Because he is already good
- ystoil

not art ross good though, 1st in the West Confrence Title is coming your way too apparently

The only team that gets better for this is NYI. Nyquist and a 1st for Yak is not a good deal for the Wings at all.
- JohnnySoze

But can you predict the future?

Bailey for Tatar + 3 East Detroit foreclosures
- eichiefs9

Tavares for Nyqust + 300 Detroit foreclosures

not art ross good though, 1st in the West Confrence Title is coming your way too apparently
- DDM-Coga

Of course, in a world where instant gratification and analysis has replaced thinking, this means Yakupov is a #1 overall bust who will still be lucky to still be in the NHL in a few years.

nickel's worth of free advice--stay away from the strawman arguments. nothing makes a writer looks like lazier or more insecure than that.

I dont think Yakupov breaks out, this is the year Josh Bailey scores 50-60 goals and leads the islanders to their first cup of the decade

I dont think Yakupov breaks out, this is the year Josh Bailey scores 50-60 goals and leads the islanders to their first cup of the decade
- GomezforMVP

Tavares for Nyqust + 300 Detroit foreclosures
- Feds91Stammer

313 and you've got yourself a god damn deal

But can you predict the future?
- Feds91Stammer

As in: "can I know for sure that the deal there would be bad for the wings?"

I know giving a first round pick and 24 year old coming off 28 goals just over half a season for a talented young question mark is not exactly playing the odds. I'm not sure what you are hoping Yak would be for the wings that nyquist isn't already. Giving up a high draft pick and going backwards in development is not helpful at all

As in: "can I know for sure that the deal there would be bad for the wings?"

I know giving a first round pick and 24 year old coming off 28 goals just over half a season for a talented young question mark is not exactly playing the odds. I'm not sure what you are hoping Yak would be for the wings that nyquist isn't already. Giving up a high draft pick and going backwards in development is not helpful at all
- JohnnySoze

Bailey and Cal Clutterbuck for Nyquist and a first

Bailey and Cal Clutterbuck for Nyquist and a first
- eichiefs9

I would really like to keep the first. How about nyquist, mrazek and mantha instead?

As in: "can I know for sure that the deal there would be bad for the wings?"

I know giving a first round pick and 24 year old coming off 28 goals just over half a season for a talented young question mark is not exactly playing the odds. I'm not sure what you are hoping Yak would be for the wings that nyquist isn't already. Giving up a high draft pick and going backwards in development is not helpful at all
- JohnnySoze

I don't know. I get your reasoning, but I think Detroit would make that trade. Yakupov isn't really a question mark, unless the question "How long until he is an elite player?"

Nyquist is a nice player, but I would think Yakupov is going to be way better. The Oilers won't trade him at the nadir of his value anyways.

Yay

nickel's worth of free advice--stay away from the strawman arguments. nothing makes a writer looks like lazier or more insecure than that.
- DoubleDown

Not sure if you're picking up the irony of this. But thanks for the advice/ tired cliche.

Yay
- robin_steele264

Haha, you know you love it.

I would really like to keep the first. How about nyquist, mrazek and mantha instead?
- JohnnySoze

You'd probably have ot include like a 3rd or something. Maybe Ouellet, too.

Yakupov scores 50, RNH wins Art Ross, the Blues win the cup, and Don Cherry is abducted by aliens

Haha, you know you love it.
- James_Tanner

I think his skill is too good for him not to put it all together eventually.


The Yak bashing is fun for the Russian/Oiler haters now. Won't last long

I think his skill is too good for him not to put it all together eventually.


The Yak bashing is fun for the Russian/Oiler haters now. Won't last long
- robin_steele264

Couldn't agree more.

As in: "can I know for sure that the deal there would be bad for the wings?"

I know giving a first round pick and 24 year old coming off 28 goals just over half a season for a talented young question mark is not exactly playing the odds. I'm not sure what you are hoping Yak would be for the wings that nyquist isn't already. Giving up a high draft pick and going backwards in development is not helpful at all
- JohnnySoze

His shooting percentage was quite high, if he was at 10% shooting percentage he would've scored 15 goals approximately, which is still very good for a rookie. In a full year that translates to about 21-22 goals in an 82 game season. I think the odds are it regresses next year.

Edit: I'm not arguing your response to Nyquist + 1st for Yak and whether you should/shouldn't do it

Yakupov goes for 50? 40? No way dude. I think Edmonton should be thrilled if he hits 20. I'm not saying that the guy is a bust, far from it. But in that rookie season, his shooting percentage was 21%! Dropped to 9% this past year! He's not going to be either of those for his career. Let's be optimistic and assume he falls in around 13% or so. He averages about 2 shots per game. Give him 150 shots over a full season. 13% shooting with that many shots is 19.5 goals.

For reference, Alexander Ovechkin has a career shooting percentage of 12.3% Crosby is 14.8%. Pavel Bure was 14.0%. Brett Hull was 15.2%.

So in order for Yakupov to score at the kind of rate you're talking about here, he'd have to get his shooting percentage at least as high as Alex Ovechkin's, and then DOUBLE the number of shots he's taking per game.

No dis, but it sounds like a mega stretch to me to assume that he'll get 30 even.

As for Boedker, I think he looks like a 50-60 point guy, and there's no shame in that. I think he probably just had his breakout season, rather than it coming this year. All Boedker did this year to double his goal total was to double the number of shots he was taking on net. It suggests that the quality of his shots wasn't improving, just the quantity of them. So the only way this guy is scoring 40 this year, as you're suggesting, is if he either takes 300+ shots on net this season, or if his shooting % comes in around 20 or so. Can't see either happening. But he definitely seems like he should be good to fall between 50pts and 60pts.

Yakupov goes for 50? 40? No way dude. I think Edmonton should be thrilled if he hits 20. I'm not saying that the guy is a bust, far from it. But in that rookie season, his shooting percentage was 21%! Dropped to 9% this past year! He's not going to be either of those for his career. Let's be optimistic and assume he falls in around 13% or so. He averages about 2 shots per game. Give him 150 shots over a full season. 13% shooting with that many shots is 19.5 goals.

For reference, Alexander Ovechkin has a career shooting percentage of 12.3% Crosby is 14.8%. Pavel Bure was 14.0%. Brett Hull was 15.2%.

So in order for Yakupov to score at the kind of rate you're talking about here, he'd have to get his shooting percentage at least as high as Alex Ovechkin's, and then DOUBLE the number of shots he's taking per game.

No dis, but it sounds like a mega stretch to me to assume that he'll get 30 even.

As for Boedker, I think he looks like a 50-60 point guy, and there's no shame in that. I think he probably just had his breakout season, rather than it coming this year. All Boedker did this year to double his goal total was to double the number of shots he was taking on net. It suggests that the quality of his shots wasn't improving, just the quantity of them. So the only way this guy is scoring 40 this year, as you're suggesting, is if he either takes 300+ shots on net this season, or if his shooting % comes in around 20 or so. Can't see either happening. But he definitely seems like he should be good to fall between 50pts and 60pts.
- the_terror

I think with more PP time (it varied lots last year and I noted a few times he wasn't put on for 5 on 3's) plus better linemates in regards to chemistry (players that can find him in the soft spots), I think his number of shots will increase. I do agree on your assessment of the shooting %, just brought up a similar point with Nyquist

I think with more PP time (it varied lots last year and I noted a few times he wasn't put on for 5 on 3's) plus better linemates in regards to chemistry (players that can find him in the soft spots), I think his number of shots will increase. I do agree on your assessment of the shooting %, just brought up a similar point with Nyquist
- ystoil

You make a fair point regarding PP time and linemates. I'll admit that I didn't follow the Oilers closely last year so I'm just basing my opinion off of numbers on a sheet of paper.

What I'm curious about though, if last year was Eberle-RNH-Hall as L1, and we conclude that Yakupov will own that 2RW role, who are his linemates? Is it Draisaitl and Perron? I can't see those guys setting him up for a 300+ shot season.

And what about Teddy Purcell? I mean, he probably projects to be a 3RW, but if Yakupov stumbles, I don't think coach would be too reluctant to play Purcell as the 2RW and to drop Yakupov down to play with guys like Benoit Pouliot and Boyd Gordon, and you know those guys aren't setting him up for a 300+ shot season either.

As for PP1 time, I still can't see him usurping one of Hall or Eberle on that line, unless someone moves back to play the point.

Again, I won't argue that he's not a NHL caliber player, I just think that it's premature to assume that he's gonna go for 30+ this year. Maybe when he's 23 or 24, but the only thing he proved last year is that he's not the alpha dog in Edmonton, and that he still has a lot of growing to do.

50 goals for Yakupov? Let's see him get 20 first.

You make a fair point regarding PP time and linemates. I'll admit that I didn't follow the Oilers closely last year so I'm just basing my opinion off of numbers on a sheet of paper.

What I'm curious about though, if last year was Eberle-RNH-Hall as L1, and we conclude that Yakupov will own that 2RW role, who are his linemates? Is it Draisaitl and Perron? I can't see those guys setting him up for a 300+ shot season.

And what about Teddy Purcell? I mean, he probably projects to be a 3RW, but if Yakupov stumbles, I don't think coach would be too reluctant to play Purcell as the 2RW and to drop Yakupov down to play with guys like Benoit Pouliot and Boyd Gordon, and you know those guys aren't setting him up for a 300+ shot season either.

As for PP1 time, I still can't see him usurping one of Hall or Eberle on that line, unless someone moves back to play the point.

Again, I won't argue that he's not a NHL caliber player, I just think that it's premature to assume that he's gonna go for 30+ this year. Maybe when he's 23 or 24, but the only thing he proved last year is that he's not the alpha dog in Edmonton, and that he still has a lot of growing to do.
- the_terror

I agree, I don't think he will hit 30 this year. But if he ups his shots to 200 in the year and shoots at 10% (which is fair I believe), he has 20 goals. He shot the puck 122 times in 63 games, so in 82 that's about 159 shots. So next year he would need to average another half shot per game, which is doable IMO. Even another shot per game will get him to about 250 which could be around 25 goals.

As for the linemates to bring that out? Hard to say. With the addition of Ramsay on the PP, I'm hoping he is set up similar to Stamkos in TBay. Ramsay is a more a players coach from my understanding, and we saw Yak thrive (albeit streaky) with Krueger, who is also a players coach.

Draisaitl, when I've seen him play, is good at finding his wingers. Real good. Holds the puck to allow them to get open. My preference is for him to be back in the dub but that's looking unlikely. I hope we can get a vet centre to help out Yak this year and be a stop gap for Leon. We will see.