Speculation: What Teams Would Claim Yakupov Off Waivers?

[Mcnotloilersfan]

Plenty of chatter on HF Oil right now after media guys in Edmonton yesterday apparently said they wouldn't be all that surprised if Yakupov is waived.

He is being outplayed in Edmonton's camp.

What teams out there would have time for him as a 2.5m experiment?

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[Antropovsky]

I'd bet all 29 teams would try to pick him up.

 

[TT1]

whoever's 1st in line

 

[Draft]

Habs. Not seeing much out of Carr or Andrighetto (IMO). I can see there being a 3LW spot open and a good leadership group, and Russian teammates, that could help him out.

 

[tempest2i]

Yakupov clearing waivers would not surprise me. NHL waivers never seem to make sense anyways.

 

[tempest2i]

Habs. Not seeing much out of Carr or Andrighetto (IMO). I can see there being a 3LW spot open and a good leadership group, and Russian teammates, that could help him out.

Yakupov is not a LW.

 

[BlueBaron]

whoever's 1st in line

If it's before the season starts, that would be the Leafs. Yes I am pretty sure we would take him.

 

[Magic Man]

Leafs have first waiver priority given their last place finish last season. They have a healthy stable of Russians and a situation where he could find a role. Not very often a 1st overall is waived this early, why not try?

 

[That Habs Fan]

I could actually really see him blossoming in Montreal with Galchenyuk, Radulov, Markov and Emelin.

Montreal would have all the best OVs in the league

 

[HasbeenHallzy]

Would gladly take him in Vancouver but we'd rather play that bonehead Dorsett

 

[Jared Dunn]

Literally every team in the league who could afford the cap hit I'd think

 

[sansabri]

Pretty sure the Oilers would trade him if it came to that.

 

[TOGuy14]

1 year @ 2.5M, Leafs would definitely go for him.

Low risk, high reward move

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

If it's before the season starts, that would be the Leafs. Yes I am pretty sure we would take him.

Leafs have first waiver priority given their last place finish last season. They have a healthy stable of Russians and a situation where he could find a role. Not very often a 1st overall is waived this early, why not try?

I can't see it being Toronto. They have as many or more forward decisions to make than Edmonton already. Also not sure if Babcock would have time for Yak

 

[FLYLine27*]

A lot of teams would take the no risk waiver pick up. Low risk, HIGH reward.

 

[TT1]

Don't get me wrong, i personally don't believe Yak is going to be able to develop his offensive game in order to play a top 6 role in the NHL.. and he obviously isn't defensively responsible enough to play in a bottom 6 role.

I just don't think his skillset is going to allow him to be an NHL player, he'll eventually go over to the KHL but I'm sure someone is going to take a gamble on him on waivers.

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

I'd bet all 29 teams would try to pick him up.

I don't think that many will.

There's already a handful of teams who don't have the cap space for it (10 or so?)

Then there are several teams where he wouldn't fit the culture or make it as a top 12 forward

 

[Anton Babchuk]

Yakupov clearing waivers would not surprise me. NHL waivers never seem to make sense anyways.

It wouldn't surprise me, either. $2.5M for what at this point is a fringe NHLer. How many teams have that sort of money in their budget, or under the cap, for a player who hasn't shown the ability to contribute much of anything since his rookie season?

My guess is he clears, then gets traded with either the Oilers retaining salary or taking another unwanted contract back.

He may have the potential to be a "high reward" player, but given the chances of that actually happening (low, IMO) combined with his significant salary, I think there's a good chance that he clears. Not many teams will want to gamble on 2.5M on this point in the season. Maybe if it were back in July before every team had their budgets committed.

 

[kihei]

Leafs would take him. A lot of other teams, too.

 

[Trxjw]

I think if it got out that he was going to go on the waiver wire, a team further down the waiver order would throw a last minute offer at Edmonton.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

I think he'd clear.

 

[WesMcCauley]

send him to Boston or Chicago so he can play with some real smart players like Toews and Bergeron

 

[Mach12]

Montreal would probably take him.

 

[snipes]

He's on his way out. Wish him the best he's a good kid, but he's getting beat out in camp. Caggiula, Versteeg, and Pulju are all taking spots ahead of him.

Best players need to play, Yak is on his way out of Edmonton.

 

[dechire]

His cap hit isn't terrible but it's higher than 90% of waiver pickups so it could be a dealbreaker for a lot of teams. A team like the Stars that has both cap space and a lot of injuries could be an option. Or any rebuilding team. I doubt there'd be 29 teams but maybe 10 or so would have interest.