Edmonton is No Good VIII: There's Still Something in the Water!

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

I understand the disdain for Nail, but I can't help think of him as a great tragedy. He did have a good rookie season, 31 points and 17 goals in 48 games. But Edmonton chewed him up, ground down his confidence, and spit him right out. He has never looked the same since getting just pummeled into the dirt by local media, fans, and the organization. I honestly think his confidence was completely robbed and will never be rebuilt.

Have to wonder if he would have turned out better elsewhere. I think he'd at least still be in the league as a middle six contributor.

Originally Posted by FBI

And then you remember how entitled Burke said he was in the interviews and then you don’t feel so bad for him anymore.

A little from column A and a little from column B.

He had a big head for sure and I wouldn't be surprised if he told the Oilers that he would only play for them if he was guaranteed to be in the NHL.

But his career could have gone in a different direction if he landed with a different organization. The Oilers are the last place a player with entitlement issues should go to mature. They fed right into his ego.

He was a beast in junior. He wasn't just an offensive player and hit everything that moved. Then he went to the Oilers where they handed him the keys gave him no instructions.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

But I think a regular NHL club with real development plans and vets would have shut that right out of him. Maybe not, but going to the Oilers of all places with that type of mentality, then getting overhyped by fans and the expectations... yikes lol. All I am saying is that the Oilers were probably the worst possible destination for this player, and deserve partial credit for having messed up his career.

Well that I cannot disagree with.

The thing is, I look at a guy like Ovechkin who had a similar attitude problem and had a year in his career where he was very ineffective.

What did he do?

He went home to Russia and....re-invented his game and came back again as probably the League's most gifted goal scorer of all time.

I'm not going to quibble about history and records, I get that people hold on to those like security blankets, but for my money Alex Ovechkin is the single most gifted goal-scorer this game have ever known.

But it didnt happen without work and innovation. Yakupov's biggest deficiency is between his ears. The Oilers just made it worse.

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

I understand the disdain for Nail, but I can't help think of him as a great tragedy. He did have a good rookie season, 31 points and 17 goals in 48 games. But Edmonton chewed him up, ground down his confidence, and spit him right out. He has never looked the same since getting just pummeled into the dirt by local media, fans, and the organization. I honestly think his confidence was completely robbed and will never be rebuilt.

Have to wonder if he would have turned out better elsewhere. I think he'd at least still be in the league as a middle six contributor.

Dude can’t hack the KHL. The same league Nigel Dawes was a phenom.

He would have busted on any NHL squad.

[browna]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

Dude can’t hack the KHL. The same league Nigel Dawes was a phenom.

He would have busted on any NHL squad.

Don’t agree. As mentioned above, the Oilers (Lowe) mentality for young players is based on the notion from 1982 where Sather was a father figure to mentally and physically manage all aspects of those guys lives, and the dressing room had to sort its own issues out with strong leaders keeping others in line and elevating everyone.

This was of course the era too where you slept off hangovers and players were defaulting on loans.

But given the circle of poor Oilers results equal high draft picks, and no vets to come in and lead, let alone babysit, that dressing room, let alone keep it in line. 19 and 20 year old kids who have excelled for a couple years in junior and been at the top of the team up to this point, it is extremely hard to be given the keys at an NHL level every night, without being able to touch the pedals.

There is a fine line for kids in that zone whether they sink or swim.Some need thier ass kicked. Some need a Pat on the back. Timing of that kick or a pat is also important. And Nail and the other young guys were all operating without any of that direction or structure in Edmonton, but expected to know it all right away and crapped on when they didn’t, further sending them down a spiral. .

Pretty sure he was a consensus pick around the league at number 1. That’s 30 scouting departments and all the so called draft experts agreeing. In this day and age the talent, drive, and intangibles are all there and shown over the course of multiple years in junior.

It’s been sad to watch. Each and every talent the Oilers have picked so high could turn out like Hall did when he left.

[Scroopy Noopers]

I like to head to a Jr. game and catch the projected #1 in person if they’re playing in the OHL. McDavid was mind blowing.

Yakupov spent the entire game at the far blue line, smashing his stick when guys wouldn’t find him for 70’ breakaway passes, and was one of the most one way players I’ve ever seen live. That said, he did seem ridiculously talented offensively. Almost scary. But when it comes to the big league you can’t just rely on that anymore. And it didn’t work for him.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Huh. Almost sounds like he needed coaching and time to mature into a professional player in order to translate that raw offensive talent into a successful formula at the NHL level.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Huh. Almost sounds like he needed coaching and time to mature into a professional player in order to translate that raw offensive talent into a successful formula at the NHL level.

Right sorry, I forgot where I was.

[FireGilbert]

Debating between Yakupov being a poor #1 pick or being ruined by the Oilers development:

[Reggie Dunlop]

Wasn't "Yak" taken because of Katz Junior's insistence?

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Wasn't "Yak" taken because of Katz Junior's insistence?

He was the consensus if I recall correctly. What a weird draft year. The 3rd round is looking as good if not better than the 1st.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Wasn't "Yak" taken because of Katz Junior's insistence?

I think it was Katz himself. The story I remember is that the Oilers' scouts wanted to take one of the top-rated defencemen (I believe Ryan Murray was their preference) both because Yak had some red flags and because they already had Hall and RNH.

Ultimately, Katz overruled the scouts and they took the guy who was on the cover of the Hockey News Draft Preview issue.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by getbak

I think it was Katz himself. The story I remember is that the Oilers' scouts wanted to take one of the top-rated defencemen (I believe Ryan Murray was their preference) both because Yak had some red flags and because they already had Hall and RNH.

Ultimately, Katz overruled the scouts and they took the guy who was on the cover of the Hockey News Draft Preview issue.

This is the story I heard as well. Brian Burke says Yak was the worst draft interview he ever had-said Yak knew he wasn't going to be around for the Leafs pick, so he was completely arrogant and tuned out. One of the scouts wanted to beat him up, he was so bad.

[Doctorfever]

https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/these-si...2019-1.4687011

I understand they were going to have one of the oilers team as well. There were too many missing pieces to that puzzle, so had to shelf the idea.

[Ozy_Flame]

I understand it's fun to rip on everything, and if an Oilers puzzle was among those options I'd laugh. But I will never #### on anyone in this province that does something to earn them a side hustle and raise community spirit at the same time. We need to support people like this now more than ever.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Doctorfever

https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/these-si...2019-1.4687011

I understand they were going to have one of the oilers team as well. There were too many missing pieces to that puzzle, so had to shelf the idea.

Why anyone would live in Edmonton does puzzle me.

[Azhouse]

Originally Posted by calgaryred

When I think of Yakupov I remember that tying goal in the final minutes of a regular season game, and him skating out to centre ice. Then that Oiler fan paints the moment on his garage door. Wonder if he ever painted it over with a picture of McDavid.

I'm pretty sure the mural of McDinglenuts went on the ceiling above his bed.

[Doctorfever]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

I understand it's fun to rip on everything, and if an Oilers puzzle was among those options I'd laugh. But I will never #### on anyone in this province that does something to earn them a side hustle and raise community spirit at the same time. We need to support people like this now more than ever.

I didn’t intend to rip or #### on anyone in the article, so if I did, sorry. Just poking a little fun at the Oilers. Lighten up.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Doctorfever

I didn’t intend to rip or #### on anyone in the article, so if I did, sorry. Just poking a little fun at the Oilers. Lighten up.

Point taken. I invite you to work on your delivery.

[Redlan]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

I understand it's fun to rip on everything, and if an Oilers puzzle was among those options I'd laugh. But I will never #### on anyone in this province that does something to earn them a side hustle and raise community spirit at the same time. We need to support people like this now more than ever.

So which one did you buy?

[Boreal]

Originally Posted by Doctorfever

https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/these-si...2019-1.4687011

I understand they were going to have one of the oilers team as well. There were too many missing pieces to that puzzle, so had to shelf the idea.

I like that the elk island sunset showcases a swarm of mosquitoes.