GDT: Around the League 2023-2024 "Off Season??!! What off season??!!"

[Tw0Shoes]

Does he not fit the exact profile of prototypical star Nuck player?

Highly talented, weird or understated personality, soft as butter, massive diver. He’s Sedin twin lite.

Naslund, Sedins, Bure (less so than the first two) all fit various parts of this profile to varying degrees. It’s uncanny.

Bure was none of those things though. Maybe that's why they ran him out of town.

 

[Fourier]

Kid knows how to give Leaf nation what they want to hear, that's for sure.

In before some panel decides Matthews actually is the best player for....... reasons in the next pre-season panel.

And interestingly enough the kid's $925K cap hit might mean he ends up with the Marlies. Moreover, it is a hair too much for him to be an emergency call-up.

 

[bellagiobob]

Kid seems daft

Clearly still hasn’t recovered from the concussion he had in the playoffs.

 

[joestevens29]

Shocking a teammate of a top player says he thinks their guy is the best

Leafs news clearly lives rent free in a lot of HFOil heads

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Shocking a teammate of a top player says he thinks their guy is the best

Leafs news clearly lives rent free in a lot of HFOil heads

Lol you say that like just HF Oil acts like this.

 

[joestevens29]

Lol you say that like just HF Oil acts like this.

There isn't any other team who the littlest story triggers this board. Any whisper out of Toronto and people just go off

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

There isn't any other team who the littlest story triggers this board. Any whisper out of Toronto and people just go off

No one here is triggered lol every one seams to be joking about it. Are we not allowed to joke around when a player makes comments like that? Also it has nothing to do with Toronto. If some avs rookie said Mackinnon was better than McDavid it would be the same way.

 

[North Cole]

Nail taking a dump on Eakins is funny. I'm sure Nail isn't blameless but I got no sympathy for Eakins getting torched

‘I never learned how to play:’ Nail Yakupov opens up on time with Edmonton Oilers, pressure as first overall pick

<span style="font-weight: 400">It's been many moons since the days of...

www.google.ca

 

[joestevens29]

Nail taking a dump on Eakins is funny. I'm sure Nail isn't blameless but I got no sympathy for Eakins getting torched

‘I never learned how to play:’ Nail Yakupov opens up on time with Edmonton Oilers, pressure as first overall pick

<span style="font-weight: 400">It's been many moons since the days of...

www.google.ca

I read that, but at the same time I remember hearing a lot about how players were frustrated with Yak as he was listening to coaches in practice.

Yakupov is kind of the last guy that should complain about coaches. Now if some vets or some of the other young guys like RNH or Leon had these comments to say then I'd take it a little more seriously.

Yak had numerous other coaches to work with and none of them got through to him. Yes Eakins was a bad coach, but he really shouldn't be talking.

 

[RipsADrive]

Nail taking a dump on Eakins is funny. I'm sure Nail isn't blameless but I got no sympathy for Eakins getting torched

‘I never learned how to play:’ Nail Yakupov opens up on time with Edmonton Oilers, pressure as first overall pick

<span style="font-weight: 400">It's been many moons since the days of...

www.google.ca

He's certainly an interesting guy.

"I felt like someone just took something inside Nail and just like threw it somewhere. I was so empty man. It was unbelievable, that was the moment you should try not to let those things down but I was down, It was so bad after that I couldn’t breathe, I was shocked that I lost everything, I lost energy, I lost momentum, I was nervous, I lost control basically.”​

Eakins is a joke but considering that was Yak's reaction to getting benched for a bad play and subsequent healthy scratch is rather telling about how hard he was to coach.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Nail taking a dump on Eakins is funny. I'm sure Nail isn't blameless but I got no sympathy for Eakins getting torched

‘I never learned how to play:’ Nail Yakupov opens up on time with Edmonton Oilers, pressure as first overall pick

<span style="font-weight: 400">It's been many moons since the days of...

www.google.ca

 

[Fourier]

Clearly still hasn’t recovered from the concussion he had in the playoffs.

There is literally no rational argument for Matthews over McDavid.

 

[mkatcherin00]

I listened to that Yak interview. He also admits that most of his failures was b/c of pressure of being a #1 pick. A lot of it was between his ears> he says he sees a psychologist now and tried in Edmonton as well.

He was not ready and this was a bad environment for him. They kept losing and were not a tight knit group at all. He said Hordichuk was the best. He would drive Yak around, buy him food, etc. Pick him up from the hotel.

Compared Mackinnon to Hall. Said Mackinnon has a burning desire inside and he could see it the way he practiced. Said Hall was good too, but not on that level with the inner drive.

 

[Mav3rick07]

Ottawa just gave $64 million to a guy with 77 NHL games under his belt and 32 points.

 

[K1984]

Ottawa just gave $64 million to a guy with 77 NHL games under his belt and 32 points.

I’ve always been a proponent of locking up D men with high unrealized potential for as long as possible while you can still get value on AAV, but this one is out there even for me.

He’s a good player with a ton of potential, but man. If he plateaus at all that’s gonna be a stinker. Very high risk, but don’t see the reward really. Even if he hits it out of the park, what are they saving on AAV in the bargain years? Maybe $3M at most?

 

[joestevens29]

I’ve always been a proponent of locking up D men with high unrealized potential for as long as possible while you can still get value on AAV, but this one is out there even for me.

He’s a good player with a ton of potential, but man. If he plateaus at all that’s gonna be a stinker. Very high risk, but don’t see the reward really. Even if he hits it out of the park, what are they saving on AAV in the bargain years? Maybe $3M at most?

The potential loss of PP time for a guy who had 17 of his 32 points on the PP is another issue.

 

[BlackDogg]

No one here is triggered lol every one seams to be joking about it. Are we not allowed to joke around when a player makes comments like that? Also it has nothing to do with Toronto. If some avs rookie said Mackinnon was better than McDavid it would be the same way.

I think it would be irresponsible not to bring that tidbit to the table. It's kind of what forums are for.

Besides I've read this book.

 

[frag2]

He's certainly an interesting guy.



Eakins is a joke but considering that was Yak's reaction to getting benched for a bad play and subsequent healthy scratch is rather telling about how hard he was to coach.

Would you say he became 'physically sick' over a few choice words from his coach?

 

[Mav3rick07]

I’ve always been a proponent of locking up D men with high unrealized potential for as long as possible while you can still get value on AAV, but this one is out there even for me.

He’s a good player with a ton of potential, but man. If he plateaus at all that’s gonna be a stinker. Very high risk, but don’t see the reward really. Even if he hits it out of the park, what are they saving on AAV in the bargain years? Maybe $3M at most?

Well said. That's like us giving Yakupov 40 million after his rookie season where he was nearly a point per game player. Massive risk, and little reward.

 

[McAsuno]

Nils Lundkvist vs. Evan Bouchard

By far one of the most dumbest polls I've seen.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Man, I really enjoyed the Yakupov interview. Pretty complex guy who I think maybe put up a persona that didn't match the person. First impression was the loud Russian junior celebrating beating Canada in Canada at the U20 tournament. Big showy game but clearly also a pretty shy person overwhelmed by the spotlight and expectations that came with being a first overall pick.

He hit the Oilers at the exact worse possible moment which devolved as a way not ready Eakins tried to assert his goofiness on changing the country club culture. I think Yakupov being a whipping boy as the first time ego driven head coach tried to reel in the kids. Yakupov wilted under this and by the sounds of the interview really struggled mentally. Just didn't seem to have his full heart into the NHL game, North American culture, and longed to have a more balanced life between career as a pro hockey player and family, friends. Without deep drive and commitment, life at the Apex NHL level will spit you out.

I found him to have strong accountability in the interview. Will always remember Yak's kindness of helping a homeless man get a hot meal and a hotel room. Think he's a good person who wasn't wired for NHL success.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Nail taking a dump on Eakins is funny. I'm sure Nail isn't blameless but I got no sympathy for Eakins getting torched

‘I never learned how to play:’ Nail Yakupov opens up on time with Edmonton Oilers, pressure as first overall pick

<span style="font-weight: 400">It's been many moons since the days of...

www.google.ca

I'll never get how the Oil screwed up that badly with both Yak and Pulju.

Yes, a lot falls on the player not developing. But, you'd think the first thing you'd do with a teenager, who you plan to have on the NHL roster but doesn't speak English, is get a vet from that country who's noted for their communication skills. Instead the approach was get someone who was as bad at English as they were, who also trying to find their way at the NHL level, or past the twilight of their career: Khabibulin, Belov, Nikitin, Pakarinen. Jokinen was the best attempt, but even he was only there for 18 games, and like Khabby to Yak, the rookie was basically half his age.

Hell, the one guy who bonded a bit with Yak in his rookie year was demoted mid-season. Hordi was more or less done as an NHL'er at that point, but if he's the only guy that's been able to establish a friendship with the guy you invested the 1OV pick in, then you cement him in as the 23rd roster spot.

I read that, but at the same time I remember hearing a lot about how players were frustrated with Yak as he was listening to coaches in practice.

Yakupov is kind of the last guy that should complain about coaches. Now if some vets or some of the other young guys like RNH or Leon had these comments to say then I'd take it a little more seriously.

Yak had numerous other coaches to work with and none of them got through to him. Yes Eakins was a bad coach, but he really shouldn't be talking.

I mean, a lot of them did throw Ekains under the bus.

Plus before the shakeup of getting McDavid, that core was notoriously immature. Yak was always the easiest to see it working, but I'd be willing to bet the other young forwards also benefited a ton for having Derek Roy around. One of the defining aspects of the decade of darkness was the lack of mentorship, especially from skilled players. Someone like Ference, who had to fight tooth and nail just to get to the NHL level is going to have a hard time relating to RNH or Hall's experience on the ice. Contrast that to the kids on the 06 run, who all said they benefited from being able to pick from Adam Oates' brain for a year (or Hemsky who spent time Dvorak and Nedved here, and the lockout with Jagr.)

 

[TB12]

Hate Ference all you want but he absolutely tried with Hall to help in a mentorship capacity. Hall didn’t GAF.

 

[mkatcherin00]

Word out of Vancouver is that Quinn Hughes will end up being their next captain.

 

[K1984]

Word out of Vancouver is that Quinn Hughes will end up being their next captain.

One of the most overrated players that I ever remember.