Report: Oilers to trade Yakupov to Chicago?

According to Barstool Sports, the Oilers could be moving Nail Yakupov to the Chicago Blackhawks. 

As of right now, there is no official confirmation of the trade but the chatter between Chicago and Edmonton has been confirmed by more than one source, including TSN’s Bob McKenzie. Although the trade does not appear to be imminent there has been discussion between the two teams. 

After being drafted first overall in 2012, the Nail Yakupov era in Edmonton never quite came to fruition. The enigmatic winger showed promise in his first season in Edmonton under then head coach Ralph Kruger during a lockout-shortened season that saw him score 17 goals and 14 assists for 31 points in 48 games. 

Since then, Yakupov has had issues matching the production he had in his rookie season and has been a highly-controversial topic in Edmonton ever since. His issues with playing a two-way game landed him in the doghouse more often than not. That said, some believe that Yakupov has never been given a chance to perform with skilled linemates, thus limiting his ability to be effective. 

The potential departure of Yakupov is one that has been talked about for some time, with TSN’s Ryan Rishaug stating that the team will be looking to move Yakupov “when the opportunity comes.”

As for potential return, it is unknown as to what the Oilers would look at from Chicago. Mark McNeil is a name that has been thrown around by Bob Stauffer some time and could be a possibility.

 

After a long summer of arguing and waiting, the NHL season is right around the corner and that means it’s time for us to throw another party. We wanted a second take on last year’s season and decided that we would celebrate the start of the second year of Connor’s reign over Oil Country. Thanks to our friends at AMA Travel, Cornerstone Insurance, the Pint, Oodle Noodle, and United Cycle we’ve got a big night planned for you complete with raffles, swag bags, and two trips (valued at $5000 each) for two to the outdoor game in Winnipeg courtesy of AMA Travel.

Here’s what you need to know:

See you on October 14th!