Quote:
Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe
I know I will be following Yakupov with interest. If there is one thing that I feel I could always say about him, it is that he tried hard. I always noticed Hall and Eberle coasting back on defence, and noticed Yakupov often skating back hard.
Did everything come off the rails with all the poor coaching, and coaches trying to make an example of him since they weren't willing to get into it with Hall and Eberle? Did he just get rattled and lose it, or does he not have any IQ?
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Yakupov got really screwed a few ways. First, he was drafted the year of the lockout, were he not only got 31 points in 48 games, he also had almost a PPG in the KHL. If Bennett or even Monahan had that type of production in their rookie season, we would be ecstatic. He had a pretty solid first season. He had to do it without a training camp, and had to play straight in the NHL, yet he did have decent success.
Then...Eakins happened. Not only did Eakins teach Yakupov the swarm, the only true Defensive system he ever learned in North America, he somehow got in the Eakins doghouse and got scratched a bunch of times over 2 seasons. He was poor defensively, but he learned defense from the worst coach in the history of the NHL.
Last year, there were glimpses of a good player, but he was also clearly alienated by the cool entitled kids. He was dejected and wanted out, but the team wanted a first rounder back. He was never part of the group, and he never went out to party with the cool kids. He was shunned, and it could be seen pretty blatently in games.
I dont think Yakupov would have ever gotten better in Edmonton, but his career may yet be salvaged, and may even thrive under proper management.