Quote:
Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina
Yak has had several chances. Why would it be different here?
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I would say that:
Monahan
Backlund
Bennett
Lindholm
Dube
Jankowski
Lazar
(Shore/Ryan)
Would be, by
far the deepest center group Nail Yakupov has ever played with.
He has had success with skilled offensive playmaking centers (Gagner as a rookie, Derek Roy a few years later, McDavid, Duchene).
However Gagner was traded shortly after his rookie year, Roy was a bizarre rental, his stint with rookie McDavid only lasted about 8 games when he got injured, and Duchene too was traded. Dallas Eakins was also a toxic element.
I am not saying Yak doesn't have on-ice flaws but he is by all accounts a very high character guy and there is no denying his combonation of speed and shooting has yet to be honed due to the fact that he isn't good enough to stick in a top 6 and has never played on a team with centers that can set him up. I do believe he would work with our center group. He probably wouldn't get the PP time here that he wants for his individual success but there is nothing stopping him from adding skill, tenacity, and speed to the bottom of a lineup starved for it. And should we need him, his dangerous and quick shot release is still an asset to a power play.
Further, along with a deep center group we have a strong defense core that can dictate the tempo. On paper we could be the first team to PROPERLY insulate him in his career. Even St. Louis had some pretty bad center depth when he was there.