Confirmed Trade: Yakupov to STL Part II

[McDirt McGirt]

They got $2.5 million in cap room, which lets them sign Kris Russell for basically $600k instead of $3 million. A mobile d-man like Kris Russell was needed more on the Oilers than year 4 of the "is this the year Yakupov figures out how to play NHL hockey" experiment.

It's not great value, but it was basically done I have no doubt to take on Russell, who was signed the same day. Even though the Oilers do on paper have "plenty" of cap room, it will likely get eaten up quick after McDavid and Draisaitl's bonuses, so being able to add Russell as a cap neutral move had a lot of value for the Oilers.

This....

Russell + pick & prospect for Yakupov + 600k is a steal for the oilers

 

[BlueDream]

This....

Russell + pick & prospect for Yakupov + 600k is a steal for the oilers

That's not the trade, though.

People always do this and add in other things that weren't involved in the trade. You can be happy about the chain of events all you want, but you can't "steal" when Kris Russell was never a part of the other team...

 

[yukoner88]

That's not the trade, though.

People always do this and add in other things that weren't involved in the trade. You can be happy about the chain of events all you want, but you can't "steal" when Kris Russell was never a part of the other team...

I think he's referring more to the chain of events and their results after. The Yak trade is what allowed the contract signing to take place. Not a hard concept to figure out

 

[McDirt McGirt]

That's not the trade, though.

People always do this and add in other things that weren't involved in the trade. You can be happy about the chain of events all you want, but you can't "steal" when Kris Russell was never a part of the other team...

Yak was traded for scraps to dump salary so we could sign Russell.
Its pretty clear what happened there when Chia did both deals on the same day.

I remember seeing trade proposals with Yak only getting 3rd or 4th round picks going the other way. They got that plus a prospect and no retention.

Seems like the Oilers made out like bandits on that one.

 

[TKB21]

Yakupov might literally have the lowest hockey IQ I've ever seen in a nhl player. He's not fast, his shot while hard couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, and his puck handling skills are average. I give him 20 games in a Blues uniform until Hitch sends him to Siberia.

 

[BlueDream]

I think he's referring more to the chain of events and their results after. The Yak trade is what allowed the contract signing to take place. Not a hard concept to figure out

I obviously know what he's talking about and it's a stupid way of thinking. But if you want to consider getting Kris Russell a steal, go ahead.

 

[yukoner88]

I obviously know what he's talking about and it's a stupid way of thinking. But if you want to consider getting Kris Russell a steal, go ahead.

It's not stupid because if Yak isn't traded, then Russell isn't an Oiler. It was pretty clear that Yak was not going to be a solution for our problems going forward and our D-core was in need of more depth with NHL calibre defenceman. Yak is gone for an asset that can be used in a draft, or can be used in a future trade, and a hole on defence is plugged. When you look at the big picture moving forward, everything is well thought out and not stupid at all

 

[me2]

That's not the trade, though.

People always do this and add in other things that weren't involved in the trade. You can be happy about the chain of events all you want, but you can't "steal" when Kris Russell was never a part of the other team...

It's a fair thing to do though because Russell was factored in when making the deal. Canucks got Ehrhoff for a song because the Sharks wanted his salary for Heatly, so clearly Heatley was part of SJ's thinking in that trade. From StL point of view Russell doesn't exist as part of the deal but from Edmonton's he does. If you don't like the name Russell just use cap.

Edmonton: gain $2.5m cap space + pick + filler prospect

Stl: Yakupov but lose $2.5m cap space

 

[Dbrownss]

Yak was traded for scraps to dump salary so we could sign Russell.
Its pretty clear what happened there when Chia did both deals on the same day.

I remember seeing trade proposals with Yak only getting 3rd or 4th round picks going the other way. They got that plus a prospect and no retention.

Seems like the Oilers made out like bandits on that one.

That prospect has almost zero chance to become an NHL player. Pocket lint....

Ill never understand the Russell love. Even as a bottom pairing dman, he sucks.

 

[McRpro]

ugh ...

 

[McRpro]

That's not the trade, though.

People always do this and add in other things that weren't involved in the trade. You can be happy about the chain of events all you want, but you can't "steal" when Kris Russell was never a part of the other team...

Welcome to the new salary cap world of the NHL.

What took you so long?

 

[McDirt McGirt]

That prospect has almost zero chance to become an NHL player. Pocket lint....

Ill never understand the Russell love. Even as a bottom pairing dman, he sucks.

Hence why I said the Oilers got "scraps" for Yak. I don't believe the trade was about what the Oilers got back but more about losing Yak's salary to gain Russell.

I'll never understand the Yakupov love. Even as a top 9 forward, he sucks.......

 

[Reinhart]

I also chuckle when people point at the chain of events in an effort to make something look better. Sure, one could argue that the the team may be better now than it was the day before, but a conditional 2nd/3rd + an ECHL'er in exchange for a former 1st overall that is actually 'healthy' is not a great trade. Considering some of the trade proposals seen on this board with regards to Yakupov, that is an extremely underwhelming trade.

But sure, I like Russell myself (as a bottom pairing defencemen - which he won't be in Edmonton), so you can look at the silver-lining.

With that being said, I hope Yakupov does really well. A 1st overall - even if he wasn't consensus - is a talented prospect. Hope he manages to recover in his development, so that hockey fans can enjoy watching another skilled player in the league.

 

[La Bamba]

I also chuckle when people point at the chain of events in an effort to make something look better. Sure, one could argue that the the team may be better now than it was the day before, but a conditional 2nd/3rd + an ECHL'er in exchange for a former 1st overall that is actually 'healthy' is not a great trade. Considering some of the trade proposals seen on this board with regards to Yakupov, that is an extremely underwhelming trade.

But sure, I like Russell myself (as a bottom pairing defencemen - which he won't be in Edmonton), so you can look at the silver-lining.

With that being said, I hope Yakupov does really well. A 1st overall - even if he wasn't consensus - is a talented prospect. Hope he manages to recover in his development, so that hockey fans can enjoy watching another skilled player in the league.

People honestly need to drop the 1st overall label... He's 23 years old now, has played 252 games, and has declined every season. He's not a 'talented prospect' anymore.

He is a 23 year old, one-dimensional (who wasn't even good in the dimension he focused on) winger who was a literally a liability on the ice AND in the locker room. Moving him out was the right thing. Keeping him on the roster any longer only hurts the team as a whole.

Yes, he was a 1st overall that was a bust. It sucks but it happens once in a while and the Oilers will move on.

 

[snipes]

People honestly need to drop the 1st overall label... He's 23 years old now, has played 252 games, and has declined every season. He's not a 'talented prospect' anymore.

He is a 23 year old, one-dimensional (who wasn't even good in the dimension he focused on) winger who was a literally a liability on the ice AND in the locker room. Moving him out was the right thing. Keeping him on the roster any longer only hurts the team as a whole.

Yes, he was a 1st overall that was a bust. It sucks but it happens once in a while and the Oilers will move on.

Yup. He didn't want to be an Oiler and didn't fit the identity we are building going forward. Wish him all the best, but he simply was not a player we wanted on our roster or in our locker room.

We're better off without him.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

People honestly need to drop the 1st overall label... He's 23 years old now, has played 252 games, and has declined every season. He's not a 'talented prospect' anymore.

He is a 23 year old, one-dimensional (who wasn't even good in the dimension he focused on) winger who was a literally a liability on the ice AND in the locker room. Moving him out was the right thing. Keeping him on the roster any longer only hurts the team as a whole.

Yes, he was a 1st overall that was a bust. It sucks but it happens once in a while and the Oilers will move on.

granted it was for half a ham sandwich, but a perennial 100 point contender just traded for him

i could very easily be wrong, but maybe someone thought that in the right environment they could coax out the talent that he still might have

 

[snipes]

granted it was for half a ham sandwich, but a perennial 100 point contender just traded for him

i could very easily be wrong, but maybe someone thought that in the right environment they could coax out the talent that he still might have

Maybe?

He needs to take some personal responsibility for his game and realize criticism doesn't mean coaches "don't like me". If he thought EDM coaches were hard on him, I can't imagine what will happen with Hitch. I can see Hitch blowing a gasket over Yakupov missing defensive assignments.

He always came across as a good kid, but he also never accepted personal responsibility or took constructive criticism well. Hitch won't have patience for blown assignment after blown assignment.

 

[McRpro]

I also chuckle when people point at the chain of events in an effort to make something look better. Sure, one could argue that the the team may be better now than it was the day before, but a conditional 2nd/3rd + an ECHL'er in exchange for a former 1st overall that is actually 'healthy' is not a great trade. Considering some of the trade proposals seen on this board with regards to Yakupov, that is an extremely underwhelming trade.

But sure, I like Russell myself (as a bottom pairing defencemen - which he won't be in Edmonton), so you can look at the silver-lining.

With that being said, I hope Yakupov does really well. A 1st overall - even if he wasn't consensus - is a talented prospect. Hope he manages to recover in his development, so that hockey fans can enjoy watching another skilled player in the league.

He was far and away the top prospect in 2012. Much more than RNH or Hall was. Any team would have taken him first overall. The scouts just missed the fact that he has the hockey sense of a wet noodle.

 

[cbzblaze]

I also chuckle when people point at the chain of events in an effort to make something look better. Sure, one could argue that the the team may be better now than it was the day before, but a conditional 2nd/3rd + an ECHL'er in exchange for a former 1st overall that is actually 'healthy' is not a great trade. Considering some of the trade proposals seen on this board with regards to Yakupov, that is an extremely underwhelming trade.

But sure, I like Russell myself (as a bottom pairing defencemen - which he won't be in Edmonton), so you can look at the silver-lining.

With that being said, I hope Yakupov does really well. A 1st overall - even if he wasn't consensus - is a talented prospect. Hope he manages to recover in his development, so that hockey fans can enjoy watching another skilled player in the league.

Fans tend to judge trades based on values of the players involved, GM's make deals to improve their team. This trade is a win win for both teams. Most oilers fans wanted Yak to succeed in Edmonton but that just wasn't going to happen. So replacing him with some D help makes the oilers a better team.

As for STL, they're getting a really cheap look into a player that still has tons of potential, and if used the right way, can contribute. McLennan is ridiculously stubborn when it comes to trying different line combos. Hopefully STL will put him in better situations, allowing him to build some confidence and become a successful player. I wouldn't be too surprised if he became a 30 goal scorer some day.

 

[LaGu]

granted it was for half a ham sandwich, but a perennial 100 point contender just traded for him

i could very easily be wrong, but maybe someone thought that in the right environment they could coax out the talent that he still might have

They also traded for MPS, and paid a heftier price to get him, so there is that.

I am not trying to criticize this trade from one part or the other, I think it makes a lot of sense for both teams. Didn't cost anything for STL, it is a one year commitment and they have the players to cover/fill-in if he doesn't manage to perform. Yakupov was done in EDM, that much was clear and EDM were done with Yakupov, simple as that. IMO there is blame and merit on both sides for the Yakupov situation. I could understand if Yakupov blames EDM (MacT/Eakins) for his side-tracked development but at the same time this last year he got the chance to work his way back but he didn't take it. That is my somewhat simplistic point of view on this.

 

[Lacaar]

I'll always follow Yakupov.

Is there a player there? Can a team focus the talent? is it russian byass?

I see talent... and perhaps the dumbest player i've ever seen skate. Just in the dumbest places at the dumbest times.

Perhaps he flips a bit. nice kid.. bud god he has to be the stupidest plyaer i've ever seen play the game with all that talent.

Then again.. perhaps it's the stupidest organization that's ever developed a player. Edmonton deserves that.

We're on the verge of breaking a record. You can't do this without something being wrong..

 

[rumrokh]

They also traded for MPS, and paid a heftier price to get him, so there is that.

Considering they also got a very high 2nd rounder back with Paajarvi, it's hard to say they paid a particularly hefty price for him. Paajarvi and Yakupov are both flawed players for various reasons, but it's not like they have very comparable skill levels. I don't think they're relatable examples.

 

[LaGu]

Considering they also got a very high 2nd rounder back with Paajarvi, it's hard to say they paid a particularly hefty price for him. Paajarvi and Yakupov are both flawed players for various reasons, but it's not like they have very comparable skill levels. I don't think they're relatable examples.

That's right, forgot about the 2nd rounder, forget about the hefty price then. Anyway, the similarities they've got is that both are high picks traded off from EDM, none of them came remotely close to living up to their potential and both are now in STL. Although MPS seemingly improved a bit playing in STL, he is still no-where near reaching his potential and I am guessing he is on his last contract unless he picks it up this season. Yakupov we'll just have to see.

Again, I didn't mind this trade, and I didn't mind the MPS trade at the time. My post was just a response to that a perennial 100 point contended just traded for him which means they see something in him worth the while. Although that is obviously true I think that these kind of deals often don't work out, and that is actually fine since he is on a 1 year contract and is not expected to play an integral part of STL season (they have others to cover, as I said in my other post).

 

[snipes]

It was a simple situation, Yak didn't fit in with our identity and vision for our team.

Versteeg, Caggiula, Pulju, Pitlick, Slepyshev, and Khaira are all better options for our lineup. He got beat out by his competition.

New building, new captain, new team, new era. Yakupov was not part of that vision. Best of luck to him, he's a good person and citizen.

 

[sandysan]

Nice deal i could see Yakupov thriving in St Louis, They needed to do something to add a little more offence to the team after losing Backes and Brouwer.

if that's true, why chose yakupov who has shown he doesnt scratch that itch ? The conditional second and an echl player means its a reclamation project for a player who has repeatedly demonstrated that he is, at the very best, a complimentary player. and I don't see him being cut of the same cloth as either of those two players.

I just can't wait for the people here at the first sight of a struggle saying that if only hitch gave him first line minutes that he's shown nothing that he deserves them that everything would be great if you surrounded him with the teams best players.

He might score 15, he might not. but the people who are convinced that he's going to tear it up are basing it on his rookie season and conveninetly forgetting every season since. Not every 1OA pans out and although I might be wrong, I think this is a case of " what you have seen is what you will get".