Speculation: Yakopov reminds me about Daigle

[Oilfan2]

Well obviously something like this isnt going to get published. Everyone knows it. As i said its common knowledge.

 

[SeriousBusiness]

really? i'm what can easily be defined as a "hardcore oilers fan"... i read all the articles and watch all the interviews, i'm on this board almost literally every day of my life, i watch every single game.... all this, and i don't remember ever hearing that yakupov was a "katz pick", let alone it being considered common knowledge... now i might have the worst memory ever, but i don't think so

It was just the imaginations of a few posters running wild before the draft.

 

[oobga]

Wasn't it Bob Mac that tweeted about how the Oilers scouting staff wanted Murray and were overruled? I don't think he pointed to Katz specifically, but said the decision came from high up. So, that probably means Lowe or Katz or both because we know Tambo was just a puppet and fall guy for Lowe.

 

[Billybaroo*]

Well obviously something like this isnt going to get published. Everyone knows it. As i said its common knowledge.

Ah yeah. Only the "insiders" on HF boards were in the know.
Funny.

 

[McJadeddog]

The suggestion was (I think from Dreger or Mackenzie or maybe Elliot Friedman) that the majority of scouts wanted Murray but they were overruled. There was no suggestion as to who that person was. Whether it was Stu MacGregor, Tambo, Lowe, or Katz was unclear.

People just took it to mean it was Katz.

yeah, i've heard that reported, but nowhere have i heard it mentioned that katz was the one who over-ruled the decision... i have always taken it to mean tambo or lowe... i could be wrong i suppose

at any point, it most certainly is not common-knowledge that katz was the one who did this... heck, its only rumor and speculation that an "over-rule" happened at all

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

If Eakins is benching Yakupov to protect the lead (i.e. going for results), then why isn't Yakupov out there on the PP when we need to score?

You are either trying your best to win or you are focusing on development. You can't keep Yak off the ice in situations that he's not suited for then at the same time keep him off the ice for situations he would excel at.

 

[Alberta]

yeah, i've heard that reported, but nowhere have i heard it mentioned that katz was the one who over-ruled the decision... i have always taken it to mean tambo or lowe... i could be wrong i suppose

at any point, it most certainly is not common-knowledge that katz was the one who did this... heck, its only rumor and speculation that an "over-rule" happened at all

You're right, all McKenzie says is "higher authority".

https://twitter.com/TSNBobMcKenzie/statuses/386716521780609024

Bob McKenzie ‏@TSNBobMcKenzie

To answer @FriedgeHNIC's on air question, re: Yakupov vs Murray, and I suspect he knew answer: Yes, majority of EDM scouts wanted Murray.

https://twitter.com/TSNBobMcKenzie/statuses/386717253430833152

@TSNBobMcKenzie

Decision to take Yakupov over Murray came from a higher authority. That's not indictment of decision, only saying how it was arrived at.

 

[Raab]

If Eakins is benching Yakupov to protect the lead (i.e. going for results), then why isn't Yakupov out there on the PP when we need to score?

You are either trying your best to win or you are focusing on development. You can't keep Yak off the ice in situations that he's not suited for then at the same time keep him off the ice for situations he would excel at.

Except Yakupov isn't our best option on the PP. Ryan Smyth who is arguably one of the worst options on the PP according to fans has scored as many goals as Yakupov this season on the PP. This despite the fact that he has played roughly 16 less minutes on the PP this season then Yakupov. On top of that Yakupov has not scored on the PP since Nov 21. I know if I was coaching I'd think long and hard about sending him out, especially if he's not doing what's asked of him during the game.

 

[oobga]

I see Lowe as a true survivor. I would bet he let Katz stamp his name on that decision. Lowe would just be sticking his neck out unnecessarily by being the guy pushing hard for Yak by himself. We all know Lowe is only interested in keep his sweet job at this point.

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

Except Yakupov isn't our best option on the PP. Ryan Smyth who is arguably one of the worst options on the PP according to fans has scored as many goals as Yakupov this season on the PP. This despite the fact that he has played roughly 16 less minutes on the PP this season then Yakupov. On top of that Yakupov has not scored on the PP since Nov 21. I know if I was coaching I'd think long and hard about sending him out, especially if he's not doing what's asked of him during the game.

He SHOULD be the best option on the PP. He's got one of, if not the, best shots on the team. The fact that Krueger was able to utilize him properly in his rookie season demonstrates that.

The fact that the Oilers can't utilize him properly is partially his fault - he just isn't a versatile player. However, that doesn't absolve coaching staff of their failure to make him productive, especially when he was so productive last season.

 

[Soli]

Well obviously something like this isnt going to get published. Everyone knows it. As i said its common knowledge.

Obviously it's not.

I know the story as Spawn recalls it.

 

[Supermassive]

He SHOULD be the best option on the PP. He's got one of, if not the, best shots on the team. The fact that Krueger was able to utilize him properly in his rookie season demonstrates that.

The fact that the Oilers can't utilize him properly is partially his fault - he just isn't a versatile player. However, that doesn't absolve coaching staff of their failure to make him productive, especially when he was so productive last season.

Yakupov padded his stats late last season - I wouldn't give Krueger too much credit for developing him.

Yak is missing a lot of what it takes to be a strong PP option. Covering on defense, sculling the blue line, getting open, cycling, going to the net. He's too unpolished right now.

I think the 4th line and some "reward time" suits him just fine. We can't give him quality time simply because he might otherwise bolt. The right move is to bring him along slowly.

 

[Mr Positive]

You're right, all McKenzie says is "higher authority".

https://twitter.com/TSNBobMcKenzie/statuses/386716521780609024

Bob McKenzie ‏@TSNBobMcKenzie

To answer @FriedgeHNIC's on air question, re: Yakupov vs Murray, and I suspect he knew answer: Yes, majority of EDM scouts wanted Murray.

https://twitter.com/TSNBobMcKenzie/statuses/386717253430833152

@TSNBobMcKenzie

Decision to take Yakupov over Murray came from a higher authority. That's not indictment of decision, only saying how it was arrived at.

there's another rumor out there. That we wanted to take Murray but Justin Schultz' agent contacted us and told us not to bother. In other words, Schultz might not have signed with us if we selected Murray.

Murray is not on the same level of Seth Jones. He's not so great that it makes the Yakupov pick look bad. If it's true about Schultz then it was a win-win. It might not look that way today but we will see it some day.

 

[Mr Positive]

Yakupov padded his stats late last season - I wouldn't give Krueger too much credit for developing him.

Yak is missing a lot of what it takes to be a strong PP option. Covering on defense, sculling the blue line, getting open, cycling, going to the net. He's too unpolished right now.

Yakupov gives up possession on the PP. That's his major flaw and it destroys a PP's effectiveness. Hemsky has struggled with the same problem his whole career. He's better now but it took time.

 

[Klimando Kostani]

He SHOULD be the best option on the PP. He's got one of, if not the, best shots on the team. The fact that Krueger was able to utilize him properly in his rookie season demonstrates that.

The fact that the Oilers can't utilize him properly is partially his fault - he just isn't a versatile player. However, that doesn't absolve coaching staff of their failure to make him productive, especially when he was so productive last season.

You're right he is proven to be successful when used properly and I'll be honest when I say it looked like other players weren't ready to give him the puck at times on the pp when he was on the first line pp.

After this season, if our coach has a plan, purpose, and achievable goal with this experiment, I think we are going to have a much better and more versatile Nail Yakupov at the end of this season and going in to next.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

Eakins is a joke

 

[StoveTopStauffer]

Should just send him to the AHL until a RW spot opens up next season.

 

[Tarus]

yeah, i've heard that reported, but nowhere have i heard it mentioned that katz was the one who over-ruled the decision... i have always taken it to mean tambo or lowe... i could be wrong i suppose

at any point, it most certainly is not common-knowledge that katz was the one who did this... heck, its only rumor and speculation that an "over-rule" happened at all

Don't think it was Tambo

Stauffer implied shortly after Mactavish was hired as GM that Tambo was overruled on the pick, and was essentially a lame duck GM from that point forward.

 

[belair]

Regardless of what decision was made at that draft, a large majority of posters on this board would have wanted Tambellini strung from the highest rafter had Murray been taken over Yakupov. He was the clear pick at the time.

All of the discussion regarding the 'higher ups' making the decision is stupid at this point in time. And unless Ryan Murray is the second coming of Niklas Lidstrom, it shouldn't be an issue at all.

 

[McJadeddog]

Regardless of what decision was made at that draft, a large majority of posters on this board would have wanted Tambellini strung from the highest rafter had Murray been taken over Yakupov. He was the clear pick at the time.

All of the discussion regarding the 'higher ups' making the decision is stupid at this point in time. And unless Ryan Murray is the second coming of Niklas Lidstrom, it shouldn't be an issue at all.

yakupov was the correct pick at the time, and he is still the correct pick

 

[Staghorn]

yakupov was the correct pick at the time, and he is still the correct pick

Really????? Wow. You must be KLowe if you post that... LOL.

 

[Mentallydull]

Yakupov padded his stats late last season - I wouldn't give Krueger too much credit for developing him.

Yak is missing a lot of what it takes to be a strong PP option. Covering on defense, sculling the blue line, getting open, cycling, going to the net. He's too unpolished right now.

I think the 4th line and some "reward time" suits him just fine. We can't give him quality time simply because he might otherwise bolt. The right move is to bring him along slowly.

I've never understood the whole "padding the stats" argument.

Points are points, they're not worth any less in a blow-out game, an empty-netter, or meaningless games at the end of the season.

All of them require effort/skill/a bit of luck to obtain, saying otherwise is just trying to illegitimately downplay someone's success.

 

[sepHF]

Horak has been pretty underwhelming hopefully this experiment doesn't last too long.

 

[McShogun99]

Murray was the pick that the Oilers needed but Yakupov was the best player in the draft. Any team selecting first overall would have drafted Yakupov. The only thing that would have made sense was to swap picks with Columbus and then take Murray. The Oilers will still end up getting a pretty good defenceman when they trade Yakupov this summer. My guess is he goes to NYI for Reinhart +.

 

[syz]

Murray will be lucky to be the 4th or 5th best d-man from his draft.