I watched Yakupov play live a few times in junior. It was his speed that really set him apart. But I noticed quickly why he was so highly ranked....
Basically just hung out at the opposing blue line. I don't think I saw him below his blue line for more than a few seconds. This is how he thinks he brings his best to the rink. Ovechkin like, but without all of ovechkins talent.
Everyone screaming "no" to Iggy...and then "oh yeah, let's give Yakupov a go"
...it's insanity.
Not comparable at all IMO.
One is 23 and the other is 39.
One if he doesn't work out you can throw on waivers and bury in the minors if need be, the other carries a history that you have to respect when playing him.
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Rick Dhaliwal @DhaliwalSports
F Nail Yakupov is a ufa, his agent Igor Larionov tells me Yakupov has intertest in signing in Vancouver.
Makes sense as it's the place where he may get a chance to play regularly. The only reason this guy will get an NHL contract is because of where he was drafted because if he was a guy that was picked in say the 4th round of his draft he would be lucky to get an AHL contract based on his play. When you are a one dimensional forward and can only put up 9 points in 40 NHL games you probably need to start planning for a career in Europe.
I would try yak out 1 year deal around a million. Its a low risk high reward situation, if he sucks he sucks but if can can score 15 goals thats an automatic win.
15 goals? It would take him 5 years at the pace he is going. My god, Bouma might score more.
I get why St. Louis took a shot at Yak. Shake the oiler stink off and see what you get. They got a dude that scored 3 goals.
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From HFBoard oiler fan, in analyzing MacT's management:
O.K. there has been a lot of talk on whether or not MacTavish has actually done a good job for us, most fans on this board are very basic in their analysis and I feel would change their opinion entirely if the team was successful.
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Sign yak cheap. Reap benefits of guy who hated the team that drafted him and watch him become a star winger fueled by rivalry.
Multiple teams and coaches and he still can't figure the game out.
I'm sure he's a good kid and he works hard, but other then that the skills that made him special in junior, the size and speed, everyone has got that up here, he's not special. The thing that he needs, the understanding of open spaces, backchecking assignments, how to transition, he lacks the hockey IQ to do those things well and at this point, that's never going to change.
If I need someone to open a jar of pickles, or run the pocket dog machine, I'll call him.
Otherwise, big pass, he's not going to bounce back. He's not smart enough on the ice.
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My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
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Puzzles me how we've all seen him fail on two completely different teams with completely different systems with numerous coaches (albeit more in one locale than the other) and yet there are still people who insist he can turn it around.
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One if he doesn't work out you can throw on waivers and bury in the minors if need be, the other carries a history that you have to respect when playing him.
One was and is a bad hockey player.
One was a great hockey player and is still a better hockey player than the other.
All this baggage fans are attaching to Iggy is a whole bunch of made up trash.
