Scapegoat Yakupov and double standards (Eberle)

[Replacement*]

The bottom line is that if this team wants to take the next step then all of these guys need to work hard in all 3 zones. Nail hasn't produced much of anything this year so his gaffs are magnified. Eberle assisted on a pair of goals last night so he helped us get 2 and cost us 1. Nail on the other hand got no points to offset the GA. That said I might be in the minority here but I REALLY didn't like that pass from Hall and I blame him at least as much as I blame Nail for that GA.

Nails gaffes are magnified because his GA is the worst for any forward in the NHL. By a wide margin.

For some reason some junk has crept into his game. Of course he's been better offensively this year but I'm seeing less sound play and less good decision making. He's often jumping the play more than he used to. Not sure whats up with that. Could be that last year he had more desperation to play sound defensively because he knew his offensive game was screwed with his shoulder.

 

[Klimando Kostani]

Is it the same people that are saying

Yak deserves a pass for poor defensive play, he only has 60 games.

saying

Yak needs top line minutes to really perform?

 

[McArthur]

Is it the same people that are saying

Yak deserves a pass for poor defensive play, he only has 60 games.

saying

Yak needs top line minutes to really perform?

the only performance I want to expect from him right now is a one timer. once he gets good at anything, let him develop his game further. Trying to do everything at once is making it hard on everyone. They are a turnover machine out there and Yakupov is just another cog driving the machine. so was hall, so is eberle

 

[Replacement*]

Is it the same people that are saying

Yak deserves a pass for poor defensive play, he only has 60 games.

saying

Yak needs top line minutes to really perform?

I'm certainly not saying Yak needs to be given topline minutes. Gagner services him well enough typically and it will come.

But the service to Yak has been poor this year. On most sustained pressure players aren't even looking to pass to Yak who has the best shot on this club seen in decades.

If you don't think that part is strange..

Yak is a trigger goal scorer. Fact of the matter is such players don't score a lot of goals without some half decent table service. Thats just how it is. Thats who Yak is, and who we drafted. We felt we needed a goal scorer, a gun slinger, now we don't use him much in that capacity. It is odd.

 

[Delicious Pancakes]

I'm certainly not saying Yak needs to be given topline minutes. Gagner services him well enough typically and it will come.

But the service to Yak has been poor this year. On most sustained pressure players aren't even looking to pass to Yak who has the best shot on this club seen in decades.

If you don't think that part is strange..

Yak is a trigger goal scorer. Fact of the matter is such players don't score a lot of goals without some half decent table service. Thats just how it is. Thats who Yak is, and who we drafted. We felt we needed a goal scorer, a gun slinger, now we don't use him much in that capacity. It is odd.

I agree with this.

Of all the Oilers top picks Yakupov has been nurtured the least and been put in position to succeed less. Eakins wants to break him of bad habits but I think his method is not the best for Yak. Kreuger was a better fit as coach for Yak. He could also use somebody to take him under their wing but the Oilers don't have that player.

 

[McDeepika]

As far as HFOil is concerned, I would say it's quite the opposite.
It seems that most here make constant excuses for Yakupov (Eakins is out to get him, the Canadian trio ignores him on the ice, the apparent xenophobia against Yak etc.) while Eberle is universally disliked on this forum and most want to dump the bum. Oh and Hall is next in line now apparently for being run out of town.

The reality is that the ENTIRE TEAM is to blame for the horrible start. Yakupov has struggled, Eberle has shown a lack of compete way too often, RNH looks weak on the puck, Hall with the turnovers, the D as a whole has been pitiful and the goaltending has been horrid so there's plenty of blame to go around but the scapegoating of certain players from certain posters is ridiculous. It happens all too often around here.

Agree 100%

We are way too quick to make excuses for Yakupov right now. Eberle has been junk at times, but I think it is clear that we are a better team with him in the lineup. I honestly believe that we are a better team without Yakupov right now. The only reason he is playing at all at the moment is because he was a #1 pick. He has great potential and hopefully he will turn into a great player for us but we need to stop with the excuses.

 

[redgrant]

There is a huge prejudice bias no doubt. There is no doubt in his whatsapp phone groups with other russians Yaks is being told "welcome to the to nhl where russians are treated like dogs and good ole canadian boys can do no wrong".

Clearly that will take a toll.


That being said Yaks can look at Hall's game against Tampa as inspiration. He was suppose to be like a bure. He needs to have his north south game going. Use his speed and strenght put shots on net. Who cares if youre not scoring show the effort.

 

[decma]

Nails gaffes are magnified because his GA is the worst for any forward in the NHL. By a wide margin.

For some reason some junk has crept into his game. Of course he's been better offensively this year but I'm seeing less sound play and less good decision making. He's often jumping the play more than he used to. Not sure whats up with that. Could be that last year he had more desperation to play sound defensively because he knew his offensive game was screwed with his shoulder.

Edm has given up 20 ESGA with Yakupov on the the ice. Eberle's and Hemsky's ESGA is also 20. And, after last night's 4, RNH is up to 23 ESGA.

Taking into account ES ice time, Yakupov is worst on the team, but not by much.

Here is the ESGA per 1200 ES minutes (approximate full season) for the regular forwards:

Arco 54
Perron 65
Gordon 72
Eberle 82
Hemsky 95

Hall 99
Gagner 105
RNH 107
Smyth 110
Yakupov 118

So, Yakupov is worst on the team, but by a small margin. And last year his ESGA per full season was around the middle of the pack:

RNH 48
Hemsky 53
Hall 57
Yakupov 60
Eberle 64
Gagner 67