Dreger: Nail Yakupov 'unlikely' to be an Oiler next season

Less than two seasons into his NHL career, it seems as though the Edmonton Oilers may be willing to trade 20-year old forward Nail Yakupov during the offseason, provided they can find another team that wants to take him.

At least that's what Darren Dreger of TSN believes, as stated on Thursday's broadcast of Edmonton's 6-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues (via the Edmonton Journal):

I would say it’s unlikely that he’s an Edmonton Oiler next season. So it makes sense that they’ll try and move him. They were trying to move him at various points this season. Word is out that Nail Yakupov is available. The problem is, no one really wants him. Certainly not for the value that the Edmonton Oilers are going to need to get back in return. And you can see why. He had opportunities in this game early on. He scored one goal in his last 11 games. He was on the ice late in the game when the Blues scored to tie the hockey game. He’s an NHL worst -30. He lacks commitment. He thinks that skill is enough to be an NHL player. And the unfortunate reality for Nail Yakupov is that, yes, he’s a skilled player, but not an elite level skill player. And until he finds a way to absorb the message, the market on Nail Yakupov isn’t going to be great. They might have to package him with a collection of assets to get something better in return

Yakupov has indeed scored one goal and added three assists in his past 11 games, with 21 shots on goal in that span. After Thursday's game, he sat at a league-worst minus-33 (to go along with 11 goals and 13 assists), which is only somewhat noteworthy as plus/minus a somewhat outdated measuring stick.

However, Yakupov has played only 109 games in the NHL, and is by no means a lost cause, considering he was seen as good enough to be selected first overall in 2012. 

The Oilers organization has not proven to be a breeding ground for success over the past several seasons, and while Dreger may indeed be accurate in his assessment of the perception surrounding Yakupov, it may not behoove Edmonton to trade him for pennies on the dollar.

As David Staples of the Edmonton Journal notes, "If you can’t get much for Yakupov, why move him? There’s been flashes of offensive genius. Maybe coach Dallas Eakins will figure it out with Yakupov and other Oilers next year."