Richard Cloutier: 10 Random Thoughts

No mention of Yakupov calling the Canadians dirty and Cherry calling him out on it?

No mention of Yakupov calling the Canadians dirty and Cherry calling him out on it?
- Tony Montana

Um. What? I was at a boxing day party. Hope nothing stupid was said!

No mention of Yakupov calling the Canadians dirty and Cherry calling him out on it?
- Tony Montana

Sure, I can comment on it if you'd like, but you won't like it.

Don Cherry is a racist moron who should have retired from broadcasting 10 years ago. I read his Twitter comments on Yakupov, and he made a clown out of himself.

Canadians do play dirty. Duh. That's what makes Canadian hockey different than hockey from any other country. We train our kids to knock each other's heads off. We like it that way. I went and saw a midget game a few weeks ago, just for fun, and I saw around five players carried off the ice because they either received an elbow to the head, were sent flying head-first into the boards, or were kneed with intent to injure.

Many, many Europeans come over the North America and return home because they don't like the style of play here. This is not to say rough stuff doesn't happen in European leagues. The Finnish league in particular plays tough hockey. A great many players who return to Russia to play in the KHL do so because they don't like how intentionally physical the game is here.

We're Oilers fans, so you'll know what I'm saying next is true. Why did Zack Stortini not work out in Edmonton? Bad fighter. Lost every time. Steve MacIntyre was sent away because he didn't start enough fights. Ben Eager has been a bust, because he hasn't been tough enough, nor has he protected our star players. Why do the current Oilers get so injured? Because there's no intimidation factor. Teams know they can run the Oilers stars without consequence. One of the things the Oilers are missing as a roster is two or three functional-toughness guys who can play hockey AND clobber the opposition when required.

Yakupov was speaking the truth. Regardless if you agree or disagree, it was dumb for Nail to say it, because comments like that give the opposition some motivation. Knowing him, the only reason he said it was to fire people up...which, if you're a moron like Cherry, worked.

I didn't mention it in the blog because ignoring stupidity is often more effective than acknowledging it. Saying Nail Yakupov alone speaks on behalf of all Russian players is like saying Allan Walsh speaks on behalf of the NHLPA.

Sure, I can comment on it if you'd like, but you won't like it.

Don Cherry is a racist moron who should have retired from broadcasting 10 years ago. I read his Twitter comments on Yakupov, and he made a clown out of himself.

Canadians do play dirty. Duh. That's what makes Canadian hockey different than hockey from any other country. We train our kids to knock each other's heads off. We like it that way. I went and saw a midget game a few weeks ago, just for fun, and I saw around five players carried off the ice because they either received an elbow to the head, were sent flying head-first into the boards, or were kneed with intent to injure.

Many, many Europeans come over the North America and return home because they don't like the style of play here. This is not to say rough stuff doesn't happen in European leagues. The Finnish league in particular plays tough hockey. A great many players who return to Russia to play in the KHL do so because they don't like how intentionally physical the game is here.

We're Oilers fans, so you'll know what I'm saying next is true. Why did Zack Stortini not work out in Edmonton? Bad fighter. Lost every time. Steve MacIntyre was sent away because he didn't start enough fights. Ben Eager has been a bust, because he hasn't been tough enough, nor has he protected our star players. Why do the current Oilers get so injured? Because there's no intimidation factor. Teams know they can run the Oilers stars without consequence. One of the things the Oilers are missing as a roster is two or three functional-toughness guys who can play hockey AND clobber the opposition when required.

Yakupov was speaking the truth. Regardless if you agree or disagree, it was dumb for Nail to say it, because comments like that give the opposition some motivation. Knowing him, the only reason he said it was to fire people up...which, if you're a moron like Cherry, worked.

I didn't mention it in the blog because ignoring stupidity is often more effective than acknowledging it. Saying Nail Yakupov alone speaks on behalf of all Russian players is like saying Allan Walsh speaks on behalf of the NHLPA.
- Maxbone

Well said, that was worthy of its own blog.

WTF Cloutier!! Calling out Don Cherry for being a racist moron just because he is....oh wait.

Richard Cloutier: 10 Random Thoughts
- Maxbone

Don't you ever sleep Clouts? I'm at work in the middle east so you must have posted this around 2:00 am. There's 11 hours time change between here and Edmonton. I hope the Canadian Jr. team does well. I said a long time ago the NHL season was over. Too bad, I miss hockey a lot. Especially the Oil.

Don't you ever sleep Clouts? I'm at work in the middle east so you must have posted this around 2:00 am. There's 11 hours time change between here and Edmonton. I hope the Canadian Jr. team does well. I said a long time ago the NHL season was over. Too bad, I miss hockey a lot. Especially the Oil.
- pj50

I'm an insomniac. Without eating a handful of sleeping pills daily, I sleep maybe two hours a day. With sleeping pills, maybe five to six hours. I've been like this since I was 11, so it's not a new development.

Well said, that was worthy of its own blog.
- Tony Montana

Thanks. The one thing I neglected to mention is, someone like me, Yakupov and Cherry all have one thing in common: We crave attention. Often that means we'll say or do anything to get it.

Some stuff in my blogs is real, and some isn't. I don't hide this fact. Most of what I write is my opinion based on what I've seen and heard. All of it is written with the hope of creating some sort of reaction. Mostly to keep my ego well fed.

I'm not sure Cherry is a racist, but he does stick up for Canadians, to a fault. Give him a break, he's 80 years old, he doesn't think like we do. He's from a different generation.

I was much more impressed by Hopkins winning 61% of his face offs. 5 points is nice, but it was the Germans, they were handing out goals like they were going out of style. Tyler Wotherspoon of a career 13 goals in 209 WHL games for the powerhouse Portland team had a goal. But seeing Hopkins win that many face offs is great seeing how he won like 4 in the NHL last season.

I'm not sure Cherry is a racist, but he does stick up for Canadians, to a fault. Give him a break, he's 80 years old, he doesn't think like we do. He's from a different generation.
- LeftCoaster

Why!!?? He spreads hate from his Saturday night pulpit and because he's old and from another generation, he gets a pass!!??

Why!!?? He spreads hate from his Saturday night pulpit and because he's old and from another generation, he gets a pass!!??
- ODalton

I don't think he spreads hate at all, he speaks whatever's on his mind at the time. Which is not always the right thing to do, obviously. I'm neither here nor there with him, I think he's entertaining. His idea's are certainly antiquated, but as I said, he's old.

What was the most important thing I learned on Wednesday? That Russian cheerleaders dance the entire way through a hockey game. Weird. They must be in better shape than the players. Three hours straight of cardio? Redonk. I bet you some of them are bendy, too.

As far as I know no one is being forced to listen to don cherry, well except those that work with/for him.

Don't like coaches corner, change the channel. Don't like his tweets, don't follow him.

if u think his stupid ignore him as cloutier said.

it's all a matter of opinion but some people take cherry's side, some don't, if u don't and he makes u mad then why the (frank) would you watch him.


he might say stupid things but he talks hockey and he stands by what he says. i can respect that.

I'm not sure Cherry is a racist, but he does stick up for Canadians, to a fault. Give him a break, he's 80 years old, he doesn't think like we do. He's from a different generation.
- LeftCoaster

I don't agree with you often...but this is right on the money.

Richard Cloutier: 10 Random Thoughts
- Maxbone

i've been feeling like all things point to Yakupov wanting a trade out of Edmonton in the first 3 years, for some reason i just dont feel like there's enough room for him (in his own mind) with all those sick youngins he seems like the kind of player who's gonna want all the attention on him, not sharing it with Nuge, Hall, Ebs and Shultz

but here's the good news if somehow the Habs ended up with the 2nd overall pick and we drafted Seth Jones how bout a trade

Jones for Yakupov, we need a goal scorer (i think in the NHL Galchenyuk's gonna be more of a playmaker) and you guys need a D that isnt all offense to complement Shultz!

would that be a good deal? i mean Yakupov would be playing on the stage where he'll get noticed the most by the world so he'd be happy too, MTL!

now bring on the hate

don't get me wrong though i'm not hating on Yaks or predicting doom, i'm just worried because the rest of the oilers young guns are gelling so well and easily and you insert a guy like Yakupov, i'm just not sure how well it'll work no matter how good he is if the attitude isnt right it could be an issue

Sure, I can comment on it if you'd like, but you won't like it.

Don Cherry is a racist moron who should have retired from broadcasting 10 years ago. I read his Twitter comments on Yakupov, and he made a clown out of himself.

Canadians do play dirty. Duh. That's what makes Canadian hockey different than hockey from any other country. We train our kids to knock each other's heads off. We like it that way. I went and saw a midget game a few weeks ago, just for fun, and I saw around five players carried off the ice because they either received an elbow to the head, were sent flying head-first into the boards, or were kneed with intent to injure.

Many, many Europeans come over the North America and return home because they don't like the style of play here. This is not to say rough stuff doesn't happen in European leagues. The Finnish league in particular plays tough hockey. A great many players who return to Russia to play in the KHL do so because they don't like how intentionally physical the game is here.

We're Oilers fans, so you'll know what I'm saying next is true. Why did Zack Stortini not work out in Edmonton? Bad fighter. Lost every time. Steve MacIntyre was sent away because he didn't start enough fights. Ben Eager has been a bust, because he hasn't been tough enough, nor has he protected our star players. Why do the current Oilers get so injured? Because there's no intimidation factor. Teams know they can run the Oilers stars without consequence. One of the things the Oilers are missing as a roster is two or three functional-toughness guys who can play hockey AND clobber the opposition when required.

Yakupov was speaking the truth. Regardless if you agree or disagree, it was dumb for Nail to say it, because comments like that give the opposition some motivation. Knowing him, the only reason he said it was to fire people up...which, if you're a moron like Cherry, worked.

I didn't mention it in the blog because ignoring stupidity is often more effective than acknowledging it. Saying Nail Yakupov alone speaks on behalf of all Russian players is like saying Allan Walsh speaks on behalf of the NHLPA.
- Maxbone

turn this into its own blog

Why!!?? He spreads hate from his Saturday night pulpit and because he's old and from another generation, he gets a pass!!??
- ODalton

I really don't think that he is spreading hate. In the last 10 years he's actually toned down the Anti-European/Russian/Quebec ranting. Now he just targets the Maple Leafs for mistreating Kadri and not having enough OHL graduates.

Ah, the Don Cherry discussion. That's a good one. Is he tough on his opponents? You bet! That's why he's popular. He's not politically correct, tells it like it is and is often right, 90% of the time. I like him and relate to him, because I am in my 50's and remember what hockey used to be like. Today's game pales to what the real game was like. No whiners back then, because if you did, the coach sat you, or you got pummeled . It was a much more intense game, back then.

Sure, I can comment on it if you'd like, but you won't like it.

Don Cherry is a racist moron who should have retired from broadcasting 10 years ago. I read his Twitter comments on Yakupov, and he made a clown out of himself.

Canadians do play dirty. Duh. That's what makes Canadian hockey different than hockey from any other country. We train our kids to knock each other's heads off. We like it that way. I went and saw a midget game a few weeks ago, just for fun, and I saw around five players carried off the ice because they either received an elbow to the head, were sent flying head-first into the boards, or were kneed with intent to injure.

Many, many Europeans come over the North America and return home because they don't like the style of play here. This is not to say rough stuff doesn't happen in European leagues. The Finnish league in particular plays tough hockey. A great many players who return to Russia to play in the KHL do so because they don't like how intentionally physical the game is here.

We're Oilers fans, so you'll know what I'm saying next is true. Why did Zack Stortini not work out in Edmonton? Bad fighter. Lost every time. Steve MacIntyre was sent away because he didn't start enough fights. Ben Eager has been a bust, because he hasn't been tough enough, nor has he protected our star players. Why do the current Oilers get so injured? Because there's no intimidation factor. Teams know they can run the Oilers stars without consequence. One of the things the Oilers are missing as a roster is two or three functional-toughness guys who can play hockey AND clobber the opposition when required.

Yakupov was speaking the truth. Regardless if you agree or disagree, it was dumb for Nail to say it, because comments like that give the opposition some motivation. Knowing him, the only reason he said it was to fire people up...which, if you're a moron like Cherry, worked.

I didn't mention it in the blog because ignoring stupidity is often more effective than acknowledging it. Saying Nail Yakupov alone speaks on behalf of all Russian players is like saying Allan Walsh speaks on behalf of the NHLPA.
- Maxbone

Racist? More like xenophobic. Yakupov should have kept it to himself, though Don was wrong the way he went about it in my opinion.

"It's not the loses against the Penguins that keep you out of the playoffs; it's the loses against the Leafs that kill you"

I love how the worst team in the NHL for the past 5+ years gets to make fun of the Leafs. Who are the Oilers "failing for ____" next ?

also wanted to add that Yakupov wasnt on for that final faceoff with 10 seconds left in OT vs the slovaks.....meaning he might be giving even the russians a hard time or just slackin on D lol

its just that if you're tied with a team you're supposed to be able to beat, in OT with 10 seconds left and on the PP and there's an offensive zone draw, it seems to me that it should be a given to put your best offensive player on the ice.....so whats going on?

"It's not the loses against the Penguins that keep you out of the playoffs; it's the loses against the Leafs that kill you"

I love how the worst team in the NHL for the past 5+ years gets to make fun of the Leafs. Who are the Oilers "failing for ____" next ?
- 93Matty

when did the leafs last make the play-offs?

also wanted to add that Yakupov wasnt on for that final faceoff with 10 seconds left in OT vs the slovaks.....meaning he might be giving even the russians a hard time or just slackin on D lol

its just that if you're tied with a team you're supposed to be able to beat, in OT with 10 seconds left and on the PP and there's an offensive zone draw, it seems to me that it should be a given to put your best offensive player on the ice.....so whats going on?
- Habitants98

This was Yakupov's quote....

"I understand that I will have to keep a cool head and ignore provocations. Especially against the Canadians. These guys play dirty.


There is nothing wrong with that. Actually i find it refreshing, in this world of monotone cliche'd interviews that he isn't afraid to speak his mind.

That was hardly an insulting comment. He's right, our players have always played the Russians dirty, and for the most part we're proud of it.

As far as that last shift goes. He had just come off the ice from a very long shift. The coach likely thought he was gassed.

I love when fans from other teams bend over backwards to try to expose his negative virtues on one hand, while hoping he gets traded to thier team on the other.