The Trials of Nail Yakupov

[guymez]

You did mention the 1st overall pedigree. Neither RNH and Yak are playing like one. That's why RNH was brought up. RNH also had the pleasure of playing with more skilled players...always has been

RNH had the displeasure of learning how to play centre at the NHL level against the best players in the League. Centre is a much tougher position to play and having to develop while playing tough competition is a very difficult thing to do.
In spite of those obstacles RNH has developed a strong 2 way game and at the same time has managed to be one of the teams top scorers.

Yak on the other hand plays wing...an easier position.
He has also had the luxury of playing against much weaker competition primarily because he is still a defensive liability.
Even with those advantages Yak still hasnt been able to be a player that the team can count on. He hasn't rounded out his game either...he is still a streaky one dimensional player.

One of these players is redundant...the other one is a core player.

 

[guymez]

This. Nuge has other issues namely offensive creativity but defensively, he's way better than Yak will ever be. The only thing against Nuge is his contract is a bit hefty for what he brings points wise. Granted the last argument is based on him never surpassing 56 pts so who knows, maybe this is the year

I dont see offensive creativity as an issue for RNH at all. I would also like to see how he does without dragging around a bad shoulder.

This will be the first full year he will be able to do play fully healthy.

Interesting but injury another thing that RNH has had to work through.

Yaks road has been a hell of a lot easier and he has very little to show for it.

 

[Canovin]

RNH had the displeasure of learning how to play centre at the NHL level against the best players in the League. Centre is a much tougher position to play and having to develop while playing tough competition is a very difficult thing to do.
In spite of those obstacles RNH has developed a strong 2 way game and at the same time has managed to be one of the teams top scorers.

Yak on the other hand plays wing...an easier position.
He has also had the luxury of playing against much weaker competition primarily because he is still a defensive liability.
Even with those advantages Yak still hasnt been able to be a player that the team can count on. He hasn't rounded out his game either...he is still a streaky one dimensional player.

One of these players is redundant...the other one is a core player.

So you're saying Yak has it easier than RNH? Okay. I think our discussion ends here. Hall, Drai, Ebs, Nurse, Klef are all perfect examples that need skilled players/teams to produce. Heck, even McDavid needed Yak to produce.

 

[guymez]

So you're saying Yak has it easier than RNH? Okay. I think our discussion ends here. Hall, Drai, Ebs, Nurse, Klef are all perfect examples that need skilled players/teams to produce.

Much easier....but lets agree to disagree on that point.

Why is it that you are not addressing any of Yaks many deficiencies?
He has had 4+ years to figure out how to play without the puck and yet he still struggles.

Strange how you are avoiding any discussion about why Yak is still a streaky one trick pony.

Why no dialogue around what Yak simply isnt able to bring to the table?

 

[Canovin]

Much easier....but lets agree to disagree on that point.

Why is it that you are not addressing any of Yaks many deficiencies?
He has had 4+ years to figure out how to play without the puck and yet he still struggles.

Strange how you are avoiding any discussion about why Yak is still a streaky one trick pony.

Why no dialogue around what Yak simply isnt able to bring to the table?

You pretty much described Eberle. If you go off by points per $$. Yak produces and brings more to the table. He also hits, forechecks and back checks. How is Eberle's defensive game the past 5 years? What's the point in talking about Yak's deficiencies? You can do this for just about any players.

 

[harpoon]

Eberle would have buried that chance.

Eberle is a true goal scorer...Yak isn't.
Eberle helps to make teammates better...Yak doesn't.

Its not about not liking the player...its just what reality has revealed about the player.

Its really bad for the board to see people repeatedly trying to build Yak up by downplaying (dare I say diminishing) the goals Jordan Eberle has scored for this club.

Regarding your comment, people also refuse to recognize for some reason that Eberle has scored goals with reasonable consistency since his first day as an Oiler. The guy knows how to put the puck in the net like few other players this fan base has seen in the last decade. I have no idea what more he could do in order to please the fans of this site.

I guess he could hurry back a bit harder on those line changes

 

[Panda Bear]

Eberle could try backchecking, but that's pretty much it.

 

[Dorian2]

You pretty much described Eberle. If you go off by points per $$. Yak produces and brings more to the table. He also hits, forechecks and back checks. How is Eberle's defensive game the past 5 years? What's the point in talking about Yak's deficiencies? You can do this for just about any players.

So do you see a consistent development pattern with Yakupov over the last 4 seasons? What I've seen is much of the same up and down play from the beginning by him. Including this year. Down when playing without McDavid, up when playing with him, down when playing with pretty much anyone else. With the exception of Roy.

I'll give him the benefit to say that defensively he has looked much better this year than in previous years. But what is taking away from it is that he has shown this type of improvement this year only. I'd expect it to happen sooner, especially from a #1 overall. Even if he was drafted, oh let's pick a number at random, 22nd overall, I'd expect him to look better at a number of aspects to his game than he has. Especially in 4 years.

 

[Up the Irons]

Mclelland has decided the team is better off by playing Teddy Purcell on the 1st line, and Yak on the 3rd.

Does anything else need to be said?

 

[Canovin]

Mclelland has decided the team is better off by playing Teddy Purcell on the 1st line, and Yak on the 3rd.

Does anything else need to be said?

It means when McDavid returns, he will also be a 3rd liner with Yak.

 

[SnooPac]

So, got in my car today, and Leafs Lunch was on TSN radio in Toronto. And I hear them discussing a player not doing well with Mcdavid out. So of course I assume Yakupov (they had started the conversation with possible trades for Hamonic).
But then they start saying how he was invisible against the hawks last game, etc.
Whole audio can be heard here:
http://www.tsn.ca/radio/toronto-1050/ferraro-hamonic-deal-would-drastically-re-shape-isles-1.396449 (Hamonic talk starting maybe at 20m, Yakupov talk at 20:50).
Most annoying part (for me, thought it was complete BS) I cut into a different clip and posted here: https://t.co/ZnuYK7ctit

So I made a video of how I didn't think he was invisible in that game

and started a discussion with Craig Button and Ray Ferraro.


So I sent him the video.

OK maybe I exaggerated the "played well" part. Maybe shoulda said "played OK". Oh well, not important.

Then he started denying saying anything against Yakupov, despite the audio clip above:





At this point I started to get annoyed. Really, "no criticism". I mean even if there was due criticism, that's fine. If you want to just argue that he's producing less or not the same without McDavid, OK. But the BS about the hawks game was even beyond that. So that's when I went and listened, then cut and posted the audio clip.


Finally, he can't deny it anymore, and admits to the BS (good on him for doing that...finally).

Happy he said 'hyperbole'. Problem is, 98% of of the listeners in Toronto probably didn't watch the game and take that hyperbole as fact. Anyway...


Still don't agree with that claim that they weren't mocking, but whatever.


Also, during that, one reply from Ferraro.




Thought Replacement would like that last part.

Anyway, I was annoyed. Had my say. And they had theirs. Normally don't like that social media stuff (that twitter account isn't really mine, I normally use it just to follow/read). But it does give pretty cool access and interaction with people you normally wouldn't get to interact with.

 

[Philly85*]

that's pretty cool I will admit

 

[psowrc]

So you're saying Yak has it easier than RNH? Okay. I think our discussion ends here. Hall, Drai, Ebs, Nurse, Klef are all perfect examples that need skilled players/teams to produce. Heck, even McDavid needed Yak to produce.

Ah, best laugh I have gotten off HF in a long time...thanks.

 

[psowrc]

So, got in my car today, and Leafs Lunch was on TSN radio in Toronto. And I hear them discussing a player not doing well with Mcdavid out. So of course I assume Yakupov (they had started the conversation with possible trades for Hamonic).
But then they start saying how he was invisible against the hawks last game, etc.
Whole audio can be heard here:
http://www.tsn.ca/radio/toronto-1050/ferraro-hamonic-deal-would-drastically-re-shape-isles-1.396449 (Hamonic talk starting maybe at 20m, Yakupov talk at 20:50).
Most annoying part (for me, thought it was complete BS) I cut into a different clip and posted here: https://t.co/ZnuYK7ctit

So I made a video of how I didn't think he was invisible in that game

and started a discussion with Craig Button and Ray Ferraro.


So I sent him the video.

OK maybe I exaggerated the "played well" part. Maybe shoulda said "played OK". Oh well, not important.

Then he started denying saying anything against Yakupov, despite the audio clip above:





At this point I started to get annoyed. Really, "no criticism". I mean even if there was due criticism, that's fine. If you want to just argue that he's producing less or not the same without McDavid, OK. But the BS about the hawks game was even beyond that. So that's when I went and listened, then cut and posted the audio clip.


Finally, he can't deny it anymore, and admits to the BS (good on him for doing that...finally).

Happy he said 'hyperbole'. Problem is, 98% of of the listeners in Toronto probably didn't watch the game and take that hyperbole as fact. Anyway...


Still don't agree with that claim that they weren't mocking, but whatever.


Also, during that, one reply from Ferraro.




Thought Replacement would like that last part.

Anyway, I was annoyed. Had my say. And they had theirs. Normally don't like that social media stuff (that twitter account isn't really mine, I normally use it just to follow/read). But it does give pretty cool access and interaction with people you normally wouldn't get to interact with.

Yak has been invisible in his career outside of 13 games with McDavid...not a stellar resume.

 

[Canovin]

Ah, best laugh I have gotten off HF in a long time...thanks.

Name me a player not name Yak and Pouliot

 

[Aerchon]

Yak still has proven jack in this league Imo. Every time he starts to get his feet under him he finds away to collapse in some way shape or form.

The same cant be said of any of our other skilled players: Hall Ebs Rnh

Those guy have all proven themselves Imo.

 

[psowrc]

Name me a player not name Yak and Pouliot

Any player on the Oilers for more than 13 games. Yak was not the straw that stirred that cup. Semenko had season high totals playing with Gretzky. Lets be honest about who dictated the points that Yak got while MacD was playing.

 

[Canovin]

Yak still has proven jack in this league Imo. Every time he starts to get his feet under him he finds away to collapse in some way shape or form.

The same cant be said of any of our other skilled players: Hall Ebs Rnh

Those guy have all proven themselves Imo.

Those guys did for a consistent amount of time playing together. Yak had a revolving door of linemates every time he seems to get something going. If he plays with McDavid for the remaining of the season and still sucks, then I say it's time you trade him.

 

[Canovin]

Any player on the Oilers for more than 13 games. Yak was not the straw that stirred that cup. Semenko had season high totals playing with Gretzky. Lets be honest about who dictated the points that Yak got while MacD was playing.

You seem to not be able to find another player that McDavid can play with.

How about we just say both benefit from playing with each other?

 

[psowrc]

Those guys did for a consistent amount of time playing together. Yak had a revolving door of linemates every time he seems to get something going. If he plays with McDavid for the remaining of the season and still sucks, then I say it's time you trade him.

Yak has done nothing playing up and down the lines. He doesn't bring anything offensively to the table. His games with MacD only demonstrated how an elite player could bring up a lesser player.

Trade him and a draft for Hamonic.

 

[McTedi]

You seem to not be able to find another player that McDavid can play with.

How about we just say both benefit from playing with each other?

If you actually believe that I don't really know what else to say

 

[guymez]

You pretty much described Eberle. If you go off by points per $$. Yak produces and brings more to the table. He also hits, forechecks and back checks. How is Eberle's defensive game the past 5 years? What's the point in talking about Yak's deficiencies? You can do this for just about any players.

Eberle is a consistent point producer/goal scorer.
Yak isn't.
Eberle gets points regardless of who is line mates are.
Yak doesn't.

Debate that.

 

[Canovin]

Yak has done nothing playing up and down the lines. He doesn't bring anything offensively to the table. His games with MacD only demonstrated how an elite player could bring up a lesser player.

Trade him and a draft for Hamonic.

Just like how McDavid carried Hall? How many points generated exactly? Yak is tailored made for McDavid just like Hall-Drai and RNH-Eberle

 

[psowrc]

You seem to not be able to find another player that McDavid can play with.

How about we just say both benefit from playing with each other?

You do know that MacD only played 13 games. Why are you saying that he is as only so good to play with Yak? That is laughable.

 

[Canovin]

Eberle is a consistent point producer/goal scorer.
Yak isn't.
Eberle gets points regardless of who is line mates are.
Yak doesn't.

Debate that.

Who does Eberle play with outside of Hall, RNH, Horc and Pouliot?