I know, but look at how the Oilers develop players and how Ottawa develops players. Yakupov in our system would improve by leaps and bounds - take Turris as an example, Karlsson, Lehner, Stone, Pageau, Zibby - for the talent they have drafted the Oilers don't get that in talent on the ice, Ottawa does - Yak would be a better player just by moving here
- tuna99

You must be looking at a different group of D

Ottawa is easily icing a bottom 5 D group. They made 0 changes in the off-season which IMO will have us in the running for McDavid.

Your solution is to trade our best defensive defenceman?

Some good news on the BM front ,he is feeling much better and starting to regain some of the 45 pounds he lost .As per Dan Seguin
- top shelf 15

Fantastic News

and that does it. You are no longer alowed to post on this site

How do you sleep at night?
- SENS 613

You spelled allowed wrong.

Saw him practice today with the rest of the guys. Looked like he lost 15lbs.

I like Lazar, and you may be right in the end, but a guy with Yak's kind of high-end talent isn't altogether common... I don't really know what people are basing this assessment of Lazar on, is there anything other than he's a fairly productive, relatively rounded junior player who has had success at that level to hang our hats on?

I haven't seen him play much, asides from the world juniors.
- Mr_Clean

Lazar is a kid who has won at every level that he has played. Coaches love him because he plays a great defensive game. He does a lot more than just score goals. He scores big goals at key times in the game. On their run to the Memorial Cup Lazar was the guy who scored the key overtime goals or the winning goal or the game tying on multiple occasions.

But, the most impressive part of Lazar's game was the Cup winning game against Guelph. They were the top scoring team in major junior hockey. Lazar did not have a single point in the game. Edmonton ran up the score (I think it was 7 goals). Lazar's job was to shut down the Guelph top line. He kept them off the score sheet 5 on 5.

This is the same thing the Team Canada coach saw when he said last year, without hesitation, that Lazar was easily Canada's best player. He is going to be a very good NHL player. Top juniors that can score goals dominate AHL rosters. Top juniors that play a 200' game transition quickly into the NHL. Before Lazar was drafted, the inside perspective was that his game was better suited to the NHL level than to junior.

There are very few players that would cause me to include him in a deal (perhaps Evander Kane, maybe, not sure, would be hard). But, certainly, there is no way that I would include Lazar in a deal for Yakupov.

Saw him practice today with the rest of the guys. Looked like he lost 15lbs.
- Cup 06

And,

You spelled allowed wrong.
- tuna99

When you offer Lazar, Methot, 2nd,and Guptill for an unproven Russian I can mispell any word I want.

And,
- spatso

Still looked like Kassian just lighter.


Looked like Darnell Nurse was the ice as well. He is a beast.

Saw him practice today with the rest of the guys. Looked like he lost 15lbs.
- Cup 06

Any sources offering any insight on the Ryan deal?

I still think he walks but hoping I am wrong.

Any sources offering any insight on the Ryan deal?

I still think he walks but hoping I am wrong.
- SENS 613

Told he agreed to extend, deal should be done. Some bumps in the road but only fringe details.

I'm sure it won't take too much longer.

Meth is a different story. I'm not so confident. Remember I was told last fall/winter he wasn't in their long term plans. There were some issues that had to be addressed.

When you offer Lazar, Methot, 2nd,and Guptill for an unproven Russian I can mispell any word I want.
- SENS 613

you've got a coma out of place there.

Told he agreed to extend, deal should be done. Some bumps in the road but only fringe details.

I'm sure it won't take too much longer.

Meth is a different story. I'm not so confident. Remember I was told last fall/winter he wasn't in their long term plans. There were some issues that had to be addressed.
- Cup 06

Holy frig, this will be fantastic!

Cowen - EK
Wiercioch - Gryba
Phillips - Ceci/Borowiecki

Eklund has a Yakupov to Ottawa rumour so I'll take the bait:

Ott: Yakupov
Edm: Lazar, Methot, 2nd 2015, Guptill
- tuna99

If the Sens were going to give up that kind of package, I think they would be better off doing it for a top end young defenseman rather than a forward. They need that a lot more than they need Yakupov or even Kane.

Told he agreed to extend, deal should be done. Some bumps in the road but only fringe details.

I'm sure it won't take too much longer.

Meth is a different story. I'm not so confident. Remember I was told last fall/winter he wasn't in their long term plans. There were some issues that had to be addressed.
- Cup 06

Full credit to your comments of last year. I remember.

Heard very recently that people around Methot believe that Murray does not want to extend Methot. He wants to trade him. Some bitterness in the Methot camp because he really does want to stay.

When you offer Lazar, Methot, 2nd,and Guptill for an unproven Russian I can mispell any word I want.
- SENS 613

So you wanna wait until Yakupov scores 40 goals before you trade for him? Because once he's proven, the only player on your roster that Edm would accept in a trade is EK65.

Dallas took a risk dealing one of the top wingers in the game (at the time) and 3 of their top 10 prospects for Seguin after Seguin had a similarly bad year that Yak just had...

Too funny. Just read the lead article and comments on Senschirp about Kyle Turris replacing Spezza as #1 center. Repeats many of the ideas some of us have been pushing here for more than a year. Sounds like Senschirp now thinks it was a good idea to move Spezza. I was pretty sure that Senschirp was entirely hostile to the idea just a few months ago.

I know I am going to get a strong backlash from many of you if the season goes south on us and we miss Spezza's power play scoring. But I am okay with that and can own the friction. On the other hand, if Turris and the other guys succeed in picking up the slack as I believe they will, I hope we can have some serious discussion around the importance of playing great defensive hockey as the way to win in the NHL.

So you wanna wait until Yakupov scores 40 goals before you trade for him? Because once he's proven, the only player on your roster that Edm would accept in a trade is EK65.

Dallas took a risk dealing one of the top wingers in the game (at the time) and 3 of their top 10 prospects for Seguin after Seguin had a similarly bad year that Yak just had...
- rangerdanger94

coming off a 12 goal 29 pt season made him "one of the top wingers in the league". the guys goal totals had declined 5 straight years.

but yes, let's all listen to the ranger fan, they clearly know all about great trades the last few years.

callahan, and 2 1st's for a 38 year old winger..........

So you wanna wait until Yakupov scores 40 goals before you trade for him? Because once he's proven, the only player on your roster that Edm would accept in a trade is EK65.

Dallas took a risk dealing one of the top wingers in the game (at the time) and 3 of their top 10 prospects for Seguin after Seguin had a similarly bad year that Yak just had...
- rangerdanger94

Give me a trade proposal from the Rags in which you give up a top 4 D,blue chip prospect, pick,and prospect for ONLY Yak.

If you were to add a bit maybe it gets discussed but lets be real here, that deal is horrendous for the Sens.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3tn-QwsENo#t=28

Lazar will be a good player one day. I think he can top out as a very good 2nd liner. And, I think that'll happen with certainty.

Yakupov however has the ability to be a excellent 1st line player but it's still a question mark and he can turn into a 2nd line player. But, Yak would never be a 3rd or 4th liner. So you have weigh the best case and worse case scenarios of both players.

I think when you think about it, Yak is the much better prospect and he is worth a heck of a lot more than just Lazar.

I'd say if there was a deal that it would be something like...

To Ottawa:

- YAK

To Edmonton

- Lazar
- Classen
- Methot
- Dal 2nd 2015

Lazar will be a good player one day. I think he can top out as a very good 2nd liner. And, I think that'll happen with certainty.

Yakupov however has the ability to be a excellent 1st line player but it's still a question mark and he can turn into a 2nd line player. But, Yak would never be a 3rd or 4th liner. So you have weigh the best case and worse case scenarios of both players.

I think when you think about it, Yak is the much better prospect and he is worth a heck of a lot more than just Lazar.

I'd say if there was a deal that it would be something like...

To Ottawa:

- YAK

To Edmonton

- Lazar
- Classen
- Methot
- Dal 2nd 2015
- riceroni

I would not include Lazar in any deal for Yakupov. Top 2nd line players that can play great D and score goals can help you win championships.

I would not include Lazar in any deal for Yakupov. Top 2nd line players that can play great D and score goals can help you win championships.
- spatso

I like Lazar but what has he done? He's going to be a very good player but not a great one.

I like Lazar but what has he done? He's going to be a very good player but not a great one.
- riceroni

what's yakupov done to be worth a top prospect, top six player, top 4 dman (top pairing in edm), and a 2nd rd pick........and all 3 players on the right side of 30.

the kid is good, but come on. in his sophomore year, he was outscored by 23 rookies (including 7 d-men).

i'm not saying he isn't worth anything, but unlike a lot of other top 3-5 picks in the past few years, he hasn't come in and been a dominant player.

the most i'd do is lazar and a 2nd......if edmonton didn't want it, then so be it.

I like Lazar, and you may be right in the end, but a guy with Yak's kind of high-end talent isn't altogether common... I don't really know what people are basing this assessment of Lazar on, is there anything other than he's a fairly productive, relatively rounded junior player who has had success at that level to hang our hats on?

I haven't seen him play much, asides from the world juniors.
- Mr_Clean

Ok let's be honest here; potential is potential. Yakupov has offensive talents Lazar will never come close to. And look...... Russians are amazing athletes.In the NHL Jjust look at Malkin, Datsyuk.

But just in the salary cap era tons of Russian wingers have underperformed (not won cups) and I don't think it's a secret. That's not to say I wouldn't want one on my team but not for giving up on a Canadian star in the making. Curtis Lazar is easily the best prospect that hasn't playing an NHL game (with the Sens) and if he is traded your giving up a guy that may captain the best group of young players in the world; world juniors -- Team Canada.

Getting back to the best Russian wingers the last 10 years: Kovalchuk; no cup. Ovechkin; no cup. Semin; no cup. Kovalev; no cup (won cup with Messier as captain in 94). There are three Russian players EVER to hit 1000 games.

No surprise if Yakupov turns out to be a great player; even one day a Russian captain will win a cup (god knows when) but if your asking me if I'd rather have Lazar or Yakuov I'm taking the safe pick and going with the guy that can play the 2-way 200 foot game over a very offensively talented Russian winger who I see as a guy that fades in the playoffs

Ok let's be honest here; potential is potential. Yakupov has offensive talents Lazar will never come close to. And look...... Russians are amazing athletes.In the NHL Jjust look at Malkin, Datsyuk.

But just in the salary cap era tons of Russian wingers have underperformed (not won cups) and I don't think it's a secret. That's not to say I wouldn't want one on my team but not for giving up on a Canadian star in the making. Curtis Lazar is easily the best prospect that hasn't playing an NHL game (with the Sens) and if he is traded your giving up a guy that may captain the best group of young players in the world; world juniors -- Team Canada.

Getting back to the best Russian wingers the last 10 years: Kovalchuk; no cup. Ovechkin; no cup. Semin; no cup. Kovalev; no cup (won cup with Messier as captain in 94). There are three Russian players EVER to hit 1000 games.

No surprise if Yakupov turns out to be a great player; even one day a Russian captain will win a cup (god knows when) but if your asking me if I'd rather have Lazar or Yakuov I'm taking the safe pick and going with the guy that can play the 2-way 200 foot game better than any forward prospect I'm hearing about (2-way means they put up solid numbers too)
- AlfieisKing

i think lazar has a very underrated offensive game. probably not the raw skill of yakupov, but still damn good. he finished 9th in the WHL in goals, despite missing 15 games due to the world jr's. he won't be a 50 goal scorer or anything, but i wouldn't be surprised to see him produce well in the NHL