Speculation: What Teams Would Claim Yakupov Off Waivers?

[snipes]

So the new shiny penny is better than the old shiny penny. Caggiula has looked great but a year in the AHL will benefit him and the team, have we learned nothing about putting high expectations on rookies on the Oilers?

Versteeg is ahead as well.

 

[snipes]

Arguably Slepyshev is pushing as well.

 

[billybudd]

Montreal, Vancouver, Buffalo, Calgary and New Jersey are the only teams I can think of that have the cap space to claim this player and even a theoretical use for him.

Which isn't to say any would be interested, but they're the only ones I wouldn't rule out for a variety of reasons (budgets, depth charts, cap ceilings, organizational philosophy).

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

He actually had tremendous chemistry with Kuznetsov on the World Junior Champion team but his lack of 2 way game may not sit well with the Cap system. He may be better off to go back to KHL to play pro for a year or two and return to NHL in top form. If he has trouble making top 6 in NHL, he need to build up his confidence somewhere else and then return as a more mature and physically stronger player for another try at NHL.

Not to mention the fact that we don't have any cap space left and we would certainly not use it on Yakupov if we had it.

 

[DearDiary]

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

$2.5 million caphit for a project? I doubt it

 

[Gene Parmesan]

$2.5 million caphit for a project? I doubt it

Plus no team wants those bees that seem to chase him all over the ice.

 

[Measles]

So the new shiny penny is better than the old shiny penny. Caggiula has looked great but a year in the AHL will benefit him and the team, have we learned nothing about putting high expectations on rookies on the Oilers?

I don't think it's quite that simple. I've always liked Yak, and I had hoped he would use this summer to come to camp in great shape and fight for a spot on the roster. Unfortunately he has been very underwhelming in pre-season. If Yak wasn't a 1OA pick he would have been cut from the roster already. I personally think someday he might become a 20/20/40 or even a 25/25/50 player. But sadly I don't think it will ever be with the Oilers. His confidence appears to be shot imo, and management seems to have lost patience in him, both in comments they have made and in his usage.

Oilers depth looks like:

Lucic-McDavid-Eberle
Pouliot-RNH-Versteeg
Maroon-Draisaitl-Caggiula/Puljujarvi
Hendricks/Pakarainen/Slepyshev-Letestu-Kassian/?Yakupov

Yakupov has shown time and time again he cannot play with 4th-line grinders. So who does he dislodge in the top 9? Maybe the team keeps him around for depth given that injuries are inevitable, but he would start the season as a healthy scratch.

 

[AvroArrow]

Everybody

 

[Menzinger]

Leas are a maybe.

They're a rebuilding team and as such can take big risks like this. Shanahan and others in their management group also seem to really like Russian players. Though they already have too many forwards as is

 

[DontToewzMeBro]

Chicago

 

[billybudd]

Leas are a maybe.

They're a rebuilding team and as such can take big risks like this. Shanahan and others in their management group also seem to really like Russian players. Though they already have too many forwards as is

You really think Babcock would give this guy more than a handful of shifts before nailing him to the bench or asking Lou to waive him again? I don't.

 

[me2]

Is it okay to call him a bust of epic proportions yet?

mmmmmmmmmm. On current form I have him as worse than Daigle and Stefan. Still he's got a few years left to improve before all is said and done. Who knows what he might become if he gets out of Edmonton, he might rebuild his career, but chances are he is what he is.

 

[Juicy Pop]

Even if we had the cap I doubt that Philly would pick him up. If Konecny makes the team then he would be stuck fighting for a spot on a 3rd pair which already looks to be rather solid [Raffl - Cousins - Weise]. It could make sense if Cousins underperforms and Hakstol decides to shift Raffl to C though.

 

[Not So Mighty]

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

Really? You don't see a single team that has lots of cap space and lacking forward depth? I do, and it makes no sense for a team fitting those qualifiers to pass on Yak.

 

[nmbr_24]

He wouldn't make it past the first team in line I bet. I think he would have a pretty short leash though. He might end up getting waived again.

 

[Not Sure]

somebody would trade something for him. It may end up being a wasted asset, but if Vesey's rights returned a pick I can't see no one willing to pay something for Yak.

 

[Dallas1960]

Yakupov

As a Stars fan, with Sharp and Hemsky both on expiring contracts I would consider taking him full contract and all. Yakupov is a highly skilled player who might just need a change of scenery How about a late 1st round pick?

 

[chunkylover53]

Oof I guess the worse scenario happened. Oilers fans were saying they aren't trading him because his value is low...and they are saying he's a waiver/press box candidate. Last year we heard GMs were willing to give a 2nd on the reclaimation. Most likely you'll still get some type of pick from teams with the capspace.

 

[Johnnybegood13]

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

I'll take that bet, if the worst NHL team the last decade waives him it means there's a problem. At most 2 or 3 teams.

I can't see Toronto because Babcock wouldn't want him near that team, Vancouver would probably take him, if not he might last all the way to New Jersey or Carolina.

 

[lazycop]

A one year rental for a fringe player? No ones giving up anything of value for that. That alone makes it a no-go, besides the fact that he's terrible..

 

[Ezpz]

if benoit pouliot can become a decent nhler, anyone can

 

[Halla]

Montreal, Vancouver, Buffalo, Calgary and New Jersey are the only teams I can think of that have the cap space to claim this player and even a theoretical use for him.

Which isn't to say any would be interested, but they're the only ones I wouldn't rule out for a variety of reasons (budgets, depth charts, cap ceilings, organizational philosophy).

leafs are about to bury 13.5 mil on LTIR. they also have flexibility by sending a few guys to the AHL for a day or 2 when the season starts

 

[57special]

As a Stars fan, with Sharp and Hemsky both on expiring contracts I would consider taking him full contract and all. Yakupov is a highly skilled player who might just need a change of scenery How about a late 1st round pick?

He is highly skilled? Or is that a myth? He was described as having a high hockey IQ by scouts going into his draft year. They were wrong about that. What else were they wrong about?

 

[Nithoniniel]

You really think Babcock would give this guy more than a handful of shifts before nailing him to the bench or asking Lou to waive him again? I don't.

I do. He might bench him for sure, but Babcock is a teacher. He'll want to see if he can shape Yakupov into something useful before giving up on him.

 

[Field of Dreams]

If leafs pick him up he should live under joint custody of Rich clune and Brooks Laich