Oilers: The Resurgence of Nail Yakupov

[Tarus]

An excerpt from Elliotte Friedman's latest column re: Yak...




That right there shows how much damage Eakins had done to Yak's confidence. He was a beaten kid, expecting to be punished for every little mistake he made. Obviously there were no open channels of communication between Yak and Eakins. Mending that Coach/Player relationship is probably the easiest first step Nelson can take to improving Yak in all facets.

I remember when Yak called in his agent due to how poorly he felt he was getting treated.

Eakins was all "I talk to Yakupov every day, we've had long conversations".

Yak was specifically asked about that, and stated "he hasn't talked to me since he joined the team"

He said/he said, but given how delusional Eakins was during his time here, my money is on Yakupov in that particular exchange

 

[PerformanceMcOil]

You lost me at this point.

I swear, I have seen them give up more shots to players wide open in the slot in the first month of this season, than any other team in the league combined for the year.

Eh? I mentioned the weird mental lapses (i.e. abandoning the slot at the worst time). Maybe that was a systems thing, but I don't think so. As evidence, the team's sv%'age has stayed exactly the same under Nelson. If Eakin's system was one that by design allowed high quality shots, while Nelson's does not, that should not be so. I think the team has breakdowns (+ the goalies are under performing for whatever reason), and when the swarm broke down it was more spectacular.

 

[Klimando Kostani]

Could you imagine a passing conversation with Dallas?

From interviews I picture him as one of those guys that would take any conversation and then begin to drone on and on into his own conversation thread from which there is no escape.

That said he didn't seem to talk to the guys on the bench ever... So no in game changes were made. He did his talking through benching people.

There are times I wonder if the guys didn't get him fired on purpose.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Eh? I mentioned the weird mental lapses (i.e. abandoning the slot at the worst time). Maybe that was a systems thing, but I don't think so. As evidence, the team's sv%'age has stayed exactly the same under Nelson. If Eakin's system was one that by design allowed high quality shots, while Nelson's does not, that should not be so. I think the team has breakdowns (+ the goalies are under performing for whatever reason), and when the swarm broke down it was more spectacular.

Naw dude, the system totally opened up the slot for the opposition by design.

http://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/581836


The swarm is an AHL tactic similar to the full court press. When it was OBVIOUSLY floundering, what was mind-numbingly obvious was that we KEPT WITH IT despite getting completely lit up.

The other problem with the wingers pinching low, was it removed an outlet option if we actually did retrieve the puck.



Think about the logistics of this:

Eberle RNH and Schultz are trying to overpower Toews and Hossa, or Getzlaf/Perry or the Sedins.
This scenario is completely negated when they are given a split second to pass to the open player in the slot.


Do you realise how absolutely ridiculous this scenario is? Because that was our system for over a year.

Players like Joe Thorton, Kopitar, Iginla, just FEASTED on this.

 

[PerformanceMcOil]

Naw dude, the system totally opened up the slot for the opposition by design.

http://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/581836


The swarm is an AHL tactic similar to the full court press. When it was OBVIOUSLY floundering, what was mind-numbingly obvious was that we KEPT WITH IT despite getting completely lit up.

The other problem with the wingers pinching low, was it removed an outlet option if we actually did retrieve the puck.

First, the author makes it clear that in his belief the system is only a problem if it isn't executed properly, not that the system is inherently flawed. It isn't the slot which is sacrificed, but rather the points. This is consistent with what I said. The players had breakdowns and the swarm looks very bad when you breakdown.

Second, if Eakin's system, when compared to Nelson's, was leading to a larger amount of high quality scoring chances, explain the following:

Under Eakin's: SF/G: 28.83, SA/G: 29.17, GF/G: 2.17
GA/G: 3.4

Under Nelson: SF/G: 27.26, SA/G: 29.65, GF/G: 2.43
GA/G: 3.17

Under both the goalie's sv% is almost identical (they have improved about about 1% under Nelson).

So, fairly marginal gains in shooting % and sv% have lead to some improved results. But I don't think any of these differences support the claims about the swarm you have made. The system may be better, but I think more than that, the players are executing better right now. Maybe that is because the new system is easier. Maybe it is because the expectations have been lowered again. Maybe it is because they just didn't like working for Eakins. But I don't think it is because they were being trained to abandon the slot.

That said, Nelson hasn't really had a healthy Hall to work with, and that is a pretty big thing, and maybe a bigger difference would be seen if he did.

Even so, I still think that more than new systems, or better defence, or a guy who doesn't like playing with his hair, what the team needs is a guy who can give league average goaltending, regardless of the team's flaws. Take this team, give it league average 'tending, and we are easily a bubble team this year.

 

[McDynasty]

Not one single factor but a few, New coach who doesn't bench him to make mistakes, and finally a expereinced Center in Roy, they seem to have good chemistry together. Also Yak has learnt to regulate his speed of game, he's slower when he needs to be and fast when needed. All these combined have made him a better player.

 

[MagicOilers73]

1 other thing is that 1/3 of the team(especially Eberle, Hall & Jultz) have had prior coaching familiarity with Nelson. So they already know what's expected of them under his style of coaching. It's showing in their respective improvement of play.