On Thursday, a writer from the popular blog Barstool Sports tweeted out that he was hearing that the Oilers and Blackhawks were closing in on a trade involving Nail Yakupov. The exact tweet, from Chicago writer “Chief” is below.
Hearing that the Blackhawks are making a deal for Yakupov per sources. Not sure who is going back to Edmonton or if money is being retained
— Chief (@BarstoolChief) October 6, 2016
Mark Spector of Sportsnet later confirmed, via the following tweet, that the two sides are in fact talking trade.
Re: Yakupov-to-Chicago trade rumours, first reported by @BarstoolChief…
According to sources, Teams are talking…— Mark Spector (@SportsnetSpec) October 6, 2016
Chief touched on the subject over at Barstool here, while our very own Megan Fowler talked about the rumors here on Thursday afternoon.
I’m not going to get into a possible return for the Oilers in this trade and I’m not going to talk about whether or not I think it is going to happen or should happen. There has been enough written, from the media and from blogs, on those topics and I don’t feel like committing overkill.
What I am going to write today, however, is that it’s time. It’s time for the Edmonton Oilers and Nail Yakupov to shake hands and part ways. It hasn’t been a good marriage and quite frankly, any chance to save it is long gone.
I know certain bloggers and fans will hate what I’m about to say, but the Edmonton Oilers are better off without Nail Yakupov. It’s not because he’s a bad player, it’s not because he doesn’t deserve to be here, the fit simply isn’t right.
Why Not?:
Nail Yakupov is a one-dimensional hockey player. As much as I like Nail, he IS exciting to watch and is VERY likable, he isn’t really a strong defensive player. His calling card is his offensive ability. He was drafted as an elite goal scorer, that’s what he is good at.
This isn’t anything new either. When Yakupov was drafted in 2012, the scouting reports on him raved about his finishing ability and his offensive game, but there were questions about his defensive game and his hockey IQ. Those questions, which have been around since junior hockey, were proved right in Edmonton.
By the way, Nail Yakupov hasn’t been very effective as an offensive player. His calling card, goal scoring and flare, really hasn’t shown up since his rookie season in 2012-13 when he registered 17-14-31 in 48 games.
Since then, in three seasons, Yakupov has scored just 32 goals. That averages out to a little more than ten a season. For a guy whose game is built around goal scoring, that’s simply a terrible average. I know, linemates were a factor, but I expect more from Nail Yakupov, I truly do.
And speaking of linemates, Derek Roy, Sam Gagner and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have been three of his most common centers. That’s not exactly a bad group of offensive players.
He’s only scored more than 30 points once in the last three years. Again, that’s not a good total for a player whose value is based around his offensive production. For a variety of reasons, he doesn’t do the one thing he’s supposed to do well.
The Oilers Can Fix That!:
Well, I thought so, at least. At the end of the 2014-15 season, Yakupov appeared to finally break through after Dallas Eakins was fired. He meshed well with Derek Roy and he finished very strong from January through April. He even earned a two-year contract extension and was expected to take another step in 2015-16.
He started off well last season, playing well with Connor McDavid for a while, but of course it all came off the tracks. McDavid got hurt and Yakupov cooled down in a big way. Then, shortly after that, Yakupov himself went down and wasn’t really the same until a strong final ten games of the season. By then, however, the writing was on the wall.
Many people have suggested that Yakupov skate with Connor McDavid to start this upcoming season. I see the logic there and I would not at all be opposed to that. However, that’s not happening, and I also totally get that. And no, it’s not because he doesn’t deserve it.
Deserve it?:
This might be the single dumbest argument of all time. Sorry, but this whole “Yakupov doesn’t DESERVE to play with McDavid” thing is a bunch of trash. Deserving to play with someone literally has nothing to do with it. If Yakupov performs best with McDavid, then play him with McDavid! If it gives your team a better chance to win, then do it!!!! WINNING IS THE BE ALL AND END ALL!
Yakupov has shown that he can perform with McDavid. Whether he deserves it or not doesn’t mean a thing. If the Oilers have a better chance to win with that duo, then that is what they should do, plain and simple. Just win baby, win.
But It’s Not The Best Thing:
The Yakupov-McDavid duo might be the best thing for Nail, but I don’t think it’s the best thing for the Oilers. Regardless of who it is at right wing, McDavid’s line is going to produce, he’s just that good. That being said, I’d rather maximize that top line and play my best goalscorer with my best playmaker.
Here’s the thing, with Pouliot, Nugent-Hopkins, Leon Draisaitl, Patrick Maroon and so on and so forth, the Oilers have enough for three decent offensive lines.
Nail Yakupov is not your best goalscorer, it’s not even close. Jordan Eberle, at this stage, is your best goalscorer. I honestly believe that the Oilers can get more out of McDavid/Eberle than McDavid/Yakupov, and I’m not sure it’s close over a full season.
Final Thoughts:
Nail Yakupov has underachieved in Edmonton by a large margin. Part of that is his fault. He’s failed to improve his defensive game and he’s notorious for making key mistakes in the worst places. His offensive flare also has not been what was advertised on draft day. Part of it also falls on the Oilers, who gave him coach after coach and who didn’t always put him in position to succeed (See 2015-16’s Letestu/Yakupov experiment).
That said, in the end, it’s clear that Nail Yakupov isn’t part of the plans in Edmonton. He’s clearly behind Jordan Eberle on the depth chart, and I truly believe that Kris Versteeg is a better NHL player who does a lot more than Yakupov does. Jesse Puljujarvi has a lot more potential, and I wouldn’t want to put Yakupov on a defensive fourth line.
In the end, the Oilers need to move on. They have three options for the skill positions up front and it’s clear that Yakupov can’t find the consistency or fit in Edmonton. It’s also clear that Yakupov desperately needs a fresh start and another look.
I wish him the best, he does work hard and he has a great personality, but it’s time for the Yakupov and Edmonton to split. I say bring on a trade with Chicago.
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