Hot Links: Friday, October 30

Morning, folks!

Yet another Friday in this, the spring summer fall of our discontent. Not much is happening at the time of this writing — which, thanks to an extreme case of why did I do this to myself is at roughly 2:0LATE in the morning — so we’ll keep it brief.

One of the links today asks the question: what if the Oilers didn’t draft Nail Yakupov? First of all, OK, valid question. Secondly, how dare they?! Nail Yakupov tied for the league lead in rookie scoring in 2012-13 thanks to a blistering finish to the season, including a hat trick against the Vancouver Canucks in the final game of the year. He scored 31 points in the lockout-shortened season, level with Jonathan Huberdeau the Calder Trophy thief, and did so while averaging ~2 minutes less per game. As Lowetide put it yesterday — after astutely noting Yakupov’s gaudy 2.18 P/60 in his rookie year:

“He had a tremendous finish to his rookie season, missed a lot of appreciation because so much happened so late. Management and coaching change, erratic shot obscured a useful offensive weapon.”

Lowetide (@Lowetide) | Lowetide.com

Poor kid never had a chance.

Here, at least.

Have a great weekend. #YAKCITY forever.

Oilers 2020 First Round Pick F Dylan Holloway Invited to Team Canada WJHC Selection Camp (Copper and Blue)

Hot Links: Thursday, October 29 (Copper and Blue)

2020 Offseason: A Look At Those Lines (Copper and Blue)

Relentless (Lowetide)

Finding Some Common Threads In Oilers’ GM Ken Holland’s Nine October Signings (Journal)

Oil Kings’ Matthew Robertson Invited To World Junior Selection Camp (Sun)

Edmonton Oilers: Breaking Down The Potential Trading Of Adam Larsson (Oil on Whyte)

Edmonton Oilers Free Agency: Making The Case For Drake Caggiula (Oil on Whyte)

2012 Redraft: What If The Edmonton Oilers Didn’t Take Nail Yakupov? (THW)

Down Goes Brown: NHL teams as WWE wrestlers and other mailbag topics (Athletic)