Let's see how long it takes Yakupov to walk in a straight line again before we consider him the next Yzerman. That said, from what I've heard from people I respect a ton (Dean Youngblood), Yakupov can deliver the goods. But the NHL is a different beast so we just never know. I think some of Yakupov's potential success will be based on where he ends up. If it's Columbus, I seriously have my doubts.

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6-GM /Wk. H2H
[Skaters] G=2, A=1, PP/SH= +1, GWG= +2, Shootout G=1 / [*D-Men Bonus]: G=3/A=2
[Goalies] W=3, OTL=1, SO= +2, SV= .10

Start= 13F, 6D, 2G /Keep 40 [2G Max]
[F] Backstrom, P.Kane, Kopitar, Perry, E.Staal, Spezza, Z-berg, Nash, Vanek, Couture, B.Ryan, Eberle, J.Staal, D.Brown, Lucic, Tarasenko, JvR, T.Ennis, Gallagher, Armia, Teravainen
[*D] Karlsson, P.Subban, Pietrangelo, Shattenkirk, Doughty, Yandle, Chara, Kronwall, Visnovsky, J.Johnson, E.Johnson, Myers, J.Faulk, A.Larsson, J.Morrow, M.Rielly
[G] Price, Rask, M.Smith

Some Ruffles and a blow-up doll would be nice. Thanks in advance!

If he goes to Columbus he will play on the top line with Nash. From what I've heard people say about Yakupov it sounds like he isn't just a scorer but he can also playmake. Maybe he will be the playmaker that Nash always needed to be great. There is, of course, no way of knowing this until he gets to that point though. My gut says that Nash and Yakupov would have good chemistry.

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H2H Each Cat - Yahoo - 14 teams - Cap Hit
Start: 2C 2LW 2RW 4D 2U 2G 7B
Cats: G A +- PIM SOG PPG PPA SHP GWG FW HIT W GAA SV SV% SO
Svalbard Armored Bears:
C: Getz, M Richards(LW), Turdis, Little
LW: Kovy(RW), Moulson, Kunitz, _
RW: Eriksson(LW), Clarkson, _, _
D: Pietrangelo, JJ, Streit, Spurgeon, Brodie, Nikitin
G: Lundqvist, Holtby, Harding
JV: Tarasenko, Bishop, Eakin, Killorn, Grigorgenko, Grimaldi, Collberg, Faksa, Lindholm, Irving

Insanity! Lidstrom is almost the definition of generational talent

So anyways... back to Yakupov

I think he'll be really good, just hope the CLS rumors of trading their pick are true (should they happen to get 1st overall).

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The Ultimate Fantasy Hockey League. (Keep 17)
3C 3LW 3RW 6D 2G 6BE.
G,A,+-,PIM,PPP,SHP,GWG,SOG,FW,HIT; GS,W,L,GAA,SA,SV, SV%,SO
(C) Kopitar, Bergeron, R. O'Reilly, Eller
(LW) Ovechkin(RW), Landeskog, Hartnell
(RW) Eberle, Stewart
(D) Subban, Byfuglien, Green, Burns, Bogosian
(G) Crawford, Varlamov, Neuvirth

8 Person Farm: (<200GP for F, <100GP for G)
(C) Teravainen
(LW) Hagelin
(RW) Etem, Kassian, Forsberg
(G) Holtby, Ramo, Subban

Joined in 2011-2012 season.
2012 finish: 2nd place
2013 finish: 5th place

Yak and Yzerman should never be used in the same breathe. Maybe Alexei Kovalev and Yak....I've only watched him play twice, but nothing about him reminds me of Yzerman....

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If you don't have enemies, you don't have character!
-Paul Newman

16-Man Yahoo

C - E. Staal, P. Stastny, T. Plekanec
LW - D. Sedin, B. Morrow, MPS
RW - J. Pavelski, M. Hossa, Selanne, C. Stewart, D. Clarkston
D - D. Phaneuf, N. Kronwell, D. Keith, T. Myers, E. Johnson, Kulikov
G - Loungo, Anderson, Howard

I don't know if him going to Columbus would really be that bad. If he is as good as everyone is saying he is then he should be good wherever he goes. If he's as good as everyone says he is he'll get prime minutes on Line 1 from day 1 and he'll get a good linemate in Nash. I guess if Nash leaves though he wouldn't get a good linemate.

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H2H Each Cat - Yahoo - 14 teams - Cap Hit
Start: 2C 2LW 2RW 4D 2U 2G 7B
Cats: G A +- PIM SOG PPG PPA SHP GWG FW HIT W GAA SV SV% SO
Svalbard Armored Bears:
C: Getz, M Richards(LW), Turdis, Little
LW: Kovy(RW), Moulson, Kunitz, _
RW: Eriksson(LW), Clarkson, _, _
D: Pietrangelo, JJ, Streit, Spurgeon, Brodie, Nikitin
G: Lundqvist, Holtby, Harding
JV: Tarasenko, Bishop, Eakin, Killorn, Grigorgenko, Grimaldi, Collberg, Faksa, Lindholm, Irving

OR, he'll get 5 minutes of ice time per game like Ryan Johansen and if he's lucky he'll wind up a 60pt player like Nash.

On my rebuilding team I have the #1 and 2 overall picks and after Columbus' track record I'll be strongly considering trading away the top pick if Yakupov is drafted by the BJs.

If the management gets an overhaul that might be the only thing that makes me consider that... But I can't say I have much interest in Yakupov in Columbus. I'd probably rather have Grigorenko if he lands in Montreal.

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14 Team Full Keeper - G, A, SO G (1), +- (.2), PIMs (.1), Shots (.05), Wins (2), SO (5)

Forwards: Crosby Giroux Hall Getzlaf Neal Benn Voracek Ryan Pacioretty E Kane Kesler Moulson
Defense: Yandle Enstrom Schultz Edler Carlson Bieksa
Goalies: Rask Luongo
Bench: Hodgson Weiss Little Hanzal Versteeg Stafford Clutterbuck M Staal Petry S. Mason

Top prospects: '13 1st overall Couturier Zucker Kassian Faksa Dumba Lack