. For instance with Purcell who does anything but support offense.

Hard to argue with this. And its not only Purcell. The more I watch Pouliot, the more I see Anson Carter.

Ask yourself this though, McLellan is a real NHL coach and he's choosing to do the exact same thing with Yak that all the other coaches we've had have done. Its the chicken with head cut off hockey that Yak plays. In the NHL you simply cannot have a guy in your top six who so rarely sticks to his position. Its incredible that Yakupov hasn't cleaned up this aspect of his game. Its like he still thinks he's in junior and is going to beat guys with his speed and anticipation. Still. 200 NHL games later and he hasn't learned this basic point.

We're a low scoring team with a ******** of offensive talent and not using it properly. We just got held off the scoreboard last night. Your answer is to continue to bury one of the best one shot goal scorers we have on the team?

Its not "my" answer. Its the coaches answer. If Yak was the great one shot scorer that people claim he is, we'd have seen a lot more of it by now.
Kid has, what forty goals in three seasons.

I think Yak is superfluous on this team. We had better trade him for something good while we still can.
If he goes on to light it up in Tampa Bay then so be it. I'll be very happy for him, as long as we get something useful out of the trade too.

 

[Uchiha]

A team with a #1 pick and two top pick centers has no excuse, none, for not featuring a #1 pick prospect like Yak with either RNH, or McDavid. Yak should be paired with either and especially in the absence of Eberle.

No worries though. Some other team will learn to slot Yak more appropriately.

We barely see Yak because he's getting subpar service.

The weird thing about this org right now is its throwing "coolers" on just about every line. Its like they're negating the efficacy and puck control of lines by doing that. For instance with Purcell who does anything but support offense.

We're a low scoring team with a ******** of offensive talent and not using it properly. We just got held off the scoreboard last night. Your answer is to continue to bury one of the best one shot goal scorers we have on the team?

It's been 1 game buddy.

 

[doulos]

I'm stunned why we're even talking about moving Yakupov somewhere else when he's been really good where he currently is pretty much all preseason and in Game 1.

 

[Replacement*]

I'm not really arguing against giving him an audition with McDavid. Let's try it, why not.
At this point I'd probably do it just so that the weeping and wailing about how hard done by Yak is would be toned down a bit.
Hard to argue with this. And its not only Purcell. The more I watch Pouliot, the more I see Anson Carter.

Ask yourself this though, McLellan is a real NHL coach and he's choosing to do the exact same thing with Yak that all the other coaches we've had have done. Its the chicken with head cut off hockey that Yak plays. In the NHL you simply cannot have a guy in your top six who so rarely sticks to his position. Its incredible that Yakupov hasn't cleaned up this aspect of his game. Its like he still thinks he's in junior and is going to beat guys with his speed and anticipation. Still. 200 NHL games later and he hasn't learned this basic point.

Its not "my" answer. Its the coaches answer. If Yak was the great one shot scorer that people claim he is, we'd have seen a lot more of it by now.
Kid has, what forty goals in three seasons.

I think Yak is superfluous on this team. We had better trade him for something good while we still can.
If he goes on to light it up in Tampa Bay then so be it. I'll be very happy for him, as long as we get something useful out of the trade too.

Its kind of sad and seemingly we both see that Yak isn't really in the plans here.

in fairness to Yak what players here have fully developed and grown their game with the subpar coaching this team has had. We'll see what happens this year but I imagine Yak is gone by trade deadline.

 

[Replacement*]

I feel like McLellan doesn't want to put all our eggs into one basket and have a line full of plugs. Have good players on 3 lines and out someone meh as a filler on the lines in hopes the skill guys can bring up the level of play of the meh player.

He has always like 3 scoring lines and seems like he really wants Lander and Yak to work.

I want 3 scoring lines to work....we just need to replace Purcell with a good player and get Eberle back.

I get this. But you have to at least have symbiotic pairs. Yak isn't getting anybody he works naturally with. Soon as the team gives him one in Roy they yank it away. When Roy was left walking it was indelibly clear how little Yak means to this club.

Yak, surprisingly perhaps, is a guy that receives attention from other clubs because its known he can make something happen quickly and that he can challenge and beat D. So he gets some focus and checking attention. He did in STL last night. When you pair him with players that are not so good at maintaining puck possession or working into open spaces at this level it results invariably in Yak possessing the puck, trying to wrok something, and inevitably in turnover as options are not available.
Yak was electric at times last night but had nobody to even work a basic give and go with.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Oh, Nail can finish. Without a doubt. Being poorly handled will do that to your confidence.

Can finish what exactly?

 

[harpoon]

Its kind of sad and seemingly we both see that Yak isn't really in the plans here.

in fairness to Yak what players here have fully developed and grown their game with the subpar coaching this team has had. We'll see what happens this year but I imagine Yak is gone by trade deadline.

It is sad. Especially when you see it happening to a good kid like Yakupov who does nothing but try hard all the time.

Maybe I'm wrong, and McLellan will see a way to teach Yakupov to play his position, or at least stay on his own side of the ice. No doubt the team would be better off with Nail Yakupov playing up to his capabilities. I just don't think we've seen that game from him yet.

And yes, you raise the correct point when you say that this all falls on the organization and their woeful track record of player development. This team has not developed a single player in the last seven seasons. Not one. Find me another NHL team that has a record that bad.

 

[CornKicker]

I feel like McLellan doesn't want to put all our eggs into one basket and have a line full of plugs. Have good players on 3 lines and out someone meh as a filler on the lines in hopes the skill guys can bring up the level of play of the meh player.

He has always like 3 scoring lines and seems like he really wants Lander and Yak to work.

I want 3 scoring lines to work....we just need to replace Purcell with a good player and get Eberle back.

im fine with that approach but yak HAS to be on the PP units over purcell

 

[oilz89*]

He's already played 3 years of junior and received exceptional status and played juniors at 15.

Then what's that guy on about? He's a ******** leaf fan am i right?

 

[oilz89*]

Some of these people on this board are going to be regretting what they say by next week

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

im fine with that approach but yak HAS to be on the PP units over purcell

Purcell is only there cause Eberle is hurt and is a right shot

 

[harpoon]

When Roy was left walking it was indelibly clear how little Yak means to this club.

Two things, and then I'm going to bow out. I've been on this board for more than two hours now and its coming up to 5:30 AM here now. Thank God hockey season is back

1. What about the post I made earlier asking, how it is that Yakupov can have success with Roy (and I don't dispute that he did)? Derek Roy, whose last "good" NHL season was 2009? Derek Roy who just signed in Switzerland because nobody in the NHL wanted him anymore. At any price. Is it your contention that playing Yakupov with Derek Roy is "giving the player service", but playing him with actual NHL players is not?

Yakupov played a fair bit with Gagner, no? You and I both like Gagner as a player. Smart, good passer, offensively talented, works well with others. Most people on this board would probably say Derek Roy and Sam Gagner are the same guy, personally I think Gags is better. My question; focusing strictly on offense (never mind the +/-) did you ever see Yakupov lighting the world on fire with Gagner?

2. What really gets me about some of the more vociferous Yakupov backers is that they will actively insinuate that the Oilers don't care about Yakupov. Usually they will add in that this is because he is not a "good old Canadian kid". I would like to ask if you honestly believe that the Oilers don't care about Yak. Because if that is true, then we have far more serious problems than anyone ever imagined. That would mean that the Oilers did the following; tank a whole season to get the first overall pick. Have first dibs on any draft eligible kid on the planet. Scout and plan carefully. Choose a player and then almost immediately stop caring about the player. Purposely stunt his development. Purposely do things that help the kid fail. Purposely give him the line mates least suited to his game etc.

I'm sorry, but none of that makes sense. Incompetence I get. The evidence is all over the place. Flat out engaging in a vendetta against a guy you wasted a whole season in order to have the privilege of choosing is a different matter all together. Incompetence aside, because really all players on the team have faced the same incompetence, the situation we have right now with this player is mostly on the player. He isn't playing an NHL game.

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

I get this. But you have to at least have symbiotic pairs. Yak isn't getting anybody he works naturally with. Soon as the team gives him one in Roy they yank it away. When Roy was left walking it was indelibly clear how little Yak means to this club.

Yak, surprisingly perhaps, is a guy that receives attention from other clubs because its known he can make something happen quickly and that he can challenge and beat D. So he gets some focus and checking attention. He did in STL last night. When you pair him with players that are not so good at maintaining puck possession or working into open spaces at this level it results invariably in Yak possessing the puck, trying to wrok something, and inevitably in turnover as options are not available.
Yak was electric at times last night but had nobody to even work a basic give and go with.

If Slepy plays like the 3rd period of last night, Yak and him will look great together. Slepy is great at puck possession, him and Yak can do some give and go and he isn't afraid to go in for the rebound. Lander has some underrated passing skills and is also a strong forechecker.

So as long as they stay together Yak will be okay. If not then I completely agree.

 

[frag2]

I'm not really arguing against giving him an audition with McDavid. Let's try it, why not.
At this point I'd probably do it just so that the weeping and wailing about how hard done by Yak is would be toned down a bit.
Hard to argue with this. And its not only Purcell. The more I watch Pouliot, the more I see Anson Carter.

Ask yourself this though, McLellan is a real NHL coach and he's choosing to do the exact same thing with Yak that all the other coaches we've had have done. Its the chicken with head cut off hockey that Yak plays. In the NHL you simply cannot have a guy in your top six who so rarely sticks to his position. Its incredible that Yakupov hasn't cleaned up this aspect of his game. Its like he still thinks he's in junior and is going to beat guys with his speed and anticipation. Still. 200 NHL games later and he hasn't learned this basic point.

Its not "my" answer. Its the coaches answer. If Yak was the great one shot scorer that people claim he is, we'd have seen a lot more of it by now.
Kid has, what forty goals in three seasons.

I think Yak is superfluous on this team. We had better trade him for something good while we still can.
If he goes on to light it up in Tampa Bay then so be it. I'll be very happy for him, as long as we get something useful out of the trade too.

Glad I'm not the only one who was somewhat disappointed

 

[Aerrol]

Two things, and then I'm going to bow out. I've been on this board for more than two hours now and its coming up to 5:30 AM here now. Thank God hockey season is back

1. What about the post I made earlier asking, how it is that Yakupov can have success with Roy (and I don't dispute that he did)? Derek Roy, whose last "good" NHL season was 2009? Derek Roy who just signed in Switzerland because nobody in the NHL wanted him anymore. At any price. Is it your contention that playing Yakupov with Derek Roy is "giving the player service", but playing him with actual NHL players is not?

Yakupov played a fair bit with Gagner, no? You and I both like Gagner as a player. Smart, good passer, offensively talented, works well with others. Most people on this board would probably say Derek Roy and Sam Gagner are the same guy, personally I think Gags is better. My question; focusing strictly on offense (never mind the +/-) did you ever see Yakupov lighting the world on fire with Gagner?

I'm sorry, but none of that makes sense. Incompetence I get. The evidence is all over the place. Flat out engaging in a vendetta against a guy you wasted a whole season in order to have the privilege of choosing is a different matter all together. The situation we have right now with this player is mostly on the player. He isn't playing an NHL game.

He looked great with Gagner and Hall to close out Krueger's half season. And then I thought his only good play under Eakins (rare though it was) was again when Gagner was able to play with him. Which, thanks to Kassian, wasn't very much.

Agree that it's mostly incompetence re: Yakupov but I definitely think the stereotypical biases against Russians have come into play when judging his play vs other players on the team - especially in the media, but also in how our management and Dallas Eakins dealt with him. It's hard to pin down with solid evidence, but I get the feeling that they simply never bothered to talk to the poor kid most of the time.

 

[Canovin]

Can finish what exactly?

Best finisher on the team.

 

[Aerrol]

Best finisher on the team.

Eh, I love Yakupov, but Eberle is definitely our best finisher. Yakupov has a better shot, but you can't call him a better finisher until he starts scoring at a high rate.