"Welcome to NAIL Country" Part III

In yesterday's posting we talked about the enigma 'Nail Yakupov' and his fierce competitive edge he brings, not only to the ice but also to life. He may be Russian, but other then the language barrier , you would think he grew up in Canada. There has been a lot of talk about Yakupov possibly being like Hall with his all out relentless style of game. As I said last post, high risk, high reward.

I am sure many of you recall the injury Yakupov suffered in the gold medal game of the World Junior Championship. Shortly after his return he sustained a couple other setbacks. The incident in the gold medal game was a knee injury. Leading up to the 'Top Prospects' game, Nail had dressed in the previous 3, Sarnia Sting games. What some may have missed, is he did not play the 2nd or 3rd period of that third game. 

Sarnia sports media reported that Yakupov, searching for expert opinion, went to Dr. Bob Giffin, an orthopedic surgeon at the Fowler Kennedy Clinic in London, Ontario, who had been overseeing his treatment (is not a employee of the Sarnia Sting). Dr. Giffin recommended Yakupov not participate in the "Top Prospects" showcase, providing the young star the famous "doctor's note".

It was said that the CHL wanted Yakupov to still go to Kelowna to be assessed by one of the doctors hired by the league. Nail didn't make the trip, and the CHL/OHL Commissioner David Branch's response was to suspend Nail for 2 OHL games which also did occur.

This was a lot to handle pressure wise (when a league is basically acting like the injury is not valid is brings into question the integrity of the individual and the team). In spite of this, Nail just shrugged it off as another obstacle he would have to overcome.


Nail no sooner got back to work on the ice and upon finding his groove once again, he ended up back on the injury list. Despite picking up a 4-0 victory over the Owen Sound Attack, he took an illegal hit to the head by Owen Sound Attack Captain Michael Halmo.  Yakupov was hit directly in the head at 11:20 of the 2nd period.

Yakupov, ended up getting stitches to his mouth and suffered a concussion. He did not return to the game and remained out of the line up. Nail did come back before season's end but there was lots of speculation as to the level of his overall health.


'I thought it was blatantly dirty' said Sting Head Coach Jacques Beaulieu. 'Nail took alot of stitches to the face, it's all marked up. Halmo didn't hit anything else, but his head. We've got to take these hits out of out game and protect our kids.'

It is pretty much a given, the Oilers will be doing some heavy investigation into his medical records and be observing closely at the combine. What should be noted is that Nail Yakupov's ppg in the CHL was greater then Hall, Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. His ppg did drop off after his first injury but nothing at this point of time shows any reason to worry about his health. 


TO BE CONTINUED....

For Oiler ,Baron and Thunder news and the 2012/13 NHL draft watch www.twitter.com/revingev

Tom Renney Will Not Be Back!

The Edmonton Oilers announced that Tom Renney will not be back as the head coach for the 2012-13 season.

While its not surprising, they should have told him earlier as it has been over a month since the Oilers season ended.

Like I've said before, I'd fully expect OKC Barons head coach Todd Nelson to be on the short list when they have it ready. I'd strongly consider hiring him. He's done well so far with the club in his two years. He might even coach this team to a Calder Cup championship.

I'm interested to see how this plays out over the summer.

-WRITTEN BY SMOKIN' RAY-

"Welcome to NAIL Country" Part II

Last posting we finished off talking about Nail and his name, his time with his father back in the 'homeland' and how his life lessons may have served as a motivator for the success he has had. It appears to me that during his interview with Andrey Osadchenko, he was more then willing to allow the world a look into the man, more then just the name.

Character is a IMPORTANT factor in the Oilers choice when they select #1 overall at this draft. It has been stated on several episodes of 'Oil Change' and 'Oil Change OVERDRIVE' that Character is a MUST for a #1 overall pick.

As I mentioned before, I don't see Yakupov's outgoing personality as a 'negative'. In fact, the excitement he had in beating Canada has more to do with RESPECT of the Canadian team then disrespect. Why should he be so pumped beating Canada? Because it's FREAKING Canada man! Why was Canada so pumped about winning the 72 Summit series over the Soviet Union? Because it was the FREAKING Soviet's! It's a compliment, not a insult.

Nail is a player who plays on that edge, and yes, sometimes it may be risky. The greater the risk, the greater the reward IMO. Is Taylor Hall a risky bet? Yes, he is. But with great risk can also come great reward. Nail has that same edge. He comes across as authentic. What you see is what you get. Forget the fact he is Russian and look at the fact he is a 'fierce and skilled player'.

Back in 2009/2010, Nail was one of the very few 16 year olds who played in the MHL - Russia's major junior league, says Andrey Osadchenko. Despite not being on their top 2 lines he was still invited to play for the Russian U18 (quite the feat). Electing to further develop his career he headed to Sarnia of the OHL where he had been drafted and went on in his first season to break Steven "flipping" Stamkos rookie scoring record.

This guy has a compete level that is out of this world. Everything is a competition for him. Andrey Osadchenko in his interview tells another of Nail's story about his compete level. Nail tells Andrey "We tried to play soccer once - it was real difficult. It was so frustrating, I almost lost my mind. I expected a competitive game, but they couldn't do a thing on the pitch. (means playing field for non-soccer fans) They could neither kick the ball or pass it. Nothing. They were fooling around and laughing like a bunch of kids. It was terrible. I was really upset and thought 'Screw you guys. If you don't want to play fine. Go throw your stupid melon around the dressing room. I don't care.'" Some people could take that statement and make more out of it. Me? I just think he just wears his heart on his sleeve. He is, what he says he is and does what he believes is right. He has conviction and most of all, 'personality'.

Nail also has a appreciation for celebrating successes as well. In fact he tells Andrey Osadchenko that when he found out his Russian teammate from the 2012 WJ team, Nikita Gusev, did not take his SILVER Medal out of his hockey bag he was bothered. "I didn't like it one bit" said Yakupov. "..I put my silver medal on display right away..". Some people would disagree that finishing 2nd is worth celebrating but the difference between 1st and 2nd is very little. To me, it is worth celebrating, your 2nd best in the world. Enjoy your time but come back next year gunning to be #1!

Team Russian Coach Valeri Bragin has said "Yakupov will be a great player" , but still wants him to become a teammate that others will rally around. When asked about dealing with all the pressure's on him, Nail responded "In all honesty, I don't even notice it, sure I see my name popping up on various websites and all that. I don't get super excited about it, though. I don't think too much about what other people think about me. Sometimes people say, Yakupov is this and Yakupov is that, they talk about the pressure I'm supposed to be experiencing and sometimes they don't say anything. What's important is that I have a goal. I don't pay attention to small details."

QUOTE by Nail Yakupov; 
"Whatever You give to hockey, it gives back to you"

TO BE CONTINUED...

"Welcome to NAIL Country" Part I

Like many of you out there, I am first and foremost a fan of hockey. The last thing some people may want to read about is more on the 2012 NHL Entry Draft and Nail Yakupov. Or did I get that wrong? Judging by the hits we here at Oilersjambalaya and other sites on the blogosphere get on articles on Nail and the draft, I would say there is interest still.


Rather then try to defend the reasons I have for the Oilers taking Nail at #1 overall, (HENCE THE TITLE)  I thought 'why not get a closer look into his life and experiences?' For a few blogs, I will focus more on some stories of what is becoming a very interesting player in "Nail Yakupov".

Nail Yakupov

Born: October 6th,1993

Position: RW 

Height: 5'11

Weight: 190 pounds

Nail, a outspoken Russian with elite Skill and speed to burn, plays with a fire that is rare to find in a average player. Yakupov has been in the hockey limelight now for 2 years and doesn't even blink at the thought of pressure.


While several fans, scouts and even some media members bring in the 'Russian factor' as a argument to draft him at #1, Nail has no worries. Both he and his agent Larionov bring quick attention to his coming to North America early in his development and his desire to be the best, in the best league in the world.


Yakupov makes light of those who refer to his name as a sign of significance. Nail told reporters "I don't have a great story about my name, it's not like I had a great grandfather who was a hero and I was named after him. My parent's just liked the name and that's it". It's a common name in the region of Russia where he hails from but does mean 'the one who achieves success'.


Nail comes from a smaller city called Nizhnekamsk. He tell's how it is not much different then Sarnia, where he has played the last 2 years for the Sting. "Sarnia is more of a stretched town and has lots of houses" Say's Yakupov. "Nizhnekamsk is bigger, about 250,000 people live there, but more compact and has apartment buildings. I like small towns. I'm not really the going out type."


Nail's big passion is movies , particularly thrillers. He cites favourites as Law Abiding Citizen, Vantage Point, and Phone Booth to name a few. he says some people think he's a moron because he loves Phone Booth but Say's he can't help it. You have got to love the fact, he is not one to just go with the crowd but actually has opinions of his own. Some are concerned he may be too outgoing  and arrogant , to be a long term solution for the Edmonton Oilers and maybe not a team player and a teachable one at that. 


Nail's father Rail Yakupov (yes, you read that right), was Nail's junior coach. He was also director of a junior hockey school back home. It meant only one thing for Nail; He would have to work twice as hard as his peers. He learned his worth ethic and persistence early in life. "He was very demanding" Yakupov Say's. "I don't know where I would be without him. He liked to remind me 'If you want to play, keep your mouth shut, listen and do as your told'." A sign that tell's us, a lot about the way he grew up.


Connections in Sarnia to Oiler Players, tell of how great of a guy he is. Speaks a lot to his character. Some fans are concerned about his outspoken personality as a bad sign. I would say his work ethic, character and ability to handle enormous pressure would be more of a concern then him being 'excited' about beating Team Canada at the recent WJHC 2012.

TO BE CONTINUED......

For Oiler ,Baron and Thunder news and the 2012/13 NHL draft watch www.twitter.com/revingev

The "Great Draft Debate"

 The Oilers 'winning' the Lottery has made for a lot of conversation for Oilers fans everywhere. In fact, not only for Oiler fans but also for fans of any of the top 10 draft selections. 


This year most fans believed it was a easy decision. Pick 1 of 3 players at 2nd or 3rd overall. One of Murray, Grigorenko and/or Galchenyuk and we move on with yet another season. Something went terribly wrong though...the Oilers won a lottery that had not yet been won by a team who finished 29th overall.


Now this is where the problem lies with most GM's, and MSM, bloggers and fans alike. What should the Edmonton Oilers do with that pick at #1 overall? It can be a problem as much as it's a blessing. So now, when the Oilers step up to the podium in Pittsburgh in June at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, they are pressured from a few different angles.

Like Taylor Hall before him, Nail is not the positionally player the Oilers have the greatest need to draft, but he is the consensus #1 player, ready in most likelihood to play right away in the NHL. He has heart, intensity, hates to lose and wants to win more then anything. Sound familiar. Don't forget, while some still believe Tyler Sequin was the better option due to him playing center, Tyler has been playing RW in Boston. Had the Oilers played him at Center, there is no indication he could have handles the center position like he has RW.

1) The best skilled player who looks to have the best career ahead of his draft class at a top level is Nail Yakupov but he is a RW and is only 5'11. The Oilers have top 2 RW covered in Eberle and Hemsky, is there room for a 3rd RW?

2) The top defencemen right now to select is Ryan Murray. It's not known if he will be the best of the available d-men in the future but he is the most ready and the most likely to have a good career. Concern? Other then Drew Doughty who else as a top d-man has gone that high and been the best player drafted?

3) The Oilers need a 2nd center by most people's thought process so what about a bigger centermen in Grigorenko or Galchenyuk? This could work well, however with Grigorenko's play in the playoffs dropping (possibly due to mono we now hear) and Galchenyuk missing the entire season there is worries about the certainty around these 2 players as the #1 overall selection.

WHO SHOULD BE DRAFTED #1 OVERALL AT THE 2012 NHL ENTRY DRAFT?
Regardless if Edmonton picks at #1 or someone else trades up to that spot, you have to take the consensus #1 overall, or you could set your franchise back years. Anyone other then Yakupov at #1 would be opening up that team to high scrutiny unless their selection turns out better or at least equal to Yakupov within 5 years time. Those first 2 years the comparisons could potentially harm the team who chose other then Yakupov at #1.


HOW DO WE KNOW YAKUPOV IS ACTUALLY THAT GOOD?
Because if you look at history, you will see that when 80% or more of the Scouts worldwide have a player rated that high, for that long, it's pretty much a slam dunk they will at least turn into a star player in a top 6 forward role or top 4 defence pairing. 


DO WE REALLY NEED ANOTHER FORWARD WHEN WE HAVE A DESPERATE NEED FOR DEFENCE?
Yes we do. As can be seen last year, we have 3 incredible young stars but 1 line does not make a great top 6. You need to really develop and build your own top 6 and you can always fill in your bottom 6 forwards with trades, UFA's and such.  While we need a top 2 defencemen, there is less of a chance Murray can fill that role let alone maybe if he was that good, we are at least 2-3 years away from seeing that. The best we could possibly get from Murray this next year is Gilbert's level of play this past season before being traded.

There was lots of talk about NYI actually should be taking Hedman over Tavares as they had a desperate need for defence. Truth is, they did have a need and still have a need on defence. Sound familiar? Now how many would take Hedman over Tavares? How many would take Larsson over RNH? I rest my case. No matter how you look at this, drafting defencemen truly is a art that needs to look at long term development and not high draft picks. I personally believe Yakupov has a lot of the same qualities that Tavares has and like so many before him, after being in the limelight for so long, everyone starts looking for faults to their game or their character. It happens every year.


The Edmonton Oilers will pick Nail Yakupov at #1, they have little choice but to do the safest thing and go with what we do know. You can not go wrong by having a stable full of studs. You could always trade one down the road if you need to. The cost for a team to get the Oilers to trade down, is steep and risky for both The Oilers and any other team. It won't happen folks unless a team like Montreal steps up or New York and that is 90% unlike;y.


Let's not forget, unlike past year's it is possible to put someone like Nail as our 3rd line RW for his development. It allows time to play with more defensive minded players yet to still earn his place on the top 6. Nail unlike our other top guns, does like to check and still could get valuable time on the PP 1st or 2nd line unit.


It's very possible you could have a combination  next year of;
?/RNH/Eberle
Hall/Gagner/Hemsky
?/Horcoff/Yakupov


Depending on what happens with Ryan Smyth you could slot in Paajarvi or Hartikainen in one of those other spots. If Yakupov starts the season well , can adjust to LW (his coach occasionally played him there) and is not a defensive liability, you could possibly have the season ending with;
Yakupov/RNH/Eberle
Hall/Gagner/Hemsky


There are several options left for the Oilers including Hall at center. Bottom line? The possibilities are plentiful and so is the potential to have a genuine 'scary' scoring team?


In my next blog , I will be covering more on the Oilers possible selections and why they will be targeting specific players with their second pick.

For Oiler ,Baron and Thunder news and the 2012/13 NHL draft watch www.twitter.com/revingev