|
Yakkity Yak, Don't Trade That |
|
|
|
|
|
Could Eklund please add a picture of Nail Yakupov in an Oilers jersey? Just cut the head off of a Shawn Horcoff picture, and stick Yak's head on. Yakupov, sooner or later (hopefully sooner once Horcs gives up his jersey number, or better yet, gets dealt) will wear #10 for Edmonton.
You can start the draft today. It's over.
Did you see Nail Yakupov at the NHL Combine? You don't ever...ever...trade a player like that.
I'm not saying he won every competition. Actually, we won't know till the end of Saturday how Yakupov did compared to everyone else. Many of his results were average in a statistical sense compared to those who tested Friday. But who cares?
Did you see the fire this guy brings to, well, everything? That's the point. I heard one person say his compete level is higher than Taylor Hall's. Higher than Hall's...seriously. That's what makes Hall special: His level of compete. Saying Yakupov has more fire is a ridiculous thing to write.
TSN was goofing around with the idea of Hall and Yakupov flanking Ryan Nugent-Hopkins next season. The #1 line, full of 1st overall draft picks. I don't know if it would work or not, but it might be the fastest line in the history of the NHL. Yes, I'm still being serious. Find me three faster players playing on one line together.
The Oilers are taking Yakupov home with them for a few days, and he's the only player it sounds like they are doing that with. Are you done editing that picture yet, Ek?
A few random notes for Saturday...and forgive me if there is no new blog for Sunday...It's stag night in Edmonton and I'm going to be somewhere between Shanks and the River Cree Casino. I likely won't be sober, so be nice to me if you see me at the side of the road wearing only a barrel and shame.
- For those keeping score, Yakupov did 9 presses...I think they use 150lbs for that. Or is it 165lbs, including the bar? Anyway, 9 is three more than Nuge did last year, and drafting him turned out okay. The average on Day 1 of fitness testing was nine.
- Yakupov didn't have much of a vertical jump, but he rocked the two bike tests. The trainers usually yell at the players during the bike; at one point Yakupov yelled back. Top prospect or not, he was trying to win. Fire. The kid is full of it. I wouldn't get all caught up on the averageness of Yak's results. Riding a bike isn't hockey...Oilers Head Scout Stu MacGregor said in an interview on Friday that teams are almost more looking at a player's level of compete while doing tests than his actual results.
- MacGregor said the Oilers interviewed 83 different players during the week at the Combine. Considering about 100 players showed up, fair to say they spoke to everyone. He said something about the Oilers looking at "between 4 and 6 players" for the top pick. But considering the way Steve Tambellini stood around drooling over Yakupov at every testing station, I think the Oilers' choice is clear. Yakupov's head; Horcoff's body. Not that difficult. You don't even need to Photoshop the "C" out. If he comes to Edmonton, he can have that too if he wants it.
- Other than drooling over Yakupov, Tambellini didn't do anything like sign Ryan Smyth or make a trade on Friday. At least he has a decent excuse for accomplishing nothing. I would have been distracted, too.
- Everyone says Yakupov is a mini version of Ovechkin, but the more I see of him, the more I think Kovalchuk for some reason. Alex Ovechkin, as much as he's big and talented, is silly. He has charisma, but it's a clown, life of the party type thing. Yakupov is all business. He's charming and very good in an interview, but I think his level of seriousness when it comes to hockey is on a totally different level than Ovechkin. Once again, I'll bring out Taylor Hall's name. Hall has a sense of humor (apparently...he doesn't like the Hall 'n' Ebs stuff on The Bear much, but that's just because they made Eberle the smart one in the relationship), but he's more focused than funny. Nuge, of course, might be the least funny guy on the planet. He's quiet, extremely serious, and focused. Nail is more of a rock star than either, but I think the jokes will be over if the Oilers aren't winning games.
- Apparently, Alex Galchenyuk looked healthy and was extremely impressive during tests. Ryan Murray threw up after the bike and blamed it on his bacon breakfast. Murray is a solid personality, but he didn't look very physically impressive to me. Mikhail Grigorenko didn't participate due to injury. You could tell Griffin Reinhart just came out of the Memorial Cup and didn't have time to train...he looked very tall and very skinny.
- Malcolm Subban looked like an absolute beast. If there is any way he's around at #31, the Oilers should draft him. He is going to be an incredible #1 goalie for some team in a few seasons. I think Subban will actually go in the 1st round, so there won't be much chance for the Oilers to draft him.
- All of this being said, if you're the Oilers, what does the NHL Combine mean, with the 1st overall pick being so completely obvious? For one thing, after the 1st round, they'll have several other picks to go. If they see someone they really like, could try to get a second 1st round pick. You'd have to think they're looking pretty hard at the defenseman options that could be available. Murray, Trouba, Rielly, Reinhart, Ceci, Dumba, and Maatta should all go in the Top 15 picks. The Oilers could be looking closely at moving up to take one of Pouliot (although his name completely scares me), Finn, Koekkoek, Lindholm and Bystrom, who all should be gone by the end of the 1st round.
- Watch for Trade Wars II: Reloaded to start sometime in the next week or so. Remember last year? I'll set it up for you - I am the GM of the 15 Western Conference teams, and Travis Yost is the GM of the 15 Eastern Conference teams. Our challenge? We need to complete 15 different deals involving all 30 teams. We can only use each team once, and all deals need to be East to West/West to East. Simple enough concept.
It would be interesting to look up last year's deals to assess who won. At the time I think most were of the option Yost did the better job. I seem to remember I dealt Jarome Iginla for Brandon Dubinsky? Lose/Lose deal, looking back at it.
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»