John Jaeckel: What's The (No) Deal With Yakupov

I hope you guys get Yak and turn him into a 30 goal scorer alongside Kane... Edmonton needs another top 3 pick!

Well, before this whole Yakupov thing percolated and blew the top off the coffeemaker yesterday, there were perhaps some fans and scribes getting a little out over their skis about the "validation" of the Hawks' youth movement —especially after a 6-1 win over the Red Wings night before last.
- John Jaeckel

This.

I hope you guys get Yak and turn him into a 30 goal scorer alongside Kane... Edmonton needs another top 3 pick!
- riceroni

How many of those have they had over the last decade? Like they need another one.

I don't have a problem with picking him up to hold down top 6 RW for a season. He is in the final year of his deal, so there would be no long term commitment required. As long as the asking price isn't too high. Svedberg/McNeill and a pick maybe. Or Svedberg and McNeill if Edmonton holds on to half of Yak's salary. He's averaged a little over .4 points per game in his career. Playing with a good team, maybe he has a 50 point season in him.

Would you guys trade Crawford for Yakupov straight-up? Or is that a bad deal? I don't watch either team too much so trying to find what a win-win deal would be.

Would you guys trade Crawford for Yakupov straight-up? Or is that a bad deal? I don't watch either team too much so trying to find what a win-win deal would be.
- wolphnuts12

No way. BAD deal.

From listening to the radio yesterday, the conversation was two non-roster players for Yakupov - specifically a Defenseman and a Forward. Unless that has changed since yesterday afternoon.

My guess is that Schmaltz, Forsling, Motte and Hartman are safe at this point.

How many more prospects are in the farm? Surely at some point someone in the organisation has to say - 'lets play our prospects instead of selling them off on risks'???

The team you named would probably go ok, but what happens when a few injuries hit & the prospects aren't there? 3 Cups is such a huge achievement but running the organisation into terra ferma on 'chances' just isn't smart in my opinion.

It just looks so hedonistic on the part of the guys paid to do what's best for the team. 'We 'have' to win'. 'We are the Hawks'!

This was all about some Chicago not in the know "sports writer" suddenly getting old news about talks both teams GMS had a the World Cup.

He re-washed it as new NEWS.

And the "wait until they see what the kids have" part of the McKenzie post-tweet comments (that verified that there WERE past talks he heard about, and non imminent) was all about Bob McKenzie giving an opinion.


Sure.

If anyone wants to comment that Yakupov is a young veteran NHL player over less experienced hawk prospects, you can spin it that way.
Yakupov did inhabit those Oilers rosters for the tune of 50 goals in the four years.
12.5 goals a year at 2.5 mil is valid, IF the player is an all-around 200 foot player, but this is a reclaimation project.

That's why the Oilers are ready to move on with even a future bottom end pro as the get.

But there are more than the hawks to offer that (whether those teams have personal to actually improve Yakupov's game), so all this over-zealous Hawk fanboy writer did was creat a market for the Oilers.

...and Bob's Your Uncle.
- John Jaeckel

Not to say your blogs are bad or uninteresting, John. Quite the opposite. But I always read them knowing there's a chance for a well timed "Bob's your uncle". Love it.

Would you guys trade Crawford for Yakupov straight-up? Or is that a bad deal? I don't watch either team too much so trying to find what a win-win deal would be.
- wolphnuts12

A win win deal for me would be for every Flyer fan to be in tears when their new Bobby Orr Russian Ivan Provorov, doesn't make their roster this year, despit the fan hype.

But I do understand your lack of goaltender evaluation, witrh the slugs you have in place in west NJ.

No way. BAD deal.

From listening to the radio yesterday, the conversation was two non-roster players for Yakupov - specifically a Defenseman and a Forward. Unless that has changed since yesterday afternoon.

My guess is that Schmaltz, Forsling, Motte and Hartman are safe at this point.
- EKB13

Wasn't the 'rumour' last deadline a 3rd round pick? Honestly, are you guys going to give up prospects for them to take back salary? Huge risk.

Not to say your blogs are bad or uninteresting, John. Quite the opposite. But I always read them knowing there's a chance for a well timed "Bob's your uncle". Love it.
- Chinaski

Indeed, ha. One of my faves.

This was all about some Chicago not in the know "sports writer" suddenly getting old news about talks both teams GMS had a the World Cup.

He re-washed it as new NEWS.

And the "wait until they see what the kids have" part of the McKenzie post-tweet comments (that verified that there WERE past talks he heard about, and non imminent) was all about Bob McKenzie giving an opinion.


Sure.

If anyone wants to comment that Yakupov is a young veteran NHL player over less experienced hawk prospects, you can spin it that way.
Yakupov did inhabit those Oilers rosters for the tune of 50 goals in the four years.
12.5 goals a year at 2.5 mil is valid, IF the player is an all-around 200 foot player, but this is a reclaimation project.

That's why the Oilers are ready to move on with even a future bottom end pro as the get.

But there are more than the hawks to offer that (whether those teams have personal to actually improve Yakupov's game), so all this over-zealous Hawk fanboy writer did was creat a market for the Oilers.
- wiz1901

No, that's not accurate.

A win win deal for me would be for every Flyer fan to be in tears when their new Bobby Orr Russian Ivan Provorov doesn't ,ake their roster this year, despit the fan hype.

But I do understand your lack of goaltender evaluation, witrh the slugs you have in place in west NJ.
- wiz1901

Good - then he'd be cost controlled for an additional year that would be closer to his prime. It's not like the Flyers are winning the cup this year. No rush in bringing him up. And the Flyers goalies are good. I don't know what you're watching. Mason's probably the best goalie they's had in the last 20 years (which is also saying something on its own). Goaltender isn't a weakness, it's actually a strength. Plus I don't care. JJ was just saying months ago that Crawford was potentially going to have to be a salary dump. So if you could dump him to EDM and get Yak in exchange...wasn't sure if that was something of interest.

Wasn't the 'rumour' last deadline a 3rd round pick? Honestly, are you guys going to give up prospects for them to take back salary? Huge risk.
- Aussiepenguin

You can look like a fool if you believe every rumor here

Good - then he'd be cost controlled for an additional year that would be closer to his prime. It's not like the Flyers are winning the cup this year. No rush in bringing him up. And the Flyers goalies are good. I don't know what you're watching. Mason's probably the best goalie they's had in the last 20 years (which is also saying something on its own). Goaltender isn't a weakness, it's actually a strength. Plus I don't care. JJ was just saying months ago that Crawford was potentially going to have to be a salary dump. So if you could dump him to EDM and get Yak in exchange...wasn't sure if that was something of interest.
- wolphnuts12

If the Oil would take Crawford that's the best move they (Oil) could make - but they believe in Talbot! Not sure how Talbot would go with the Hawks, although with the D being a lot better & maybe sharing with Darling, you never know?

Edit: Didn't realise Talbot was on 4.1m For that you would want him & Yak (salary retained) for Crawford. Would you guys do that?

I don't think, and never suggested, Crawford would be a "salary dump."

More like, a guy they might need to move at SOMEWHAT less than full NHL player value in order to lose the contract—which I GUESS you could call a salary dump. But to me, it would not quite be that.

What I heard over the summer was the market for Crawford was a middle first round pick. Full value? Probably not. A pure salary dump? Not that either.

As for Mason? A good goalie when his head is right. When that is not the case, he can't stop a beach ball for long stretches.

Saw it in person for a number of years in Columbus. He is sort of the left-handed Cristobal Huet, IMO. And that is not a condemnation either. Just two guys whose abilities relative to their mental makeup deliver(ed) similar results over time.

You can look like a fool if you believe every rumor here
- vabeachbear

No I saw that outside the Buzz as well. Where do you think they get 'their' rumours......

My comment still stands though for both trading away the prospects & rolling the dice on the back of a Yak (see what I did there???).

I don't think, and never suggested, Crawford would be a "salary dump."

More like, a guy they might need to move at SOMEWHAT less than full NHL player value in order to lose the contract—which I GUESS you could call a salary dump. But to me, it would not quite be that.

- John Jaeckel

Right - basically that he'd be a potential option to be moved more for salary cap reasons rather than ability was what I meant. But sounds like that wouldn't work from CHI's point of view anyway.

Still not sold on Darling in a full time roll. Getting there but still limited exposure with only a handful of games played last year. Hawks would be nuts to trade Crow with all the depth they now have on D. Can't see him going until next summer unless they're out of the hunt by January. Also think Desjardins may be a guy to watch on the movement front. If they want to go youth on the bottom 6, he may be the odd man out. Could be the mystery player in the Yakopov talk.

No I saw that outside the Buzz as well. Where do you think they get 'their' rumours......

My comment still stands though for both trading away the prospects & rolling the dice on the back of a Yak (see what I did there???).
- Aussiepenguin

If we go down the rumor path, its been rumored to be Svedberg and McNeill.

I guess for me, they both have kind of stopped being "prospects"

Still not sold on Darling in a full time roll. Getting there but still limited exposure with only a handful of games played last year. Hawks would be nuts to trade Crow with all the depth they now have on D. Can't see him going until next summer unless they're out of the hunt by January. Also think Desjardins may be a guy to watch on the movement front. If they want to go youth on the bottom 6, he may be the odd man out. Could be the mystery player in the Yakopov talk.
- walter34

Big year for Darling. People I talk to who know something about goaltending are split on what his upside might be.

If we go down the rumor path, its been rumored to be Svedberg and McNeill.

I guess for me, they both have kind of stopped being "prospects"
- vabeachbear

Dunno why any team would deal for Svedberg when they could have claimed him on waivers two days ago.

I also find it highly doubtful that there was is/was so little market for Yakupov that the only thing EDM could get are two minor leaguers and having to retain salary to boot.

Hartman looks to have the right mix,with compete level, and yes yak IMHO would flurish with that line and quinville system!but the Bobby mac comment wow!lol