2012 NHL Draft: How the Anaheim Ducks Would Look with Nail Yakupov

The Anaheim Ducks, with fewer than 30 points on the year, have a great chance of being awarded the number one overall pick at the 2012 NHL draft and taking Nail Yakupov, the highly regarded right winger.

At this point, righting the ship in Orange County isn't at all likely, and for some fans, "Fail for Nail 2012" is well underway. Very comparable to the "Suck for Luck" campaign seen in the NFL over Andrew Luck, this slogan simply refers to a frame of mind held by the average fan of a team that is just plain awful and has no hope of making an appearance in the post-season, much less a legitimate championship run.

It is now within reason for any Anaheim hockey fan to be all in on Nail Yakupov. He's simply the most explosive player in the 2012 draft class and will without a doubt make an immediate impact in the NHL next year.

The Ducks are on pace to come in below 60 points this season, which should be good enough for the first overall draft choice, barring an even greater collapse by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Though speculation is premature at this point, the possibility of Yakupov in an Anaheim jersey bears consideration.

What would the Anaheim Duck's scoring lines look like next year with Nail Yakupov?

The First Line:

An interesting note about Yakupov is that though listed as a right wing, he does in fact shoot left. This could be helpful to an Anaheim first line that typically features three right-handed shooters with Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan.

Assuming these three players stay in Anaheim and aren't traded before the deadline (which is far from certain at this point), it could free up Bobby Ryan to take on a more permanent role on the second line, especially in the wake of a Selanne retirement. Yakupov and his left-handed shot could fit right in on the top line, giving Getzlaf two wingers at a favorable shooting angle.

This would leave us with a top trio of Nail Yakupov, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, left to right in that order. Not bad.

The Second Line:

It pains me to have to say this, but it's entirely likely that this could be Selanne's last year in the NHL. Even if he doesn't retire, the offensive load he's shouldering won't hold up. This is where having Bobby Ryan available for full-time duties on the second line would be helpful.

Ryan can play on either wing or at center. Whether or not Saku Koivu stays will determine how this plays out, though another thing to consider is whether or not Emerson Etem will make the team out of training camp next year.

This leaves us with several different scenarios for the second line. However, these are the two most plausible: Emerson Etem, Saku Koivu and Bobby Ryan; or, Bobby Ryan, Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne. Again, if Koivu doesn’t resign with Anaheim, we could see Bobby Ryan make a more permanent move to center.

2012 Anaheim Ducks

Anaheim's front office will no doubt make some changes before the draft takes place, though one might hope that the changes wouldn't be too drastic.

While it's true that the job of a General Manager is to help his team win now, it's becoming apparent that GM Bob Murray has a real opportunity to bring some life to his scoring lines next year. Even if Anaheim gets a top five pick, this year's draft class boasts many other incredibly talented wingers and centers.

If the Ducks finish at the bottom, draft well and shore up via free agency, we could see a very different team this October.