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A Sprained Ankle Will Keep Nail Yakupov Out Of The Oilers Lineup For Two To Four Weeks

A truly odd play will keep Yakupov out of the lineup for up to a month.

By ryan_batty
James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

If Nail Yakupov didn't have bad luck he probably wouldn't have any luck at all.

Early in the season, when he was playing alongside Connor McDavid, Yakupov was one of the Oilers' hottest players scoring two goals and adding eight assists in the first month of the season. Then McDavid was knocked out of the lineup with a broken collar bone and all of the chemistry that these two had was lost, as was the scoring touch, with Yakupov recording just two assists in the nine games since McDavid was lost.

And now he's been hurt as well, on one of the most bizarre/unlucky plays that I've even seen. If ever there was a guy who could use a run of good luck it's Nail Yakupov.

First the play...

And now the result ...

With Yakupov out of the lineup for up to a month (right around the time his BBF might also be returning to the lineup) the Oilers are going to have to shuffle their lines. Something that started at practice this morning, with Jordan Eberle returning to the first line with Taylor Hall and Leon Draisaitl. As per Bob Stauffer the lines this morning were as follows:

Taylor Hall - Leon Draisaitl - Jordan Eberle
Lauri Korpikoski - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Teddy Purcell
Benoit Pouliot - Mark Letestu - Matt Hendricks
Luke Gazdic - Anton Lander - Iiro Pakarinen

There has been no announcement yet about who might be recalled to fill Yakupov's roster spot. For what it's worth, Andrew Miller is on the Oilers active roster according to their website but so far that transaction hasn't shown up on the AHL's transaction list. Scratch that, the Oilers have recalled Jujhar Khaira to fill Yakupov's spot on the roster. Khaira landed in the 22nd spot in our most recent Top 25 Under 25.

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