First 300 games: Yakupov vs Kakko

[ViD]

Who has been a better player 300 games into their career?

Nail Yakupov: 123 points (56 + 67)

Kaapo Kakko: 117 points (57+60)

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[SnowblindNYR]

Kakko has very very limited offensive skill or a mind for the game offensively, at least compared to what we thought. Plus his confidence is not good. But he's a much more complete player. Kakko is an average 3rd liner, maybe a little below average. Yakupov was not an NHL player.

Edit: Also why would you offer the option for neither? Both were disappointments/busts, lots of people will take that choice but what will that tell you?

 

[ViD]

Yakupov was not an NHL player.

I don’t think that’s a fair statement about a player with 350 games and 136 points. He was an NHL player, just not a very good one

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I don’t think that’s a fair statement about a player with 350 games and 136 points. He was an NHL player, just not a very good one

He played a lot of games because he was a 1st overall pick. Most of his success came in his first season and he wasn't an NHL player because he didn't score enough for someone that didn't bring anything else to the table.

 

[Albatros]

Kakko is a useful part of a very good team, even if his contribution is mostly defensive.

 

[DitchMarner]

Similar offense, but Kakko isn't a total trainwreck defensively. Yak has the best season between the two ('13), however.

 

[Cup or Bust]

I picked Kakko because Yakupov was good at very little. If not for his draft status he likely would have never made an NHL team if it was based on actual performance and ,merit in any training camp. Both Kakko and Lafreniere on the Rangers had this unique situation where they were drafted very highly to a team that had a much stronger roster then teams typically have when they draft that high and were ready to start winning immediately and it makes it much tougher to gain traction and earn ice time. Edmonton was so lousy they could just hand Yakupov ice time whether he played well and earned it or not.

 

[Fledgemyhedge]

I picked Kakko because Yakupov was good at very little. If not for his draft status he likely would have never made an NHL team if it was based on actual performance and ,merit in any training camp. Both Kakko and Lafreniere on the Rangers had this unique situation where they were drafted very highly to a team that had a much stronger roster then teams typically have when they draft that high and were ready to start winning immediately and it makes it much tougher to gain traction and earn ice time. Edmonton was so lousy they could just hand Yakupov ice time whether he played well and earned it or not.

I mean yakupov had a pretty solid rookie year. Was worth a shot trying him in the NHL

 

[joestevens29]

He played a lot of games because he was a 1st overall pick. Most of his success came in his first season and he wasn't an NHL player because he didn't score enough for someone that didn't bring anything else to the table.

That and considering the amount of PP time he was getting the guy really didn't add much of anything