[News] Oilers Scratch Yakupov... Again

[dying4acup]

Maybe I'm unclear, but I hope nobody from Edmonton was talking about trading Nurse. If I was oilers GM (and I'm not implying MacT is as smart as me) Nurse would be more untradable than RNH, Yak or Eberle!

[moon]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

Who cares what he says... English isn't his first language and he isn't media savvy. None of them play defense.

I would think his coaches and teammates, most like fans as well, would care what he says. Especially when what he says reflects his attitude and what he will/won't do on the ice.

He has been around long enough in NA to know what "I won't skate, hit or play defense" means. If he somehow didn't it has been long enough for someone to explain it to him and have him say it was a misunderstanding.

It is one thing for the Oilers to be bad at defense and be a soft thing, it is a completely other thing to have a guy say he is unwilling to do the things they need to win.

I am not sure why you would think the coach would play someone who says they won't do what it takes to win, won't do what the coach is asking him to do and sucking at doing the things they are supposedly good at.

Hall, RNH etc. play much better defense than Yak does and unlike him they are actually willing to improve their play in these areas and contributing to the team offensively.

If you are only going to be a one dimensional player you better be good at that dimension and Yak is not this season so deservedly he sits and watches guys who are better play the games.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by moon

I would think his coaches and teammates, most like fans as well, would care what he says. Especially when what he says reflects his attitude and what he will/won't do on the ice.

He has been around long enough in NA to know what "I won't skate, hit or play defense" means. If he somehow didn't it has been long enough for someone to explain it to him and have him say it was a misunderstanding...

I completely agree that Yakupov's attitude leaves a lot to be desired, and his comments are questionable. However, what he actually said is not quite accurately presented in yours (and a number of others') comments in this thread.

Here is the quote from the Edmonton Journal:

Originally Posted by Nail Yakupov

“I wasn’t happy about it last night. You can say a million words about getting better but coach says I’m not playing, so I’m not playing.

“I’m not happy about it. I just want to play every game.”

I don't think there is much more one can say about the first response. He's understandably unhappy, and acknowledges that he must do as the coach says.

Originally Posted by Nail Yakupov

“I’m going to play my game. I’m not going to change but maybe play better without the puck, or forecheck more, but I love playing with the puck.”

Now, I have seen a lot of people claim from his response that he has asserted that he will not alter his game and work harder on the defensive side of the puck; as moon puts it: "I won't skate, hit or play defense". Yakupov does NOT say this. In actual fact, in his second response he does seem to concede the point: he says that he won't change, but he may try to show a higher commitment to defense and the forecheck. I agree that his comments are a concern, in large part because he seems to be saying opposite things from one clause to the next. Equally concerning is that his commitment here seems extremely soft. But, I do not think that he has shown the sort of refusal to commit to team defense that some here have interpreted from his responses.

Originally Posted by Nail Yakupov

“I really don’t like skating all the time, and forechecking, and hitting somebody every shift. I don’t think it’s my game.”

This is probably where the greatest concern lies. No one wants to hear their star player first remark that he doesn't want to play harder, and then admit that this is not part of his game. However, take care again in noting what he has and has not said here:

· Yakupov admits that defensive hockey is hard work, and he doesn't like doing it.
· He has NOT conceded that these are things that he will not try to improve upon. He has only indicated that such improvement will be unpleasant, and up to this point have not been a feature in his game.

I think his comments are a concern, and I would be extremely disappointed were they made by a Flames player. However, some of them are getting blown a little bit out of proportion.

[SuperMatt18]

That last quote....yikes.

[ToraToraTora]

Theyre just resting him up for the 6 year 42 mil extension press conference.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Bourque's Twin

The last time a team drafted 1st ove 3 years in a row was when the Quebec Nordiques got Sundin, Nolan, and Lindros. That's a lot different than Hall, Nuge, and Yak.

The Oilers did pick a bad time to draft 1st overall three years in a row. It's still impossible to predict the future 100%, but it doesn't appear that any of the options would have been superstar calibre talent. Hall might get there and I do like most of his game, he just really needs to keep his head up more. Yakupov could be amazing if he ever gets it right mentally. Hopkins seems like he was rushed before he was physically ready and it hurt his development.

For the record, I think they are all good players/prosepcts, but just not at that upper level like other recent 1st overall picks (Tavares, Stamkos, Kane, and likely MacKinnon).

[Stay Golden]

Whats a Yakupov

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by moon

I would think his coaches and teammates, most like fans as well, would care what he says. Especially when what he says reflects his attitude and what he will/won't do on the ice.

He has been around long enough in NA to know what "I won't skate, hit or play defense" means. If he somehow didn't it has been long enough for someone to explain it to him and have him say it was a misunderstanding.

It is one thing for the Oilers to be bad at defense and be a soft thing, it is a completely other thing to have a guy say he is unwilling to do the things they need to win.

I am not sure why you would think the coach would play someone who says they won't do what it takes to win, won't do what the coach is asking him to do and sucking at doing the things they are supposedly good at.

Hall, RNH etc. play much better defense than Yak does and unlike him they are actually willing to improve their play in these areas and contributing to the team offensively.

If you are only going to be a one dimensional player you better be good at that dimension and Yak is not this season so deservedly he sits and watches guys who are better play the games.

Again... who cares what he says. They are a better team with him playing instead of Acton or Gazdic or whatever plug they are playing in his place.

Its bad quote... no doubt about it. But it just shows it was a miscalcuation by the Oilers. They scratched him to send a message and it didn't work - his quote shows he's not going to change. The team still lost both games. They are a better team with him in the line-up so they are going to have to play him again.

And yes.. he's one dimensional and didn't score in FOUR games. That's a tiny sample size. If he had scored in the first two games and then went pointless in the next four... they wouldn't scratch him.

[RedMileDJ]

Just read a couple tweets about the Oilers optional skate today: only 4 players showed up. Yak not being one of them.

I know it's optional, but you think more would show up. Especially if you've been benched lately.

[calumniate]

Apparently he suits up tonight. Got it on my PVR. Should be a gem!

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by Red-Mile-DJ

Just read a couple tweets about the Oilers optional skate today: only 4 players showed up. Yak not being one of them.

I know it's optional, but you think more would show up. Especially if you've been benched lately.

yeah, unless there is some one on one film session with a coach he should have been there. Kind of sounds like the Flames squad last year where players treated optional as no practice.

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by Red-Mile-DJ

Just read a couple tweets about the Oilers optional skate today: only 4 players showed up. Yak not being one of them.

I know it's optional, but you think more would show up. Especially if you've been benched lately.

i remember seeing something on tv about how Eakins has made it standard that he will not attend game day skates. Not sure if that's just him or the entire coaching staff, but sure sounds like game day skates are not going to be tools used by the coaching staff in oil country this year.

[strombad]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I completely agree that Yakupov's attitude leaves a lot to be desired, and his comments are questionable. However, what he actually said is not quite accurately presented in yours (and a number of others') comments in this thread.

Here is the quote from the Edmonton Journal:


I don't think there is much more one can say about the first response. He's understandably unhappy, and acknowledges that he must do as the coach says.


Now, I have seen a lot of people claim from his response that he has asserted that he will not alter his game and work harder on the defensive side of the puck; as moon puts it: "I won't skate, hit or play defense". Yakupov does NOT say this. In actual fact, in his second response he does seem to concede the point: he says that he won't change, but he may try to show a higher commitment to defense and the forecheck. I agree that his comments are a concern, in large part because he seems to be saying opposite things from one clause to the next. Equally concerning is that his commitment here seems extremely soft. But, I do not think that he has shown the sort of refusal to commit to team defense that some here have interpreted from his responses.


This is probably where the greatest concern lies. No one wants to hear their star player first remark that he doesn't want to play harder, and then admit that this is not part of his game. However, take care again in noting what he has and has not said here:

· Yakupov admits that defensive hockey is hard work, and he doesn't like doing it.
· He has NOT conceded that these are things that he will not try to improve upon. He has only indicated that such improvement will be unpleasant, and up to this point have not been a feature in his game.

I think his comments are a concern, and I would be extremely disappointed were they made by a Flames player. However, some of them are getting blown a little bit out of proportion.

While I agree that his comments are being slightly over-exaggerated, you totally focused on the wrong quote in terms of your argument.
The part people are concerned about is the SAME part you are concerned about. You focused on the second quote, nobody cares about that in terms of making their assumptions on his level of defensive commitment, but the last quote where he basically says skating hard and back checking isn't part of his game and he doesn't want to do it? THAT is the issue.
That's where moon is gathering his assumption that Yaks won't skate hard or play defence from, because Yaks SAYS skating hard and playing defence isn't part of his game and he doesn't think he should have to do it.
We can all read, and we're all reading and being concerned about the exact same quote you are, so I'm not sure what point you were trying to make.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Originally Posted by Red-Mile-DJ

Just read a couple tweets about the Oilers optional skate today: only 4 players showed up. Yak not being one of them.

I know it's optional, but you think more would show up. Especially if you've been benched lately.

Well, they played last night and again tonight so it's no surprise that only a few were out there. But I totally agree.......Yakupov should have been one of them. Unless he's meeting with the coaches off ice or something it doesn't make much sense.

[calgary2220]

gotta love the greasers, No wonder they can't win... Every other team in the league has there top pairing D logging top TOI... not these guys there top TOI guys are either Hall or RNH or Eberle???

[DuffMan]

I bet Krueger is having a pretty good laugh at the stupid Oilers season, so far.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

Again... who cares what he says. They are a better team with him playing instead of Acton or Gazdic or whatever plug they are playing in his place.

They should be, but they aren't. That's why he's been sitting. Gazdic and Acton have completely outplayed Yakupov both offensively and defensively.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

They should be, but they aren't. That's why he's been sitting. Gazdic and Acton have completely outplayed Yakupov both offensively and defensively.

I'm sure that's going to sustain over the long term.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by strombad

...you totally focused on the wrong quote in terms of your argument.

I provided thoughts on all of his responses.

Originally Posted by strombad

The part people are concerned about is the SAME part you are concerned about. You focused on the second quote, nobody cares about that in terms of making their assumptions on his level of defensive commitment...

My point was in part because of where people have chosen to focus their attention, and I think that your instance about what we ought not "care" about is quite telling in this regard. If you actually take the time to read it carefully, then you will see in his second sentence that he DID make a (half-hearted) gesture to improving away from the puck:

Originally Posted by Nail Yakupov

"...I’m not going to change but maybe play better without the puck, or forecheck more..."

If you did in fact comprehend the quotation as you claim, then you would notice that the conjunction indicates an exception to the preceding clause; namely, that these are things that he WILL "maybe" change.

Originally Posted by strombad

...but the last quote where he basically says skating hard and back checking isn't part of his game and he doesn't want to do it? THAT is the issue.

I agree that his response is an issue, but you are still assuming a lot from what he actually says. He says that skating, forechecking, and hitting is all HARD WORK, and that it is not part of the game he plays. He DID NOT SAY that he will not do these things, only that I finds them difficult, unpleasant, and has never paid them much heed in the past. It's entirely possible that he is just being honest, since I would imagine that virtually every professional hockey player finds it difficult to skate hard, forecheck, and to hit every shift. He has conceded the obvious here (which itself is a problem, since this is likely not something that most professional hockey players will admit to in public), but has not really said one way or the other whether he will make the necessary changes to his game. Again, yes, this looks bad, but it is entirely possible that some of his meaning or intent is indeed lost in translation.

Originally Posted by strombad

That's where moon is gathering his assumption that Yaks won't skate hard or play defence from, because Yaks SAYS skating hard and playing defence isn't part of his game and he doesn't think he should have to do it.

Except he NEVER SAID THIS. You assume that this is what he meant from his statement, but it is most certainly not so clear. In the end, much of this issue rests on ASSUMPTIONS.

Originally Posted by strombad

We can all read, and we're all reading and being concerned about the exact same quote you are, so I'm not sure what point you were trying to make.

Some here can read pretty well, but I don't believe that you are one of them. My point was to show that while there are legitimate concerns about Yakupov's response to being a healthy scratch, there are also a lot of assumptions being made about his personal feelings and intentions. In short, you need to read more carefully.

[RyZ]

It looks like Nichishkin will be a healthy scratch for the Stars tonight. It will be interesting to see how he handles it. From all accounts he has done nothjng so far in 5 games.