Hard to blame them based on this tourney. You can say that he has been targeted, bad linemates etc. But he has been largely invisible. Pretty disappointing efforts from him.
Invisibly leading his team in scoring with bad linemates.
Invisibly leading his team in scoring with bad linemates.
Look, we all love Yakupov and he will be a stud but lets put away the Oiler colored glasses and look at this objectively. He has been neutralized for the most part and has been underwhelming when considering his pedigree.
Invisibly leading his team in scoring with bad linemates.
Someone who watches highlights might not recognize or appreciate his level of play under different circumstances. He is not a liability and I can really appreciate that.
Look, we all love Yakupov and he will be a stud but lets put away the Oiler colored glasses and look at this objectively. He has been neutralized for the most part and has been underwhelming when considering his pedigree.
Lets study his overall play and the contribution he's made to his team. Most importantly by recognizing other teams attack methods and defending his own goal like a center. Not to mind chasing the play in Defence of a turn-over. He has looked slick with his gifts and quick breakouts. Take your homer glasses off.
Look, we all love Yakupov and he will be a stud but lets put away the Oiler colored glasses and look at this objectively. He has been neutralized for the most part and has been underwhelming when considering his pedigree.
I remember when Esa Tikkanen used to neutralize Wayne Gretzky. If you can focus your entire team defense on stopping one player and his linemates can't take advantage of the extra space they are afforded you will stop him.
Sidney Crosby could be lining up between Yakupon's linemates and they'd do a good job of containing him too.
Look, we all love Yakupov and he will be a stud but lets put away the Oiler colored glasses and look at this objectively. He has been neutralized for the most part and has been underwhelming when considering his pedigree.
Not giving Yakupov excuses, but from watching the game and reoccuring theme was seeing Yakupov make a pass from inside his blue line to Sagorov (sp) then the puck would be fumbled around and dumped in and the WHL defense would break it out. Yakupov was rarely hit with a break out pass in stride or was able to enter the zone when his team had possesion of the puck. He was also used completely wrong on the PP, thus limiting his ability to score
Yakupov was also not a liability and played decent positional place in the offensive zone and made good passes in all 3 zones but not spectular break away passes or through the legs deke. He played an above average game considering the strength of WHL defense players but considering hes a first overall pick, his play was underwhelming
Not giving Yakupov excuses, but from watching the game and reoccuring theme was seeing Yakupov make a pass from inside his blue line to Sagorov (sp) then the puck would be fumbled around and dumped in and the WHL defense would break it out. Yakupov was rarely hit with a break out pass in stride or was able to enter the zone when his team had possesion of the puck. He was also used completely wrong on the PP, thus limiting his ability to score
Yakupov was also not a liability and played decent positional place in the offensive zone and made good passes in all 3 zones but not spectular break away passes or through the legs deke. He played an above average game considering the strength of WHL defense players but considering hes a first overall pick, his play was underwhelming
It just seemed like his heart wasn't into it. He wasn't playing with his usual aggression and was avoiding physicality a lot which is unusual for him. I thought he played passively in the previous 4 games as well which weren't against the top WHL defense.
He did make some nice passes which were generally mishandled but by and large he was off and visibly frustrated.
I'm sure that Yak himself would say that he is disappointed in his play
Not giving Yakupov excuses, but from watching the game and reoccuring theme was seeing Yakupov make a pass from inside his blue line to Sagorov (sp) then the puck would be fumbled around and dumped in and the WHL defense would break it out. Yakupov was rarely hit with a break out pass in stride.
This is the same thing I've been saying since Game 1.
No one on Russia can hit him in stride.
No one can spring the guy.
The only time he touches the puck is either winding up in his own zone or starting the breakout. It's basically a one man show out there and he's forced to do things by himself.
Only really caught the third period but Broissant looked amazing. All the people who have been overly critical of Yakupov should calm down. He looked good when he had the puck on his stick. It is just unfortunate that his teammates are not what he needs to thrive.
Look, we all love Yakupov and he will be a stud but lets put away the Oiler colored glasses and look at this objectively. He has been neutralized for the most part and has been underwhelming when considering his pedigree.
agree
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grod
Lets study his overall play and the contribution he's made to his team. Most importantly by recognizing other teams attack methods and defending his own goal like a center. Not to mind chasing the play in Defence of a turn-over. He has looked slick with his gifts and quick breakouts. Take your homer glasses off.
Did you watch the WJC last year?
also agree.
his skill-set is still top shelf and he showed it a few times with some fast turns at the blueline and rushes into the offensive zone and a big one-timer. once he gets out there with RNH/Hall/Ebs/Shultz I am not the least bit worried about Yak not measuring up.
but, yeah, i had hoped he would stand out more, like he did in the world juniors.
It just seemed like his heart wasn't into it. He wasn't playing with his usual aggression and was avoiding physicality a lot which is unusual for him. I thought he played passively in the previous 4 games as well which weren't against the top WHL defense.
He did make some nice passes which were generally mishandled but by and large he was off and visibly frustrated.
I'm sure that Yak himself would say that he is disappointed in his play
Agreed that he didnt show his usual aggression and intensity he normally plays with. At the WJC last year he didnt play with that intensity either. Seems like he played hard with team clubs tho. Maybe he doesnt get intense when playing for russia
This is the same thing I've been saying since Game 1.
No one on Russia can hit him in stride.
No one can spring the guy.
The only time he touches the puck is either winding up in his own zone or starting the breakout. It's basically a one man show out there and he's forced to do things by himself.
Which is why he has to play with RNH who can make those passes
Which is why he has to play with RNH who can make those passes
Even Ganger takes the role of whichever he played. He always starts the breakout. Yak is a perfect option for him. I like RNH, Ebs and Gags Yak. From center to right.
Yak looked better out there than in the OHL games I thought. Varnakov is just a bad coach. So much talent on that team but most of the offense is generated by individual plays. Their PP is also complete garbage.
That being said, the game was still pretty entertaining.
It just seemed like his heart wasn't into it. He wasn't playing with his usual aggression and was avoiding physicality a lot which is unusual for him. I thought he played passively in the previous 4 games as well which weren't against the top WHL defense.
He did make some nice passes which were generally mishandled but by and large he was off and visibly frustrated.
I'm sure that Yak himself would say that he is disappointed in his play
He would say that himself inaccurately. Because he's a captain. As a goal scorer and the role he adopted should speak for itself. He played more than he was drafted for, he played mature.
Did Yakupov get one break out pass all game? SOme of those guys were just terrible. They just whip it up the boards for icing.
Please, someone give a single example of a stretch pass that other teams used. He acted on the back end in an unselfish attempt to support his team. Not Bure who he is designed to play like and we all want to see play. Give him gun not the shield.
Ewanyk played tremendously well in the one period he played. 2 big hits, played the body a bunch, even got a couple shots and decent scoring chances.
His play is most easily translatable to the pro game I think. Hopefully he can produce enough offense in the future to get him a shot at the 4th line center role
