BOOM - YAK CITY! This kid is the real deal! I can't wait to see those cellies in Oiler silks. AND...Hope Tueby keeps those FISTicuffs going to protect the talent.

Sometimes I wonder how much the Oilers need some young dynamic goal scorer. I mean, wouldn't you guys sometimes prefer the mind numbing dependability of a Ryan Murray? Who doesn't appreciate a smooth transition back into their own zone by a d-man? Some sweet D to D passes? I know i just cant get enough highlights of quality gap control. That sh*t gives me chills.

Like a sweet Toby Peterson powerplay.

To be honest though, I don't think any of us here expected him to be this good come draft day.

There is still a lot to be seen, but the fact that he can do this against professional men in an international league certainly is promising.

yeah the seattle oilers are gonna be so sick.

^oh good lord, the way the arena talks are turning into a dogs breakfast, who knows?

очень хороший Якупов!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):):):):)

Very nice finish on the empty netter Nail,it is a pleasure to watch a player who works as hard in the last minute of a game as he does in the first minute of a game,that is a very professional way to conduct yourself.

Is everyone paying attention here???Nuge?Ebbs?Hall?MPS,I know you get it already.This is a serious part of your games,as athletes you are required to remain focused for only 60mins,the expectation is there every game to see a complete 60mins of professional conduct.Moma2 says good job!!!

Just to reinforce this ,the greatest man to ever play the game Wayne Gretzky,,absolutely buried empty netters EVERY TIME HE HAD A CHANCE,because he respected his own effort enough to take the opportunity seriously for his entire career,what exactly do you fellas think you are out there on the ice to accomplish>>>Remember that you are out there to score goals for 60 mins.This isnt just a game ,it is a job.If you left work anywhere in the world without closing up shop at the end of the day you wouldnt be a very sucessful individual.And passing the keys to someone else to close up at the last second just means you arent ready to be your own boss yet,plain and simple.

Funny how many times in the KHL that shooters find that tiny cup in the top corner over the tenders shoulders so much.I cant count how many times i have seen a tender look to that spot after they have been burned.I just cant figure out why that spot is so vulnerable in the KHL,but not in the NHL,is it details the tenders are missing?Is it simply the type of plays they are executing??Are they just trying to be cute??Whatever it is it is very very lethal,those shots are never rockets,but they are deadly accurate and come at just the right times.I am thinking that the defense is consistantly allowing zone presence in select areas that the NHL game prohibits,it seems like opportunity consistantly given by the defense.Not really worked harder to get by the shooter,just the utilisation of what is given by the defense.Or maybe this is what you see when you dont waste possesions on big uncontrollable slap shots over 60mins.

Thanks for taking the time to provide the highlights they are always awsome!!

This.

funny....

Or the grace and magic that Moreau displayed depositing the puck into the goalie's crest. Who needs a speedy skilled sniper.

Wouldn't it be fun if Dinamo Minsk cut Pekka Rinne and signed Dubnyk, thus propagating the voodoo magic and keeping it alive.

Could not agree more. Focusing for the full 60 minutes and burying "gimme" empty netters is essential for professional hockey players.

Yours in Hockey,

Patrik Stefan

Nail is showing he can play with lesser skilled linemates, but the question remains, can he fit with elite skill?

But seriously, this kid is unreal. Hemsky should be the guy on the left wing feeding this guy sauce all game long.

Every day I see these highlight packs I hate the NHL/NHLPA a little more....

I've been thinking about Nuge and Eberle on one line because the chemistry is there, and Hall with Yak on another.

Hall loves to carry the puck and is a left winger, Yak is a legit one touch scorer who seems to like the right side, and particularly high up in the circles. I see that as a match made in heaven. Hall drives the puck and draws defenders in and Yak is open up high with that lethal one-timer.

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Its to bad Yakupov can't play down in OKC with the rest of the kids, it'd be great to get some chemistry with them while this lockout drags on.

Not to throw coldwater on your proposal because I see a lot of benefits to it and reasons for it, but I have a concern.

Let's leave Yakupov on the right as you say (the left handed shot may make for some issues in our own end but he can score from there). My issue is we now have Hemsky on his off wing and now will have to make saucy passes to Yak on his backhand, which is not as desireable.

I get the natural fit between a "pass - first" guy like Hemsky who is great with the puck and a shooter like Yak appears to be. I just have concerns about both of them being on their off wing. Could be disastorous in the d-zone trying to get the puck out and puts Hemsky on his backhand off the boards. Only thing that is a plus is that it leaves Yak in his natural position and he can zing it off wing. Try it for sure, but I am wary.

1. Yak and Schultz are both Nugent Hopkinsing right now by exceeding already high expectations.

2. If Edmonton moves to Seattle I will quite being a fan of NHL hockey. Both the owners and the players need to remember, it's not their money, it's our money that we give them in support of their product. Both sides are showing such a high degree of greed it makes me sick to give dollar one back to them. If the owner of the team moves to Seattle because he's not getting enough of a subsidy from the tax payer, then I am out for good.

3. Speaking of the lockout, my first point combined with my second point makes this lockout particularly frustrating. If I was cheering for say Nashville, I wouldn't care if the lockout ever ended because all I had to look forward to was a worse team. But for us fans of the Oil, I am dying to see what these kids, and a new coach can do.

Я приятно удивлен и очень немного вызвали с известием о новом Ойлерз игрок хоккей YAKUPOV!

Russian translate fail I'm afraid. BooOOooOoO!

Players with their skill level should be able to pick up passes in any situation, it just may take some time to adapt to the positioning but I have no doubt that Hemsky would be able to pull it off.

Can Hemsky make a backhand pass? Sure. Can they bang a puck out of their zone on the off wing. Absolutely. I may be talking out of my asphalt here, but the game is so fast that the 0.5 seconds it takes to switch body position or to take the puck from forehand to backhand could make the difference between making a clean play or getting a pass tipped or getting squashed. That happens too many times and best case you are fishing the puck out of your net. Worst case you are putting Hemsky on the IR. Sincerely hope you guys are right and I am wrong. The styles DO mesh.

I don't expect Yakupov and Hemsky to be doing a lot of backchecking. Plus, these guys are good enough, backhand sauce is just as nice as forehand sauce.

Line combos be damned, all of us can agree we have some legit options to really attack teams with possibly three lines.

Going to be fun to watch, if we ever get the chance......

If your on the website, no matter your outlook you will watch another hockey game and be just as dynamic as a fan as you are now. It may take a week or a month, but you will come back even if they stay locked out all year. Just like me and everyone else that cherishes this priceless game.