Comedy gold out of Edmonton

[Bloody Brian Burke]

I guess that the Oilers are expecting at least a first round pick in return is the main reason why Yak is still with the Oil. News flash to the geniuses in Edmonton, just because you picked him first overall doesn't mean he's worth a first rounder today.

If the Leafs didn't have such depth at forward I wouldn't mind them sending, say, Pittsburgh's 1st rounder for Yakupov. There's still potential there even if Edmonton did everything they could to destroy his will to live.

I mean, you can compare the situation to Kyle Turris - the guy had 46 career points 5 years after he was drafted. He's having a weaker year but since leaving the team that drafted him he's done well enough that a team in retrospect would have gladly traded a 20-30th overall pick for him.

But of course, the Sens only gave up a 2nd rounder for him, so Edmonton should probably lower their expectations.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

If the Leafs didn't have such depth at forward I wouldn't mind them sending, say, Pittsburgh's 1st rounder for Yakupov. There's still potential there even if Edmonton did everything they could to destroy his will to live.

I mean, you can compare the situation to Kyle Turris - the guy had 46 career points 5 years after he was drafted. He's having a weaker year but since leaving the team that drafted him he's done well enough that a team in retrospect would have gladly traded a 20-30th overall pick for him.

But of course, the Sens only gave up a 2nd rounder for him, so Edmonton should probably lower their expectations.

Turris was great again this year until his leg bent in a way no limb should ever bend. That torpedoed his, and the Sens', season despite the fact he still played like 30 games after the injury.

The Sens gave up Rundblad too though in addition to the 2nd. He was a former first-rounder and before his rookie season he was considered one of the top 5 prospects in the world. He just never translated his game to the NHL.

The Sens still gave a lot for Turris. I'm thrilled they did but it was not peanuts. Of course Turris NEVER got decent minutes in PHX whereas Yak has been given some sort of opportunity.

Turris was also flat out awesome in the Yotes playoff series the year before he was traded. Yak's playoff record is...Oilers.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Turris was great again this year until his leg bent in a way no limb should ever bend. That torpedoed his, and the Sens', season despite the fact he still played like 30 games after the injury.

The Sens gave up Rundblad too though in addition to the 2nd. He was a former first-rounder and before his rookie season he was considered one of the top 5 prospects in the world. He just never translated his game to the NHL.

The Sens still gave a lot for Turris. I'm thrilled they did but it was not peanuts. Of course Turris NEVER got decent minutes in PHX whereas Yak has been given some sort of opportunity.

Turris was also flat out awesome in the Yotes playoff series the year before he was traded. Yak's playoff record is...Oilers.

Forgot about Rundblad. He was highly rated, he was ahead of Klingberg in the Central Scouting rankings of Eurozzz.

 

[dash]

lol - Oilers fans are booing Yakupov every time he touches the puck tonight. Never change Edmonton, never change.

 

[dash]

Of course, Yak scored the only goal for the Oil last night (and received a nice ovation for it). Such a fickle fan base.

 

[dash]

How the Oilers got it wrong from the start with Yakupov - Sportsnet.ca

 

[dash]

Our buddy David Staples has his knickers in a knot...

This in from Matt Larkin of The Hockey News, his notion that of the seven Canadian NHL teams, all of which failed to make the playoffs this year, the Oilers are least likely to turn it around next year and make the 2016-17 playoffs.

Writes Larkin: “The culture was supposed to shift this year, wasn’t it? The Oilers changed so much… (But) the Oilers are simply miles behind their competition defensively. Griffin Reinhart has been overmatched when recalled, and Darnell Nurse remains raw. Until the Oilers overhaul their blueline, it’s tough to imagine them playing in the post-season by next year.”

My take
I can’t agree with Larken, mainly because he’s underestimating the impact Connor McDavid will have on the Oilers in his second NHL season.

Cult of Hockey: Oilers are least likely Canadian team to make 2016-17 playoffs? Huh!?

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

I think Edmonton, Vancouver and Calgary are all equally unlikely to make the playoffs next year as things stand, each for unique reasons that can be fixed in the offseason (I'd include Toronto but the east is generally horrible and the Leafs are out here beating playoff teams so who the hell knows).

Of course, that is what the offseason is for and most fans and writers know this.

 

[dash]

This is gold from Todd McClellan.

 

[mooger_35]

 

[dash]

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

That last line is such a fucking killer.

 

[mooger_35]

I think it's pretty clear that a bunch of guys are trying to play themselves out of town.

 

[mooger_35]

2 weeks later and 13 has turned to 20 and still dead last in the league... But ya, just a couple additions will fix everything

 

[dash]

2 weeks later and 13 has turned to 20 and still dead last in the league... But ya, just a couple additions will fix everything

I'll say this, I'd rather have Phi Kessel than Taylor Hall on my team, Phil takes a lot of crap from fans and media, but he seems to genuinely care.

 

[forty_three]

2 weeks later and 13 has turned to 20 and still dead last in the league... But ya, just a couple additions will fix everything

They only need to add three things.

Caps Offense
Kings Defense
Rangers' Goalie

And then they are GOLDEN

 

[dash]

A lot of good men have been humbled by this raging tire fire...

 

[KennyBanyeah]

A lot of good men have been humbled by this raging tire fire...

View attachment 103936

That McLellan facepalm should be a new smiley on here.

 

[dash]

Pretty spot on...

Brace yourself, Edmonton, because big changes are coming

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

You need look no further than attendance at Rexall Place to realize that fans in Edmonton will accept less than just about any other city in the NHL outside of Toronto.

One boast the Leafs can make over the past decade is that despite how epically awful they've been, they haven't been Edmonton-bad.