Yakupov signs for another two years
Winger picked up scoring pace in second half
The Edmonton Oilers resigned Nail Yakupov on Monday at a good price — $2.5 million a year for two seasons — now, it’s up to the winger to give his club some major bang for the buck.
In the second half of the just-completed 2014-15 National Hockey League regular season, Yakupov responded with 10 goals and 24 points in 43 games after recording a meagre nine through New Year’s Eve, when there was rampant talk that the 2012 first overall NHL draft pick was being shopped around.
The jury was certainly out on the 21-year-old, but he responded.
“I don’t know if I’ve seen a transformation like that in all my years in hockey,” said Oilers general manager Craig MacTavish, who may have been talking to the Montreal Canadiens about Yakupov early in the year, wondering if his familiarity with Alex Galchenyuk from their junior days might be a fit.
“He really did become a valuable player for us down the stretch. Whatever ignites that, whether it’s a conversation or a linemate (Derek Roy at centre) or a coach, it’s hard to identify what it is, but he’s definitely turned the corner,” said MacTavish.
“Our growth is going to be internal, incremental growth, and Yak is a by-product of that strategy. There was a lot of discussion around Yak about the potential to trade him, and again I’ve said, it’s not my preference or is it good strategy to trade developing players. So he’s been rewarded with a twoyear contract.”
With the ups and downs of Yakupov’s time with the Oilers, there was a thought he wouldn’t be here after his entry-level contract.
“I wasn’t thinking I’d have three coaches in three years (Ralph Krueger, Dallas Eakins and now Todd Nelson). It’s not that easy to play for a different coach,” said Yakupov, who finished the season with an NHL-worst plus/minus of -35. “But you have to play and you have to do your job.
“And anything can happen in this league and I had a good half season after the all-star break. Some changes have been helpful for our team and for me. It’s a good feeling now. I don’t always want to be in a bad way. I was thinking too much, what’s wrong, what’s going on.
“But the team and Nellie gave me really good support. He gave me an extra life over the last half-season.”
Yakupov did have a heartto-heart with MacTavish after the season.
“We had a really good meeting and he said really good things about the halfyear.
“Yeah, seems like I just play the half-year,” Yakupov said with a laugh.
“Everybody knows I work pretty hard and I’m not cheating.”
Yakupov isn’t part of the core yet, and not just because Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are making $6 million for six or seven years.
He did do a nice job with Roy in the New Year, however, solidifying the second line.
Yakupov needed a new Oilers contract before he was going to the Russian world championship audition in Moscow, to cover himself in case he got hurt.
There are no guarantees he’ll make the Russian team, but he’ll play in an exhibition game against the Czechs in two weeks.
“I don’t think I would have gone without one (contract), it’s very dangerous, but I really want to play for my national team, with the professional men, for the first time,” he said. jmatheson@ edmontonjournal.com Twitter: @ NHLbyMatty