Nail Yakupov is going to be traded. It’s a foregone conclusion. But, based on the latest info from reporters like Ryan Rishaug, maybe it shouldn’t be set in stone that the Oilers move him.
Nail Yakupov is the Oiler 1st Overall pick left furthest behind by the club. He was the first one they abandoned from the top 6, even as he was producing. He’s the first one they didn’t rally behind. He’s the first one to be dubbed a failure by the media and by extension the team as it speaks through the media.
Yakupov’s value couldn’t possibly be any lower, based on quotes like this:
“The price on Yakupov, if and when he gets traded, and he’s not paired with something else, we’re talking a third-round pick right now. The value is just not there. I think they’re holding out, waiting and hoping, but that range of a low second-round pick or a third-round pick is what’s out there.…
To quote Greg Wyshinski on this topic, “Ouch.…
At this point we have to recognize that yes the player requested a trade, but he’s doesn’t have negative value. A low second or third round pick is an 18 year old with something to the effect of a 15% chance of becoming an NHL player. Trading an actual NHL player for this kind of return is turning something useful (if flawed) into nothing more than space.
If Nail Yakupov were terrible, like Lauri Korpikoski, then absolutely go for it. But if he’s just not the right fit, then trading him for a 2nd or 3rd would be no different than when the Oilers traded Cogliano for that return. The Ducks took on Cogliano for a song and have received iron-man performances for the price of Marco Roy. That’s a great deal for them and Edmonton gained nothing from it.
In many ways Nail Yakupov is the new Cogliano. He doesn’t fit where the team was playing him and consensus was there needed to be change. Just like Cogs “needed… to be moved so he could understand his value was on the wing, Yak “needs… to be moved so he can get a clean slate.
Nail Yakupov has done nothing but produce offensively when he’s been played in the top 6. He’s been a failure whenever he’s been assigned to the checking line. Anyone with a lick of sense will recognize that the Oilers have driven the value of Yakupov into the ground and they can now pay bottom basement prices to get him.
Yak City is apparently for sale and the Oilers are going to walk away with next to nothing unless he is packaged with someone else. I would posit that given the lack of depth at RW and the possibility of needing to trade one of the 6 million dollar men to find a defender, it would be a questionable decision to move Yakupov for magic beans. At least get a role player who is already an NHL player.
Someone is going to get a 2.5M complementary winger who can play with skilled centers for next to nothing. Just to reiterate how import Yakupov’s usage has been to his performance, I ran some numbers a while ago.
5v5
— Matt Henderson (@Archaeologuy) April 10, 2016
Yak w Letestu: 0.24 P/60
Yak w/o Letestu: 1.95 P/60
Eberle w Letestu: 0 P/60
Eberle w/o Letestu: 1.93 P/60
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Edmonton has opted to derail this player’s value since Dallas Eakins was the head coach here and someone else is on the verge of finally benefitting. Follow me on Twitter @Archaeologuy