"Welcome to NAIL Country" Part IV

This, the last and final part of my postings on Nail Yakupov, is focused on the value Nail brings to an organization.  This guy knows how to finish a check, and how too take a hit as well. Even more importantly it's the impact he brings to the ice , each and every time takes a shift.
Summarized Scouting Report on 'Nail Yakupov'

Strengths:

A gifted goal scoring forward ... feisty, dynamic, explosive ... should be able to step into the next level very quickly and continue to progress ... very quick and elusive skater ... explosive bursts of speed ... has the ability to change direction in a flash ... maintains a low centre of gravity ... plays with a healthy amount of energy each shift ... throws his limited weight around and will not back down from physical play ... attacks the dirty areas without hesitation ... pos­sesses a rocket of a shot with lightning quick release ... possesses a heat-seeking one-timer ... understanding of scoring principles off the rush ... possesses natural scorers instincts ... the awareness of where to be on the ice to utilize that shot ... has been good in all three zones ... a true character ... easily one of the more popular players among his teammates ... constantly working on his game ... shows passion and drive on a nightly basis

Weaknesses:

Lack of size will prevent him from playing a rugged style in the NHL every shift ... tries to do too much with the puck and he could use linemates more at times ... working on the defensive aspect of his game and his play away from the puck

"His first step and ability to control bouncing pucks, knock them down and make a play are the best of any of the guys in the draft," said central scouting's Chris Edwards told NHL.com. "He really gets up to top speed very quickly and his hands are outstanding. Like Pavel Bure, Yakupov is dangerous every shift. He may not have been dominant on every shift like Bure was, but he created something every shift . . . you have to be aware where he is on the ice all the time."

Some questions have been raised about how good Yakupov truly is. I have no doubt in my observations these past 2 years that Nail is a Elite talent far above the rest of his draft class. 

A year ago there were some scouts believing Nail was a 'generational' talent. This year, we are not having anyone say the same. Why is that? Until the World U20 Junior Championship Nail was still being considered that 'generational' player. Following the injuries, it is not heard by many. Most MSM would tell you Yakupov is not a "Generational" player but I would say, there is nothing showing this guy will slow down his development as a world class player.

Maybe Nail has not yet proven anything at the NHL level, but how many more years do we have to hear that same argument? I heard that about Eric Lindros, Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos, John Tavares, Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The list is even greater but I think you get the point.

Is there interest for this player? Absolutely! What could be offered for Nail Yakupov at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft? Let's take a closer look at the possible trade scenario's that could be offered and a realistic look at what would be accepted;

#2. Blue Jackets

It doesn't look like Columbus has a big enough desire to trade up 1 spot in the draft when there is Murray, Rielly, Galchenyuk, Grigorenko and Reinhart still sitting there at #2. The price should Edmonton choose to do so? Ryan Johanson and that story has been revisited more times then it should have been. Columbus has nothing to offer other then Johanson or Jack Johnson and neither is going to be traded from the Blue Jackets. 

TRADE POSSIBILITY? NO

#3. Canadiens

The Montreal Gazette envisions a scenario where Nail Yakupov might fall all the way to third place and be scooped up to the Canadiens.

They called it a "blue-sky scenario," but basically the logic is that, if the Edmonton Oilers draft based on their greatest need, then they'll take blueliner Ryan Murray with the first overall pick. Yakupov would then fall to the Columbus Blue Jackets, who might hesitate to take another Russian player fresh off their inability to develop Nikita Filatov. It's worth noting that the Edmonton Oilers have expressed a willingness to take Yakupov with the first overall pick, despite their abundance of young, talented offensive forwards. It's also possible that the Blue Jackets or Oilers could trade down, which would allow Yakupov to go with to a team where he's a potentially better fit. It would be very surprising if Yakupov fell all the way to third, but the possibility also can't be completely dismissed. 

It makes no sense whatsoever Nail falling to 2nd let alone 3rd. No time in history has a player ranked so high with being the consensus #1 for 2 years every fallen that low. To fall that low, there would have been some signs leading up to the draft days.

That being said, is there any possibility of the Oilers wanting anything from Montreal? The Oilers would like that #3 draft position but the only roster player of great interest would be PK.Subban. I highly doubt Montreal gives up a Big talented Centermen and PK.Subban to draft Yakupov no matter how great he could become. 

TRADE POSSIBILITY? NO

#4. Islanders

The Islanders are much like the Oilers in that they are trying hard to work on their defensive game. Their blueline is limited for top end talent so chances of getting any defencemen is next to nothing. The only possible scenario could be the Islanders #4 pick and Ryan Strome. That would be about the only trade possibility the Oilers would accept. Anything less and you might as well keep Yakupov at #1. For the NYI, it would represent a giant risk, but Charles Wang is a owner who likes to make a impact. Not out of the question but a low percentage chance to make happen.

TRADE POSSIBILITY? Maybe

#5. Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs are a team that likes to be in the front lines and is always looking for a 'Big Name' player. Yakupov does not represent a team need for Toronto, but neither does Nash and there is lots of speculation from reliable sources they are still pressing for a trade there as well.

"We would have no hesitation whatsoever in selecting a Russian in the draft,” said Dave Poulin, Toronto Maple Leafs vice-president of hockey operations. “We are simply taking the best available player, the player we have ranked next "

A article released in Toronto wrote;...

With the New York Islanders and other teams potentially also interested in acquiring Yakupov, you can expect that the Leafs would have to sweeten the pot. The Leafs, who had more defencemen than they knew what to do with this season, could offer Cody Franson or Luke Schenn, as well as a second-round pick, a minor-league prospect (Nazem Kadri, Joe Colborne, Carter Ashton) or both.

Not sure I agree with the article that Burke would even consider that kind of trade but anything is possible. The Oilers would not consider a 2nd round pick. A #5 pick would have to be a part of the equation no matter the trade. Would Kadri, Franson (or Schenn) the #5 pick for the Oilers #1 pick and a prospect work? I highly doubt that happens if Kadri is involved. On the other hand there is not enough on the table for the Oilers to only get a 4-6 defencemen and a #5 pick.

TRADE POSSIBILITY? Maybe

#6. DucksWhat do the Ducks have that the Oilers would covet? #6 pick in the 2012 NHL Entry draft, Bobby Ryan and Cam Fowler. With Anaheim already struggling to recover back to being a top end team, ownership wanting to cut some salary is there possibility that Ryan could be available? I highly doubt this would work but it seems to be the only part that Edmonton would have interest in. The #6 pick and Bobby Ryan for the #1 pick and a Prospect like Curtis Hamilton in the minors? I don't see the Ducks giving Ryan in any deal and don't see Yakupov as being a fit in Anaheim.TRADE POSSIBILITY? No

#7. Wild

A #7 pick from the Wild would still represent a decent player for the future but not soon enough to make a impact for a couple years. This would mean they need a player off the Wild roster who could make a impact and is possibly available. I see no player a fit with the Wild to make this a potential trade partner.

TRADE POSSIBILITY? No

#8. Hurricanes

I know some oiler fans think there is some defencemen the club would like from the Hurricanes but Ryan Murphy and that is unlikely. I would say there looks to be no possibility of a trade here.

TRADE POSSIBILITY? No

#9. Jets

The Jets are a team that has one player that Oiler fans believe could see in the Blue and Orange named Zack Bogosian. Mark Scheifele is a center that the Oilers could use as well but both players are highly unlikely to be traded. The only possibility would be Oilers #1 and Gagner for Jets #9 and Bogosian. Would the Jets do this? It is possible but highly doubt the Oilers would be interested.

TRADE POSSIBILITY? No

#10. Lightning

What are players that the Oilers would want or could possibly be interested in? Connolly, Malone would be the only players of interest and Malone is only got a few years to play so I doubt they would want to entertain that one. Maybe a Brett Connolly and #10 pick for Oilers #1 pick?

TRADE POSSIBILITY?No

I see no possibility of any deal that would make lots of sense for both the Oilers and or another team. Any team below a #10 pick the Oilers would have no interest in, the Oilers are still rebuilding. The more a person looks at this thing, the greater the possibility ,Nail gets picked #1 at the NHL Entry Draft

"Welcome to NAIL Country" 

home of 'the Russian Machine' Nail Yakupov

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

"Oilers Arena"

I would like to introduce you to Paul Neumann. Over the last 6 months, I have spent time conversing back and forth on twitter and in person with this guy. He has a pretty good head on his shoulders and most of all he has a OPINION and is a OILERS FAN! Recently I suggested he write a posting that I could put up for you, here at oilersjambalaya to read. Leave a comment after you read if you don't mind, letting him know what you think of his post. 


I hope to post my final segment of the "Welcome to NAIL Country" Part IV sometime tomorrow. In the meantime and in between time, 'Keep your stick on the ice!'


revingev


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Oilers’ Arena    By Paul Neumann 

   It’s the Off-Season for your Edmonton Oilers, and so far most of the talk about the team has been about the upcoming NHL Entry Draft which will be held in Pittsburgh. The talk has centred mainly around Nail Yakupov and, if the Blue and Orange should draft him with the 3^rd consecutive 1^st Overall Pick or, trade down in the top 5 and try for a stud-defenceman. However, not too much attention has been garnered by the “proposed” downtown arena, least of all its name! So, if we may wander down Wayne Gretzky Drive as it were, I’d like to propose a name for the soon-to-be-hallowed halls of this complex.

   Myself, I’ve been advocating for it to be named the

“Bill Hunter Memorial Centre”. Now, for those of you, who do not know the history of hockey in Edmonton; let me first explain to you who this man was, and why he deserves this great honour.

   Bill Hunter was actually born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on May 5^th, 1920. He was the first of TEN children, and an avid sports fan. Bill founded his first sports team, the Saskatchewan Dukes Football Club when he was only 18 years old! (The team is now known as the Saskatchewan Hilltops Football Club, whom now competes in the Canadian Junior Football League). From there on, Hunter enrolled in Notre Dame College in Wilcox, Saskatchewan, where he managed the school’s baseball club.

   He first became involved in managing hockey when he coached and managed the Saskatoon Quakers Hockey Club form 1950-’52. In 1955, he bought, managed and, coached the Medicine Hat Tigers Hockey Club.

   

Now flash-forward. ‘Wild’ Bill Hunter is now at the helm of the Edmonton Oil Kings Hockey Club as the team’s Owner, General Manager and, Head Coach. The team was founded by Leo LeClerc in 1951, but sold to Hunter in the early 1960’s. Under Hunter, the Oil Kings would win the Memorial Cup in ’63 and in ’66 and, become the Founding Franchise of the Western Canada Hockey League which we all know today as the Western Hockey league. 

Hunter founded the new league because he believed that the four Western Provinces, whom each had their own junior hockey leagues, could not compete with the larger, more powerful Ontario Hockey league and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Hunter's dreams for a unified western league came true in the summer of 1966, when some member clubs in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League seceded from the league, and approached Hunter in hopes of starting a new league. 

These teams were the Regina Pats, Saskatoon Blades, Estevan Bruins, Moose Jaw Canucks and the Weyburn Red Wings. The ‘league’ then added a team in Calgary-the Calgary Buffaloes. The Oil Kings made it to the Memorial Cup TEN times between 1954 and 1976, winning the Memorial Cup in 1963 and 1966, capturing President's Cup (now the Ed Chenoweth Cup) titles in 1971 and 1972. However, it would prove to be the final championship titles in the glorious history of the original Edmonton Oil Kings before relocating to Portland out of financial difficulty, to become the Portland WinterHawks in 1976, after having been sold to different ownership.

   In 1972, Bill was approached by Dennis Murphy and Gary Davidson if he wanted to become the owner of a franchise in a new professional hockey league, called the World Hockey Association. Hunter leaped at the chance, as he had long wanted to bring professional hockey to Edmonton, but the National Hockey League wasn’t interested in expanding to Western Canada, least of all to Edmonton. He would go on to name the franchise the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club and, the glorious history of one of the worlds’ most famous sports teams begun. The team won the Inaugural Game of the newly formed World Hockey Association over the Ottawa Nationals, 7-4, and won their first-ever game in the Northlands Coliseum 4-1 against the Cleveland Crusaders, and history would be written from there on in. 

The team acquired top-notch talent, and even coaxed goaltending legend and Hockey Hall of Famer Jacques Plante out of retirement to start in goal for the squad. Plante ended his career in professional hockey as an Oiler in 1975. (Why the number he wore as an Oiler, #30 isn’t retired by the Edmonton Oilers, I’ll never be able to understand).

Hunter made one more serious attempt to bring a professional team to Western Canada, when in 1983 he offered to buy the financially struggling St. Louis Blues Hockey Club and move the team to his hometown of Saskatoon. The offer took many by surprise, even in Canada, as few thought an NHL team could remain profitable in a small city in the middle of the Canadian Prairies.

   Hunter later sold the team to Nelson Skalbania in 1979 before the WHA merged with the NHL. 

   So as you can see, this great man did so much to advance our National Game, and just as much to make Edmonton the envy of most of the country. Just think of it, even though the Oilers haven’t been faring too well for quite a few seasons, we still show up ready to support our team. We in the City of Champions are still loyal to the Oil, and Mr. Bill Hunter himself is partly responsible for this attitude for our sports clubs. It is a part of our culture, it is in our Blue and Orange blood. So here’s to the “Bill Hunter Memorial Centre” and, Go Oilers, Go!!  

"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-