The more I hear about Yak the more he is starting to sound like Zherdev. We've already traded out 1 top 4 D-man for an over-hyped, under-delivering winger, let's hope history doesn't repeat itself.
He isn't "Zherdev II" really, but I agree that there are reason for concern.
1. He can bolt to the KHL.
2. He will never be a RFA. He is a UFA the minute any contract is up. You can forget about anything called bridge deals etc. Be prepared to at least put good money on the table from Y4.
3. He is not mega talented. He is not Crosby/AO/Kane II.
Back to
Nik Zherdev. Zherdev -- mainly -- in many senses kind of have the same problems as Kreider have. A shortage of elite understanding of the game, purpose etc. The players that turns into real headcases are often the players who can't perform, are pressured by coaches and media, and then derails. Like, had Zherdev played great hockey on the ice in all situations I doubt we would have heard much about his attitude, which wasn't perfect either.
Zherdev played from mens hockey from when he was 15 to 17 y/o at a low level, small town/suburb team. Then he went to a struggling CSKA team and had alot of ups and downs, before he was thrown into the NHL as a 18 y/o (same age as Antohny Duclair is today, or Skjei was two years ago...) by Columbus. A badly struggling CBJ team that was.
I said this many times when we had him, for all the complaints about attitude and egoism and what not, I mainly saw a player that just wasn't very smart at all in Zherdev. He went where the puck took him often without a plan. Complaining on him did no good but learning him what to do on the ice would have been a start, if he was prepared to listen that is.
Nail Yakupov got a bit of a showboat attitude, but he is a completely diffrent player than Zherdev for sure. He might not be Mr 100%, but he got offensive hockey in his blood. Zherdev was clueless on a PP, Yakubov will definitely become an elite PP-player.
Yaks is pretty feisty and loves to drive the puck with high intensity to the net. He got a quick release and is a god set-up player. His skating isn't super-elite and he is pretty small. I don't think he will become like Kane/Stamkos II, or be one of the top 5 offensive players in the game even for shorter stints, but there is much reason to expect him to become that type of 80-85 pts scorer in his prime. That is far from Zherdev.
Yaks has played 2 junior years in NA and has played two years for EDM. During the lockout and in WJC's he has scored alot of pts (35 pts in 36 games in the WJC and KHL).
I would definitely be very excited to get him. What is it Slats use to say, you can be a mouse all your life or you can be a lion...
Nah but seriously, the big issue with Yaks is the risks and costs involved. i) Will he bolt to the KHL, ii) what will it cost to get him, iii) how much will you have to pay him? 6m per his second contract?
But he would undoutedly help our PP. I don't really worry about RW logjam, Yaks is like a center. He can play anywhere. You can't have too many centers.
Girardi for
Yakubov? What do we do at RD? Call up McI? You need right shooting D's. Pull off another deal for a RD? Could we talk to his agent and get some comfort? Sucks loosing Girardi, we save alot of money next season for sure if we can replace Girardi with a cheaper player.
MDZ and
Miller for
Yakubov? We are certainly dealing from a position of strength. But it sucks loosing Miller and I think MDZ is a very underrated player. People don't really have a realstic take on how much a player is influenced by position and environment. How would Voynov look at LD in LA? Or when playing smaller minutes on the 3rd pairing? MDZ is a very good hockey player, but caught in a log-jam in NY. I am 100% sure he would be a steady asset in a top 4 LD role.