The Twelve Labors of Nail Yakupov

[ChaoticOrange]

Hey guys, the old thread is well over 1,000 posts, so I fired up this one.

The original article, for reference:

http://alongtheboards.com/2015/09/nail-yakupov-bust/

Click to read more...

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

It's a scorer's job to score and unfortunately he isn't doing that.

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

It's a scorer's job to score and unfortunately he isn't doing that.

Even with McDavid he wasn't scoring. I'm impressed he can get assists but his main "talent" is apparently his shot. Something he misses wide or doesnt score with. It's a shame.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Even with McDavid he wasn't scoring. I'm impressed he can get assists but his main "talent" is apparently his shot. Something he misses wide or doesnt score with. It's a shame.

A guy with his goalscoring talent shouldn't be stuck at 2 goals...

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

A guy with his goalscoring talent shouldn't be stuck at 2 goals...

Drai has a much better shot... And it's not something he is known for.

 

[Supermassive]

Yak scored the GWG in our last game against the Devils.
He comes alive tonight and scores a PPG.
Positive vibes, Yak City. Positive vibes.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Drai has a much better shot... And it's not something he is known for.

The goal he scored against the Hawks was not something many players could do...

 

[jukon]

Maybe he ought to hire Adam Oates?

 

[Canovin]

Same old story. Yak heats up, the critics disappear or jump the bandwagon. Yak cools down, they are full on criticizing

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Same old story. Yak heats up, the critics disappear or jump the bandwagon. Yak cools down, they are full on criticizing

When McDavid went down a lot of people were wondering if Yakupov could keep it up and he hasn't.

When you're being outdone by Purcell something's not right.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

Same old story. Yak heats up, the critics disappear or jump the bandwagon. Yak cools down, they are full on criticizing

Yeah.Agreed. It's annoying actually. He's under the microscope constantly. I don't like a lot of how he plays but there's many others on this team that are far worse. I know he's a number one pick but maybe we're expecting something he can't deliver. Many of us are liking a nagging wife. On his back constantly.

 

[Canovin]

When McDavid went down a lot of people were wondering if Yakupov could keep it up and he hasn't.

When you're being outdone by Purcell something's not right.

There's something called chemistry. Purcell is up there to balance out the top 6. Otherwise, it's Hall-RNH-Drai if they wanted to ice the best line and leave the bottom 9 dry. But what point does it serve?

I don't understand the logic of wanting to see an Oiler fail to reach his potential? We should be rooting for his success. Are people only on here to criticize and not mention any positives?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

There's something called chemistry. Purcell is up there to balance out the top 6. Otherwise, it's Hall-RNH-Drai if they wanted to ice the best line and leave the bottom 9 dry. But what point does it serve?

I don't understand the logic of wanting to see an Oiler fail to reach his potential? We should be rooting for his success. Are people only on here to criticize and not mention any positives?

Nobody's rooting for him to fail. When he's good he makes the team better, something we all want. But his job is to score goals and he simply isn't doing that and the linemate excuse is getting old. Our bottom 6 needs help and he could provide it but the kid just can't finish, something he was explicitly touted to do when he was drafted. Where is that scoring ability we were told so much about?

 

[CupofOil]

There's something called chemistry. Purcell is up there to balance out the top 6. Otherwise, it's Hall-RNH-Drai if they wanted to ice the best line and leave the bottom 9 dry. But what point does it serve?

I don't understand the logic of wanting to see an Oiler fail to reach his potential? We should be rooting for his success. Are people only on here to criticize and not mention any positives?

Hmm, you mean like some people are with Reinhart? Seems like quite the double standard.

I think some of the Yak criticism is unfair but when you're a #1 overall pick in his 4th season, you need to do better than a career high of 17 goals and 33 points so some criticism is warranted. It's not like he plays so well in other areas of the ice to offset the lack of production.

The bottom line is that somebody touted as an elite goal scorer needs to score goals and he hasn't done that enough.
He has as many goals as Davidson, less than Klefbom. Not nearly good enough regardless of who he's playing with, 12 of those games with McDavid btw.

 

[Canovin]

Nobody's rooting for him to fail. When he's good he makes the team better, something we all want. But his job is to score goals and he simply isn't doing that and the linemate excuse is getting old. Our bottom 6 needs help and he could provide it but the kid just can't finish, something he was explicitly touted to do when he was drafted. Where is that scoring ability we were told so much about?

No, his job as he mention every time he's being interviewed is to make the team better. If he's not scoring, he's making little plays, forecheck, back check, playing the body. If he created a scoring chance, and his linemates cannot capitalize on it, then it's not his fault. Playing with Hendricks and Letestu won't get you many points.

 

[Dorian2]

@mccanovin:

So do you see a consistent development pattern with Yakupov over the last 4 seasons?

I know you've read this post. I must have missed the response somewhere. If so, please point me to the post #. If I didn't miss it, maybe you can add to this your take on it. I'll leave everything that I thought I saw just to clarify it more for you.

Also, is Yakupov playing up to YOUR expected standards, regardless of linemates. Just Yakupov himself, no comparisons please.

Edit: This was taken from the last thread BTW.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

No, his job as he mention every time he's being interviewed is to make the team better. If he's not scoring, he's making little plays, forecheck, back check, playing the body. If he created a scoring chance, and his linemates cannot capitalize on it, then it's not his fault. Playing with Hendricks and Letestu won't get you many points.

And if his linemates create a scoring chance and he can't capitalize on it? He's the best scorer on his line, why is he trying to get his teammates goals when he's the one who should be doing it?

He's stuck at two goals. There are many worse players playing with crappy linemates who are scoring at a better or similar pace. His old buddy and former whipping boy Sam Gagner has just as many goals.

Yak has to score. When he's with McDavid he can make good passes, when he's not with McDavid he needs to go to the net and bang in rebounds.

Scoring goals in the NHL is not that hard. Yet Yakupov can't do that and hasn't consistently since he arrived in the NHL. We can appreciate his effort but for a #1 pick that simply isn't enough. When the team consistently loses by a single goal they could use one form him.

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

Scoring goals in the NHL is not that hard. Yet Yakupov can't do that and hasn't consistently since he arrived in the NHL. We can appreciate his effort but for a #1 pick that simply isn't enough. When the team consistently loses by a single goal they could use one form him.

It is very hard if you're playing with two plugs. I'd say only 25 or so players in the whole league can still produce without any help on their line. We go from McDavid to Letestu with nothing in between.

 

[Canovin]

Hmm, you mean like some people are with Reinhart? Seems like quite the double standard.

I think some of the Yak criticism is unfair but when you're a #1 overall pick in his 4th season, you need to do better than a career high of 17 goals and 33 points so some criticism is warranted. It's not like he plays so well in other areas of the ice to offset the lack of production.
The bottom line is that somebody touted as an elite goal scorer needs to score goals and he hasn't done that enough.

My complaint is not really with Reinhart. It's overpaying for him when he have a similar player in Musil who was decent in his call up. It's more of a criticism towards Chia than Reinhart. What is questionable is what Chia did in the offseason when he decided to go ahead and change last season positives instead of the area of weaknesses. The wagon line was good, why split them? Roy was good with Yak, why not re-sign him in case of injuries? Musil was decent, why trade for Reinhart and keep the assets for a big time trade like Hamonic? It's like Chia didn't want to recognize MacT's positives. I know it's funny as it sounds. Work around the weakness not changes the positives. If it's not broken, don't fix it.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

And if his linemates create a scoring chance and he can't capitalize on it? He's the best scorer on his line, why is he trying to get his teammates goals when he's the one who should be doing it?

He's stuck at two goals. There are many worse players playing with crappy linemates who are scoring at a better or similar pace. His old buddy and former whipping boy Sam Gagner has just as many goals.

Yak has to score. When he's with McDavid he can make good passes, when he's not with McDavid he needs to go to the net and bang in rebounds.

Scoring goals in the NHL is not that hard. Yet Yakupov can't do that and hasn't consistently since he arrived in the NHL. We can appreciate his effort but for a #1 pick that simply isn't enough. When the team consistently loses by a single goal they could use one form him.

To be fair to Yakupov, if he's going into the offensive zone and waiting for Hendricks or Letestu to set him up, he's going to be at two goals for a very long time.

Part of that made Yak and McDavid work so well together is Yak was making very smart, quick plays in the neutral zone to spring McDavid.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

It is very hard if you're playing with two plugs. I'd say only 25 or so players in the whole league can still produce without any help on their line. We go from McDavid to Letestu with nothing in between.

Then why are worse players producing just as much? He shouldn't be tied in goals with Jordan Tootoo or have one more than Brandon Bollig. For pete's sake he has as many goals as the guy drafted below him and Columbus has been awful this year. How does a guy like Dale Weise have 9 goals this year?

The kid deserves credit for working hard but you win games by scoring goals. This team could really use a boost from him.

 

[Canovin]

And if his linemates create a scoring chance and he can't capitalize on it? He's the best scorer on his line, why is he trying to get his teammates goals when he's the one who should be doing it?

He's stuck at two goals. There are many worse players playing with crappy linemates who are scoring at a better or similar pace. His old buddy and former whipping boy Sam Gagner has just as many goals.

Yak has to score. When he's with McDavid he can make good passes, when he's not with McDavid he needs to go to the net and bang in rebounds.

Scoring goals in the NHL is not that hard. Yet Yakupov can't do that and hasn't consistently since he arrived in the NHL. We can appreciate his effort but for a #1 pick that simply isn't enough. When the team consistently loses by a single goal they could use one form him.

What you're saying is Yak's job is to score goals and nothing else? Let's just keep him cherry picking the blue line. That's actually good idea except we don't have a #1D who can make that crisp first pass.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

To be fair to Yakupov, if he's going into the offensive zone and waiting for Hendricks or Letestu to set him up, he's going to be at two goals for a very long time.

Part of that made Yak and McDavid work so well together is Yak was making very smart, quick plays in the neutral zone to spring McDavid.

Then shoot the puck. Isn't he supposed to have a great shot? What's stopping him from driving the play and blazing down the wing? Having subpar linemates shouldn't stop him from trying to pick corners or just getting shots on net on his own.

Also Hendricks is a very hard working guy that scores a lot of greasy goals, something Yak should emulate.

 

[KlefDown]

I'm at a point where I'd be fine with trading Yakupov.
I'm hating his game currently. He can't even keep possession in the O zone never mind do something with the puck. Every time the puck is on his stick, all he thinks is pass, never shoot.
I miss the rookie Yakupov, where he would skate with the puck, and shoot the puck.
Rookie Yakupov is to far gone.
Today's Yakupov is ridiculously inconsistent and streaky and a bit of a liability.
He's holding us back.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

What you're saying is Yak's job is to score goals and nothing else? Let's just keep him patrolling the blue line. That's actually good idea except we don't have a #1D who can make that crisp first pass.

I'm saying that's his main job and what we drafted him to do. He's a goal scorer, isn't he?