I totally agree with the Crosby comparison. I still remember getting into a tiny debate on here a few years ago with Guy Flaming where I was criticizing Gagner's size and Guy was defending him by saying Gagner was the same height (maybe weight too?) of Crosby. I'm still shocked that Guy would even make that argument. But if someone were to compare Yak to Crosby in this regard I would completely agree. How someone is built makes a world of difference.
Yep, they both have that low center of gravity as well in the way they skate.
I'm not saying that he's as good as Crosby, they play different styles but their builds are remarkably similar. He will be really tough to knock off the puck maybe as early as next season which separates him from Hall balancewise who is more lanky and top heavy, i think that his lower height actually works to his advantage in being able to be stong on the puck and more balanced on his skates.
The hardest part about trying to judge the character of the top Russian players in this draft is the language barrier. I can't imagine how hard it would be to express myself genuinely and sincerely in a foreign language that I have limited fluency in. You saw it when people were offended by Yakupov's comments after RUS defeated CAN at the WJC. Some Canadians have a hard enough time articulating properly.
I'm very interested to see how Yak's personality meshes with the Oiler landscape, and in particular, with the fans. We're so used to the cookie cutter interviews that someone like Yak is going to stand out considerably. Nobody on this team has done that for a while. Maybe Omark, except Yak has the chops to back it up. I just hope it doesn't turn into a Subban-type thing. I personally think there's nothing wrong with Subban but obviously some people in the media think differently.
I think Hall has a bit of that in him. In a good way. If you read between the lines of his interviews at the end of the season he seems to make some pretty big statements and hopefully will take on a bigger leadership role next year. He doesnt dance around the BS like Horcoff, Renney, Smyth and Moreau used to.
The hardest part about trying to judge the character of the top Russian players in this draft is the language barrier. I can't imagine how hard it would be to express myself genuinely and sincerely in a foreign language that I have limited fluency in. You saw it when people were offended by Yakupov's comments after RUS defeated CAN at the WJC. Some Canadians have a hard enough time articulating properly.
People need to chill out. Who wouldn't have been pumped to beat Canada at hockey? Just like the Kings shouldn't have had to apologize for the tweet the other night.
If everyone stop being so sensitive we wouldn't have to be so sensitive.
. He doesnt dance around the BS like Horcoff, Renney, Smyth and Moreau used to.
Yeah I'm sick of all the guys who need to say "no question" or " obviously" every other word to dance around the truth..Hall says it straight to the point..RNH says "i mean" alot..eberle kinda bull-****z but hes hanging around with horcoff too much I'm assuming..
I like what stauffer said today if he would run the team he would have skilled players first..muscles second..obviously both would be great no question..but he said anybody can check..and thats so damn true..u can teach any player to check(except for "obviously" schremp) but u can't teach size and god given talent..
I believe that we have too many soft checkers on this team..too few gritty forwards with size..
Yakupov would be a gritty forward with decent size (5,11 is one freakin inch short of 6ft..wtfs the difference?), and he can score..i think..
No question..
People need to chill out. Who wouldn't have been pumped to beat Canada at hockey? Just like the Kings shouldn't have had to apologize for the tweet the other night.
If everyone stop being so sensitive we wouldn't have to be so sensitive.
No kidding. The only thing better than beating Canada in Canada is winning gold.
Even Lander said beating Canada on home ice was as good as beating Finland...and Finland is a huge rival of Sweden's.
I can't wait to see Canada beat Russia in Russia in 2014.
I know he wants to play for the Oilers-Larionov on Yakupov
"...I definitely want to go to Edmonton and play for the Oilers, for sure,” said the 18-year-old that Central Scouting and every other scouting service and credible draft projector has rated No. 1 all year.
“I’ve played in Canada, in Sarnia, for the last two years. I love the people. I very much want to play for a Canadian team like Edmonton. I want to play for those guys!
“If they draft me, I will work very hard to make the team, give it everything I’ve got to work hard and play for the Oilers.
“I want to be No. 1. No. 1 is No. 1. I don’t want to be second or third.”
-Nail Yakupov interview with the Toronto Sun via Larionov
Great read. All of the young guns and the veteran aforementioned by Stauffer that has met and commended him was Horcoff as this article seems to suggest. The young guns also seemed to have a brief encounter with him.
Great read. All of the young guns and the veteran aforementioned by Stauffer that has met and commended him was Horcoff as this article seems to suggest. The young guns also seemed to have a brief encounter with him.
unless it is as legit like hockeybuzz it is considered a fan blog or the competition
hf does not like competition
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I like what stauffer said today if he would run the team he would have skilled players first..muscles second..obviously both would be great no question..but he said anybody can check..and thats so damn true..u can teach any player to check(except for "obviously" schremp) but u can't teach size and god given talent..
When all the debates were going on about who the Oilers should pick with their lotto pick... a C or D ...and all the debates over Murray/Dumba/Grigorenko/Galchenyuk I always felt that the best scenario would be if they somehow could just get #1 and pick Yakupov... clearly the best player... and damned if it didn't happen.
That kind of extreme luck only happens in movies... when it happens for real you have to just feel damn lucky and be glad that you get to make such a simple and easy choice.
Pick him and forget all the extraneous crap about trading down or package deals that might help the Oilers more. The potential to turn an extremely lucky event into a regret down the road is too high if they overthink this pick.
When all the debates were going on about who the Oilers should pick with their lotto pick... a C or D ...and all the debates over Murray/Dumba/Grigorenko/Galchenyuk I always felt that the best scenario would be if they somehow could just get #1 and pick Yakupov... clearly the best player... and damned if it didn't happen.
That kind of extreme luck only happens in movies... when it happens for real you have to just feel damn lucky and be glad that you get to make such a simple and easy choice.
Pick him and forget all the extraneous crap about trading down or package deals that might help the Oilers more. The potential to turn an extremely lucky event into a regret down the road is too high if they overthink this pick.
Portzline was tweeting about Yak today. Apparently one of his favorites was Bure.
I never got to see Bure in his prime but seeing highlight reels of Bure I can see the similarities between the two, if Nail could be even close to as good as the Russian Rocket we would be VERY fortunate.
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I never got to see Bure in his prime but seeing highlight reels of Bure I can see the similarities between the two, if Nail could be even close to as good as the Russian Rocket we would be VERY fortunate.
Seeing his injury history, we'll probably get the chronic knee problem also.
