WEEKEND WRAP: OILERS DOWN TO FIVE
Jason Gregor
June 04 2012 02:51PM
Nail Yakupov arrived in town last night and since leaving EIA he's had a hectic schedule meeting with Oilers management, touring the dressing room, getting checked over by doctors and meeting Daryl Katz.
Yakupov is a legit 5'11". I stood beside him in this media scrum, and he's one of the few players under six feet who is actually as tall as he's listed in media guides. He is much thicker than Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was last year, but both of them possessed the same willingness to be the first overall pick.
Both are serious and respectful about going first overall, but Yakupov did reveal he has a sense of humour.
Yakupov was asked what the strangest question the Oilers asked him was. "They asked if I had a girlfriend."
What was your response proded someone in the scrum, "I have two," he laughed. "One in Sarnia and one in Russia. I'm going to try for a third today," he continued while laughing. It is nice to see a guy have a little fun, and before you overreact, he was joking. At least about the #3 part.
Yakupov said he's really enjoying his trip thus far and that the dressing room was amazing. "I'm going to go have a nap in there for a few hours," he chuckled.
He said that as of today Edmonton is the only team he's scheduled to visit with prior to the draft. I'd be surprised if only the Oilers wanted to tour him around, but he Columbus doesn't bring him in then it would seem clear they have no intentions of taking him. In 2010 the Bruins had Hall and Seguin come to town, just like the Oilers did. If he doesn't go to Columbus, then all the rumblings about them wanting to take a D-man would seem accurate.
We'll have to wait and see.
Rick Valette, Ryan Murray's agent told me that Murray is scheduled to be in town Thursday evening and then he'll spend Friday meeting and touring with the Oilers. Murray was in Montreal today visiting with the Canadiens.
QUICK HITS
- The LA Kings are only the fourth team in NHL history to lead 2-0 in all four series in one playoff season. The other three: 1981 Islanders, 1988 Oilers and 2008 Red Wings all won the Cup.
- Don't be surprised if we see OT again tonight. In seven Stanley Cup final games the Kings have been to OT in five of them. They lost games two, three and four to the Habs in 1993, and all of them were in OT.
- Another strange stat courtesy of Elias Sports Bureau. This was only the 3rd time in 60 years that there were zero PP goals in the first two games of the final.
- Another coach off the list. Dallas Eakins signed a three-year extension to stay with the Toronto Marlies in the AHL. I was told he has an out clause that kicks in next year that would allow him to move to the NHL. if he was offered a job.
- I've always felt it was premature to assume the Penguins won't be able to sign Jordan Staal and Sidney Crosby next summer. Of course they are keeping Crosby, but Staal currently has a cap hit of $4 million. Is he worth more than $5.5 at the most? Doubtful, so I don't see why the Pens won't be able to afford a $1.5 million raise for Staal. The only reason they trade him is he wants to leave so he can have a bigger role.
- The Pens showed they are serious about winning by trading for Tomas Vokoun's rights and then signing him to a two-year, $4 million contract. Given that the trade and contract signing were announced today, it is clear the Caps gave the Pens permission to talk to Vokoun prior to the trade.
- I wonder if Steve Tambellini has contacted his friend Bob Murray in Anaheim about doing the same with Justin Schultz? It will cost more than a 7th rounder, but I'm a strong sense Tambellini will be aggressive on Schultz. I've been told the Oilers are very interested in him, and have already had conversations with the Ducks, albeit very preliminary type of discussions.
- The Edmonton Eskimos are the first team in the CFL to have a camera on the helmet of a QB during training camp. This camera allows the coaches and the players to see exactly what the QB sees. It is great for allowing the coaches and QB to see if indeed a passing lane was open or not when he throws the ball. Matt Nichol told me it's been great to watch, because it allows him to see exactly when he mis-read a defense or didn't react quick enough to an open passing lane.
- What a great week to be a sports fan. We'll likely see someone hoist the Cup, Euro 2012 starts, I'll Have Another goes for the triple crown and we could watch the Heat/Celtics and Spurs/Thunder battle in separate game sevens. I love it.
DOWN TO FIVE
Stu MacGregor announced today during Oilers Now that the Oilers are down to five players who could go #1.
Yakupov, Grigorenko, Murray, Reinhart and Forsberg.
Interesting that they don't have Galchenyuk in the top-five, but that just proves that many teams will be evaluating players differently. Some scouts and independent draft rankings have Galchenyuk rated higher than Grigorenko and Reilly higher than Reinhart.
I'll be stunned if the Oilers don't take Yakupov.
@ Jasmine
May want to get into the shop. Your sarcasometer seems to be on the fritz.
Who is that Collin Fraser guy that plays for the Kings?
You know, the one who scored the first goal of this year's Finals?
Maybe the Oilers should try and sign him for the 4th line. UFA, big guy, centre, Do it Tambo!!
@ Jasmine
Oops, sorry Jazzy. With spelling being so dear to my heart, this is simply inexcusable. Is Sam Gagne any relation to Simon Gagne then?
I am putting in an effort here eh.
Marks for effort?
@justDOit
Not sure of your definition of contributing but Fraser just scored his first post season goal ever the other day and 2 goals in the regular season.
He only played 3 games for Chicago when they won the cup.
Doesn't matter. Let's start comparing him to Wellwood.
Helmet cams on Eskie QBs will show mostly sky or dirt. They seem like that may be a team weakness.
The worst part of drafting Yak is the certain 'Yak-me-off' blasts from flame fans.
Any thoughts on Tim Thomas? Crazy or crazy like a fox? I think coco for cocoa puffs.
@ Mason Storm
See post #12
....maybe there is a recall on these things??
My point is that Fraser played a contributing role on one Cup team, and is very well on the way to another, yet couldn't play in Edmonton.
So is Fraser really a bad player, or was he simply mismanaged or not supported properly by one of his last 3 teams?
I know you know!!
Always have to be the proverbial straw that stirs the drink here, don't ya.
Keeping us all on our toes.
Next up..... Gagner is too small, Horcs contract is too large and just for good measure, lets throw out.....hmmmmmm..... Tyler would have been better than Taylor.
Hahahahaaa! Thanks LoDog
Ya.. we need Fraser back! smh....
I'm sure he is the defining key in those winning teams, much like Eager was they keystone for Chicago too, right?
The due diligence is fine but I would be surprised if anybody could scream #1 overall like Yakupov does. He has the talent, the confidence and the charisma. It would be a hard sell for the Oilers to do anything but take Yak at #1.
I hope the Oilers can get something done on the Schultz front. If the reports on this kid are to be believed, that would be better than rushing some 18 year old dman into the lineup.
~On the video game player ranking at the top of your blog, it shows he is only 5'1". How much of a concern is that?~
@EricOG
And I think he already has a cup ring - so this might be his second. Another failure of the Oilers to properly manage a player, I guess.
While watching the last OT, I couldn't help but wonder what the Oilogosphere would have reacted like if ST had signed Darryl Sutter as coach before LA did and fired Renney mid-season. Can you imagine some of the comments?
Are people really calling for Colin Fraser to come back? Did you guys watch any hockey that year? He was awful, worse then Belanger awful.
*slow golf clap* or maybe even a *slow wisers clap*
A player's contribution cannot be measured on offense alone. If he goes out, and has a good shift where the puck goes in the right direction is a contribution.
If he merits the ice time which in turn means that the first and second line can sit down and rest while knowing that the fourth liners will not get burned, thus allowing them to do their thing is a contribution.
4th liners are not put out there to score, they are put out there for energy, a breather for the other lines and if they contribute with a point here and a point there, then said players is a contributor and a positive presence for the team.
LA's 4th line >>>>>>>> Edmonton's 4th line, AKA: "AHL fill-ins".
Also, does anybody seriously believe the Oilers are "down to five"? The only five I think they're down to are: Yakupov, Yakupov, Yakupov, Yakupov, and might go all nutso off the board with Yakupov.
I traded my 1st overall this year, next year, Horcoff, Dubnyk, and another player I can't remember for Rinne and their first pick (which after trading Rinne, they tanked and I got 2nd overall).
How's that for value! I should be running The Oilers!
I'll bite....
Gagner has also outscored Gagne over the length of his career.
Since Sam has been in the league: 366gp, 220pts.
In those same 5 years, Simon Gagne: 259gp, 189pts.
Sam has been more reliable and put up more points on VASTLY inferior teams.
Your move ;p
The correct stats are:
Gagne: 354 GP Gagner: 366 GP
Gagne: 113 G Gagner: 77 G
Goals per game Gagne: 0.21 Gagner: 0.32
Assists per game Gagne: 0.39 Gagner: 0.37
So Gagner has 11 more assists while Gagne has 36 more goals over a 5 year stretch. This would make sense since one is a C and the other is a LW.
Gagne played on a team whose centers were Eric Lindros, Daymond Langkow, and Keith Primeau. In his best year in '05-'06 (79 pts), his center was Peter Forsberg and the RW was Mike Knuble.
With the chasm of talent between the post '06 Oilers and Lindros/Leclair/Forsberg/Recchi/Primeau era, I think Gagner is doing just fine.
@ Clyde
Hard to say we've won the trade when we've got 0 to show for it so far.
Nail impresses me more and more with every interview.
(was that ok Clyde?)
The Simon Gagner that's playing for the LA Kings this evening.
Is he any relation to Sam Gagner?
@The Soup Fascist
And his speed is only 41?
@ Reg Dunlop
Thomas: Ginger + Goalie + American . . . . nuff said!
You say Cocoa Puffs, I disagree. Whether Frosted, Corn, Bran or Flutie - Dude is definitely in the "Flake" category.
@Reg Dunlop
I think about the only thing we can deduce from Tim's behaviour is that he's strong minded, very political, and he's driving his own destiny. I wish that I could just take a year off if I felt like it.
What will be interesting, is if the Bruins remain 100% confident in Rask to assume the starter role. Maybe they need an established veteran goalie to be backup now? Hmmm...
Learn how to spell. The Gagne with LA doesn't have an 'R' at the end.
This happens all the time. Some people forget the 'R' on Sam's name and some people ad an "R' to Simon's name. They're not even spelled the same.
Of course not my friend, I'm just making a point about how horrible Oilers management is at handling players.
Fraser, like Belanger, was being put way over his head out there. They are no more than good 4th line players. And the expectations by both management as well as some fans was much higher than that.
Fraser is being put in situations where he can succeed in L.A. 4th liners vs. 4th liners and he is coming ahead of them so far....
The comments would be of the charts... to a point that might just make the hosts have to consider the idea of shutting down the servers while things cool down a little.
As far as the draft goes, BPA all the way. It's not like trades would be banned right after that.
RE: Jordan Staal
Don't forget James Neal's $5M extension kicks in next season. That's a $2.125M raise, so while $1.5M isn't *THAT* much, they've already added some money to the books. That said, they're not likely to lose Staal over $... more likely to lose him over blood (Eric in Carolina).
Brandon Sutter, Ryan Murray & a 8th OV for Jordan Staal, Joe Morrow & a 22nd OV...?
MBS said 4-5. When asked for the 5th they would meet with they offered up GR, but they'll travel to him.
Looks like their top 4 is the same group that McKenzie's scout consensus picked.
Ya there is a lot of that all over the game. Have a look at Murray and RNH. As a matter of fact I can't remember if I even found Murray.
In all fairness to Belanger, he didn't even look like a low end 4th line center this season. I tend to think there is more to it than just the personel.
@LoDog
Mason wasn't serious LoDog. He was just taking a pot shot at Tambellini. Steve is so out of touch with what's really needed here on this roster he thought bringing in Fraser 2 yrs ago would have the same impact on his team that he's had on the Kings squad. He's a decent depth player on your team if your top 11 forwards are willing to carry him at times.
IMO the Oilers in no way put Colin Fraser in "way over his head" when he was here.
He may have had the odd shift here and there on the 3rd line, but at the end of the day the Oilers played him at even strength even less per game than either Chicago or LA did. He was a 4th liner here just as he was everywhere else he's been. He just sucked at it, just like he sucked at it this year in LA. You say he was being put in a position to succeed, 4th liner vs. 4th liner and coming out ahead.
Considering he scored 2 goals in 67 games, he must've been playing against some truly pathetic competition to "come out ahead".
I honestly don't see how a 4th liner like him gets "mismanged"...he's a fringe NHLer who scored a goal in the NHL finals, which also happened to be his first goal in the entire playoffs, so good for him.
@justDOit and EricOG
Do you guys have something better to do? Are you serious? Like keeping Colin Fraser here would have made some sort of Huge difference to the OIlers??? We would have made 8th place because of Colin Fraser? They mismanaged Colin Fraser? you dont manage 4th liners ...you give them an opportunity and they either grab it or you ship them out. I guess the Oilers mismanaged Eberle this season or Nuge....yeah they were horrible... What a crock of crap you guys are dispensing. Why dont you stick to playing Warcraft.
Tambo, is that you? Or is it Klown?
Oilers managment apologist!
Don't you guys have more important things to do?
Like for instance, NOT SCREWING UP THE FIRST OVERALL PICK IN THE DRAFT!!
They sure handled him and others like a piece of raw meat, didn't they?
And I don't like Warcraft, I like Leisure Suit Larry, Playboy the Mansion and Mario Brothers.
Go back to playing with the NHL 12 trade machine and see what stupid trade you can come up with.
I found this little bit from the Edmonton Journal very interesting.
"What he wants more than anything is play in the NHL. Going first, too, is a priority for the right winger, which is probably why he said he’d play goal as well as left wing, if that would make a difference."
The kid doesn't care what he does as long as he is part of a winning team and he did something to help them get there. He's winner plain and simple.
I say offer CLB Hemsky, Omark, Peckham, and a pick to get the 2nd overall and take Murray, Maybe a second rounder next draft. CLB will be getting a first rounder in what ever trade they make with Nash so they should still be looking good for the draft.
I have then out-traded you mi amigo,
I traded Hall, Eberle and Nuge for Crosby, Malkin and their ice girls!!!!
Then, I got Luongo for this year's and next year's round 1 picks.
Finnally, I traded Jones, Paajarvi and this year's second rounder for Stoll, Greene and of course, Fraser.
I rounded out the the team with last year's Flames third and fourth liners.
BAM!!!!!... STANLEY CUP ASSURED FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS!!!!!
@EricOG
I don't know Eric.... you never know.
I went 65-14-3 on the season, then I Vancouver'd out of the first round in 7 games.
I'll sim another season tonight and let you know tomorrow how it turns out.
Jasmine wrote:
some people forget how to detect sarcasm apparently as well.
thank you for the laugh Jasmine. It was perfect timing today. I eagerly await your "people always bash the oilers" response.
Thing is, Simone Gagner scored 20 goals and 48 points as a rookie.
Then, wouldn't you know it, he actually got better!
27 goals and 59 points in his second season.
33 goals and 66 points in his third season.
He suffered an injury in his fourth season but by his 6th season, 47 goals and 79 points.
I know!
I don't think Sam, Kyle or Eric Wellwood will ever accomplish that
What a bunch of loonie crap... all this time ink wasted on conversation on Colin Fraser!A 4 th, liner ," never been". Who cares?
If you are having Yakapov on the RW, then Hemsky , plus, should be pitched to Pitts, for Staal.Team needs a skilled , tough center in the worst way.Staal has one yr, left, would be up to Tambelini to resign him, by then you can buy out Horcoff, or send him to the AHL, along with Belanger.
So I'm confused...
Which brothers do you think are better? Sam and Simone Gangers or the Wellwood boys?
Injury prone bum!
Can't live up to his contract!
And "VASTLY" is being complimentary.
WAY more importantly...HAVE YOU GUYS SEEN THIS????!!???
https://twitter.com/WanyeGretz/status/209794193688756227/photo/1/large
*faints*
First 5 seasons played:
Gagne 274 GP
Gagner 366 GP
Goals:
Gagne 113
Gagner 77
Goals/Game
Gagne .41
Gagner .21
Assists:
Gagne 132
Gagner 143
It appears that Gagne is twice the goal scorer that Sam is and compiled almost as many assists.
Gagner did this on a VASTLY inferior team that has VASTLY inferior players and Sam is one of those players.
Need I mention that Gagner will have to score 47 goals and 32 assists this coming season to even be breathing Gagne's fumes?
Think he can do it?
So is Yakupov at the Katz house watching the Kings dominate the devils?
Penner...Fraser...hell let's get Cogliano and Stortini back while we're at it.