SAIL ON, NAIL?

It has been a tough year for Nail Yakupov, and news today of a trade request should not have come as a surprise for anyone.

Eronko routinely breaks these kinds of news items, so suggest we dispense with the ‘if true’ portion of the lecture and advance to what kind of return one could expect. During this season, Nail has been injured (just a noxious moment, ridiculous) and he has not been scoring, but his possession numbers are back to rookie level and he has done some reasonable offensive things when placed with a capable center.

So, if there is a team out there who has a quality center but needs a $2.5 million winger, then maybe there is a market for Nail. You are not going to get a massive return, probably a player with some issues or a skill set that is repeated elsewhere on the roster. Damon Severson from New Jersey? That team hit a homer with Kyle Palmieri last summer and the Devils need forwards. Source

Hell if I know. Stuff happens. I suspect we will see this roll out in the summer, and none of us can be surprised. I love the kid based on all we have heard, but can understand being a square peg in a round hole (it has happened to me, maybe you, too) and sometimes a man needs to find his own place in life.

One final thing: If you are going to try to convince me that Nail Yakupov is the guy who has to leave, then you better tell me Lauri Korpikoski is already gone. Bah! Oilers.