Player Discussion Yak Talk Part IV: It's nearly time... For camp

[oobga]

They got along completely fine in yaks first season and did very well together ON ICE. They obviously are not friends, but Hall did not break yaks career. That's silly.

Creating little cliques in the team and making a guy feel like an outcast certainly doesn't help though. Especially when the coach is also constantly singling you out at the same time. Nelson said he was shocked about how the players did almost nothing together when he started as HC. Not saying it's the reason for Yak to play poorly. Just makes for a lousy locker room and anyone that is struggling is going to feel even more isolated in an atmosphere like that. And it's not only Hall's fault. Poor team culture from management, poor coach that only really cared about himself and just a general void of leadership in the room all created that mess.

 

[Ninety7]

In a thread where we are arguing whether Eakins had anything to do with Yak's demise, I hope we can agree that Hall's "strong personality" had nothing to do with Yak's demise. That's a cop out if I've ever seen one.

Precisely this. Hall vs yakupov may be made up conjecture that could be seen as a cop out.

A coach having a direct effect on a players development? Not so much.

How that's a cop out is beyond me.

 

[belair]

They got along completely fine in yaks first season and did very well together ON ICE. They obviously are not friends, but Hall did not break yaks career. That's silly.

I don't think anyone is saying that.

 

[Raoul Duke]

I don't think anyone is saying that.

Sure they are.
Hall, Eakins, management, Russian factor, agent, lack of hockey sense, lack of desire to adapt have all been blamed.
Some of it is probably true. Maybe even all of it. Who knows?
Yak has been brought up in an organization that never really wanted him. He was the owner's pick.
Whatever the truth is doesn't really matter anymore , the only thing that can turn it around is Yakupov himself.
We'll see.

 

[T-Funk]

Eakins just tried to use the break them down and then build them back up philosophy.

He just screwed up administering it. Although considering Belov's parting words, it might have been a Russian bias.

 

[oobga]

Eakins just tried to use the break them down and then build them back up philosophy.

He just screwed up administering it. Although considering Belov's parting words, it might have been a Russian bias.

hehe, I've always suspected that was the case with Yak. He was always so fast to take credit for and let the eastern media praise him for Kadri's success. I think he picked Yak as his guy that he was going to break down to nothing and turn into a good player so he could tell stories about how he saved Yak's career. He would be his NHL-level Kadri (at least based on his personal perspective of how he thought he shaped Kadri's game). Yak's confidence was probably a lot more fragile than he expected, and combined with the general fact that Eakins didn't have a clue of how to coach players at the NHL level, the plan was a disaster. Every player on the team suffered and had their development stunted to some degree under Eakins, but I'm not sure anyone got singled out by him as much as Yak.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

Eakins just tried to use the break them down and then build them back up philosophy.

He just screwed up administering it. Although considering Belov's parting words, it might have been a Russian bias.

I guess he forgot that you can't make a house with just wood and water.

 

[T-Funk]

I guess he forgot that you can't make a house with just wood and water.

Or if you're chopping wood whilst carrying water, you're gonna spill. And then the axe gets rusty and the blade flies off into an electric box, the puddle of water you're standing in electrocutes you and you die.

Basically.

 

[GMofOilers]

Dead serious question.

Is Yak going to make our team?

 

[snipes]

Dead serious question.

Is Yak going to make our team?

He better show up. He's on his last legs, no more time for games. The best players will play, and we aren't going to "showcase" someone for a trade.

You can't help us win, get the **** out. I'm pulling for him, but if he doesn't put on his big boy pants, then adios.

 

[Mr Positive]

Dead serious question.

Is Yak going to make our team?

right now, we are seeing all these other players do well so it's easy to think maybe this is the time we move on from Yak, and trade him for whatever we can get.

Yak worked in the offseason as well. Players like Pulju have got the chance to show their stuff and Yak will too.

But yes, Yak is in serious danger of not making it.

One player who doesn't get mentioned all that much is Kassian. He slowed down at the end of the season, but if he's been healthy and clean all this time then he has a chance at being as good as he was here when he first started. If that happens, he's more of a 3rd line player than a 4th line guy. The team likes Pakarinen as well, and he's a great 4th line RW imo

 

[GMofOilers]

He better show up. He's on his last legs, no more time for games. The best players will play, and we aren't going to "showcase" someone for a trade.

You can't help us win, get the **** out. I'm pulling for him, but if he doesn't put on his big boy pants, then adios.

I agree, with the confidence excuse posters use here, hes in extreme trouble right now.

RW depth chart
Eberle
Pulji
Versteeg
Kassian
Parki

 

[snipes]

I agree, with the confidence excuse posters use here, hes in extreme trouble right now.

RW depth chart
Eberle
Pulji
Versteeg
Kassian
Parki

I really like Yak and think he can succeed with McDavid, but if he doesn't perform, then he's got to go.

We're trying to build a winner, we have no time for anchors holding us back.

 

[nexttothemoon]

I like Yak a LOT... but I can honestly say I don't think he's one of the best 12 forwards on this team.

Maybe he shows up in camp and rocks everyone with his play... but I agree... there's real competition now and I wouldn't be surprised in the least if he doesn't make the opening night 20 man roster... and possibly not even the 23 man initial roster either.

 

[guymez]

Dead serious question.

Is Yak going to make our team?

This is a legit question.
Yak is in jeopardy of losing his roster spot to an 18 year old. As if that wasn't enough he also had Versteeg to compete with.
Its going to be very interesting to be sure.

 

[Quinteoilers]

This is a legit question.
Yak is in jeopardy of losing his roster spot to an 18 year old. As if that wasn't enough he also had Versteeg to compete with.
Its going to be very interesting to be sure.

Wouldn't you keep him anyway, and hope he gets picked up in the expansion draft?

Or is it time to trade him for "whatever" and move on?

 

[Spawn]

Wouldn't you keep him anyway, and hope he gets picked up in the expansion draft?

Or is it time to trade him for "whatever" and move on?

If Yakupov doesn't make this roster, why would Vegas ever consider using their Oilers "pick" on him?

If Yakupov does in fact lose his spot during training camp, it's time to put him out there for whatever pick you can get, and if you can't get anything, put him on waivers.

Hopefully he earns a spot out of camp though.

 

[guymez]

Wouldn't you keep him anyway, and hope he gets picked up in the expansion draft?

Or is it time to trade him for "whatever" and move on?

Its best for the player and the team if Yak makes it. Its certainly not a given though.

 

[Quinteoilers]

Its best for the player and the team if Yak makes it. Its certainly not a given though.

I hope he makes the team and is dynamite! But, I see 3 guys potentially getting his spot-Versteeg (almost everyone thinks he will get a contract) JP and Drake (oilers version of Andrew Shaw)...he's in tough

 

[Canovin]

I actually think Ebs gets traded before Yak. Ebs is only keeping the seat warm for Pulju until he's ready to take the 1RW spot. That could be as soon as 1 year and Ebs gets shipped out for defensive upgrades

 

[guymez]

I hope he makes the team and is dynamite! But, I see 3 guys potentially getting his spot-Versteeg (almost everyone thinks he will get a contract) JP and Drake (oilers version of Andrew Shaw)...he's in tough

Caggiula is an interesting player to be sure. He shoots left though and IIRC he is competing for a spot at centre.
So he is not really competing for Yaks spot.

 

[guymez]

I actually think Ebs gets traded before Yak. Ebs is only keeping the seat warm for Pulju until he's ready to take the 1RW spot. That could be as soon as 1 year and Ebs gets shipped out for defensive upgrades

No chance. Eberle is the only consistent pure shooter on the team.

 

[Canovin]

No chance. Eberle is the only consistent pure shooter on the team.

The writing is on the wall. Ebs will not be getting extended so he either walks or gets traded between now and 3 years. So on the right will look like Pulju, Yak, Platzer/Slepy.

 

[guymez]

The writing is on the wall. Ebs will not be getting extended so he either walks or gets traded between now and 3 years. So on the right will look like Pulju, Yak, Platzer/Slepy.

Don't see it myself. Way too premature.

 

[Canovin]

Don't see it myself. Way too premature.

Work out the cap space with McDavid, Drai and Pulju all on their 2nd contracts and you'll see we can't afford Ebs. He's no longer part of the core. Drai, McDavid, Pulju, RNH, Klef and Larsson are.