Will we see a Russian go #1 in the next 5 years?

[Canuck71*]

I place my money on Galchenyuk playing for team Russia when he's older.

I would aswell. Russian agent, and best friends with Yakupov. Not to mention the fact they speak Russian at home. I'd be very surprised if he plays for the states.

I wouldn't be so sure.

But even that description is a bit inaccurate, since the Galchenyuks are originally from Belarus, not Russia. And American-born Alex acknowledges that, if he gets an opportunity to play in the World Jr. Championships, he would like it to be for the country of his birth.

“I don’t know, it’s a tough question,†says Galchenyuk. “But I’d probably say the U.S.â€

http://www.theobserver.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2886328

 

[Bjorn Le]

how can you be taken seriously after this kind of statement?

He said Ovechkins off year is due to him playing in North America.

Its safe to say he doesn't approve of Russians leaving Russia.

Yakupov will go 1st unless one of the defensemen can jump a lot ahead. And they will be stars in the NHL.

 

[Bjorn Le]

I wouldn't be so sure.



http://www.theobserver.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2886328

I've seen that before and I don't put any truth in it. Players say a lot of things that don't end up being the truth.

 

[umwoz]

Take a look at next year. Yakupov and Grigorenko are easily in the top 5 for forwards, with guys like Marcantuoni and Galchenyuk(wherever he's from...). Given that, it's a defenseman's year, don't be surprised if someone like Reinhart, Ebert, Murray go first overall.

 

[pouskin74*]

A lot will happen between now and 2012 draft, but Yakupov at least has a chance. But he is small, and almost eligible for this year's draft (so one of the older 2012 eligibles), so not a surprise he is ahead of many of his draft peers at this point. He is basically the same age as Khoklachev. Given his age, size and passport, I will say he will have to step up his production next year to go 1st overall. Scouts tend to be overly critical when a player only slightly improves over their pre-draft year (Couturier is the highest point per game player in the entire CHL, but now people are concerned about his 'upside'). And given some of the struggles of top Russians (Filitov, Zherdev), there might be some hestitation for certain teams given the concern he could return back to Russia.

All that said, I don't see why a Russian won't get picked 1st overall again. Another Kovalchuk, Malkin or Ovechkin will come along and be too good to pass up. But those guys were huge framed guys, which is one thing that makes it tough to go 1st overall. Guys Yakupov's size don't go 1st overall very often, and they really need to outproduce their peers by a fair margin (i.e. Crosby, Kane).

1-Couturier isnt the highest point per game player in CHL but Akeson is.
2-Yakupov is almost at the same age as Khohlachev but having 20 points more than him...what was your point anyway?
3-whats wrong with his production this year? its pretty good i would say.
4- its like beeing 1 overall is something beyond reality... actually it dosnt matter -Top pick or Top 30 . its not beauty contest you know!

 

[ponder]

I don't think there's much of a "Russian factor" with Yakupov. Mostly teams are hesitant to draft Russians because they're not sure if/when they'll come over, and if a guy doesn't come over it's a wasted pick. Yakupov came to play in the CHL at 16, I doubt this will be much of a concern, unless people think he has a Radulov type attitude (I haven't heard anything like that personally, though he does tend to go way over the top with his goal celebrations, like Radulov). Really, the only recent drafts that have had Russian prospects who were talented enough to get serious consideration at 1st overall were the 2004 and 2001 drafts, and in those drafts the Russsian factor didn't matter - Ovy and Malkin went 1st and 2nd in 2004, Kovalchuk went 1st in 2001.

With that being, Yakupov is certainly no lock to go 1st overall in 2012, very few players are anything close to being a lock 1.5 years before the draft, so much can happen in that time with respect to player development, injuries, etc. He is the early favourite though.

All that said, I don't see why a Russian won't get picked 1st overall again. Another Kovalchuk, Malkin or Ovechkin will come along and be too good to pass up. But those guys were huge framed guys, which is one thing that makes it tough to go 1st overall. Guys Yakupov's size don't go 1st overall very often, and they really need to outproduce their peers by a fair margin (i.e. Crosby, Kane).

I don't know, if you look at the last 6 drafts, a forward has gone 1st overall in 5 of them, and all 5 forwards were between 5'10" and 6'1", and none of them particularly built on draft day:

2010 - Taylor Hall - 6'1"
2009 - John Tavares - 6'0"
2008 - Steven Stamkos - 6'1"
2007 - Patrick Kane - 5'10"
2006 - Erik Johnson - 6'4" (but a dman)
2005 - Sidney Crosby - 5'11"

In the "new NHL" I'd say size is less important than it used to be, you always want supporting forwards who are big to get the puck out of the corners or stand in front of the net, but I'd say most of the young offensive stars in the league now are small to average sized, in that 5'10" to 6'1" range. Yakupov was 5'10" as a 16 year old, wouldn't shock me to see him around 5'11" on draft day, and he seems pretty strong. If, on draft day, he seems like the most offensively talented player in the draft, seems committed to playing in the NHL, and doesn't seem like a huge d-bag, then he'll go 1st overall.

 

[MrGeno101]

maybe this russian kid

 

[J17 Vs Proclamation]

With Yakupov there is barely the Russian factor. If Yakupov is deemed as the best player in the draft, he will go #1. There is no reason to believe anything other than this is correct.

People using Filatov and Zherdev as arguments against this need to understand the context of the situations. Anyway, what does Zherdev have to do with anything? He is a different individual who will have been drafted 9 years ago when the 2012 draft happens. Filatov is a different case too ; drafted out of Russia for a start. He is now in NA? Filatov as a prospect hasn't progressed anyway for whatever reason. The main reason many Russians go home (the threat of the AHL) doesn't exist with Yakupov. He's good enough to make the jump to the NHL straight from his draft IMO and even if he doesn't, he won't actually be eligible for the AHL then anyway. So the possibilities, the individual and the talent level are all much different than in the examples cited and referenced to support any theory of a Russian can't be taken 1st overall.

In terms of talent to go #1, Yakupov certainly seems to be in line with recent 1st round picks. He is outproducing Hall and Stamkos at the same respective times in their career. He has all the Offensive tools that you could ever want which make his size almost redundant. He is a physical player anyway, so that isn't an issue. He is certainly a better prospect than any of the Top Forwards in the 2010 draft at the moment. I'd take Yakupov over Nugent Hopkins all day long for instance.

 

[Mike Liut]

Is Yakupov in the 2011 or 2012 draft ?

 

[KingLB]

IMO the "Russian factor" shouldn't be a problem for the #1 overall. Part of the Russian factor is money/not wanting to be in the minors/contract obligations in Russia.

A number one overall is gonna get a nice contract 3.5+ (assuming they hit bonus'). They are also going to step right into the NHL squad. And with Nail, he isn't locked into a Russian contract. The Russian factor for me was always with the guys that are a year or more away from the NHL.

 

[MrGeno101]

Is Yakupov in the 2011 or 2012 draft ?

2012

 

[tikkanen5rings*]

Who would you guys say is an NHL comparable to Nail Yakupov?

Pavel Bure with some Datsuyk. Easily 1 overall.