Oilers Rookies Nail Yakupov And Justin Schultz Have A Friendly Put-The-Puck-In-The-Crate Competition

There's plenty of reason for excitement in Edmonton—the Oilers have been terrible for long enough to build a young core unlike hockey's ever seen. Along with 22-year-old budding star Jordan Eberle, 2010 first-overall pick Taylor Hall, and 2011 first-overall pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the Oilers have two more super-rookies taking the ice this year: 2012 first-overall pick Nail Yakupov and defenseman Justin Schultz, who went to college rather than sign with Anaheim in 2008. The "suck for a few years" strategy worked for the Penguins, and now it's Edmonton's turn.

This video, presumably taken at one of the Oilers' open practices this week, shows Yakupov (in the dark jersey) and Schultz retrieving pucks after a skate. Naturally it turns into a competition, to see who can dump the puck through the barely puck-sized hole just under the lip of the crate. Advantage Yakupov.

h/t Jim