[25] Yakupov also scored 11 goals in the month of April, second only to countryman Alexander Ovechkin. While his first full year in the league in 2018-19 was quite successful with 23 goals and 33 points in 47 games, this past season was a disaster. These claims have more recently been backed up, most famously by former NHL general manager Brian Burke who said that Yakupov was the worst draft interview he ever had. [19] After two games with Neftekhimik, Yakupov was suspended temporarily by the KHL, as the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) declared that he was not eligible to play in the league. Nail is 27 years old. He had 101 points his rookie season in the OHL. Join the Puck Prose team! [23] Yakupov played his first NHL game in the first Oilers game on 20 January 2013, against the Vancouver Canucks. It’s finally happened, Nail Yakupov has gone back to Russia. 64 for Oilers jersey since 10 is already taken", "Oilers deal Yakupov to Blues for pick, prospect", "Tarasenko helps Blues top Blackhawks in opener", "Yakupov provides offensive spark as Blue beat Wild 3-2", "Tarasenko's OT goal lifts Blues past Blue Jackets", "Nail Yakupov to become UFA after Blues decline qualifying offer", "Yakupov becomes UFA after Blues walk away", "Ex-Oilers winger Nail Yakupov signs with Colorado Avalanche", "СКА подписал новый контракт с Наилем Якуповым", "Якупов перешел в "Авангард", Чехович в "Торпедо, "Russia beats Canada 6-4 to win bronze at world U18 hockey tournament", "Nail Yakupov on being a Muslim, Don Cherry, the draft combine and playing in Canada", "Yakupov tries to prove he's not a stereotypical Russian prospect", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nail_Yakupov&oldid=1017277092, National Hockey League first overall draft picks, National Hockey League first round draft picks, Articles with dead external links from October 2014, Articles containing Russian-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Biographical information and career statistics from, This page was last edited on 11 April 2021, at 21:26. 1 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, even though they were thin on defense. Yakupov, 23, was the first overall pick in 2012 but has never been able to get back on track after a great rookie season. Because of how bad the rest of his career was, it is easy to forget that Yakupov had a very solid rookie season. UFA, Russia — After evading the media since the start of the tournament, Russian captain Nail Yakupov, finally broke his silence and spoke to reporters. 2013-14 Panini Contenders - Top of the Class Autographs #4 Nail Yakupov / Nathan MacKinnon / Reto Berra / Reto Berra / Seth Jones / Dougie Hamilton / Viktor Fasth / Viktor Fasth AU, SN25 2013-14 Panini Crown Royale #131 Nail Yakupov AU, MEM, RC, SN99 If something is missing, please check back soon or let us know. . He also said that he would not have drafted him if he were available when his then team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, had the fifth overall selection. It’s easy to remember what happened here. Yakupov seemed unhappy about it at times but once he starts scoring again and continues to grow defensively the team and the player will be a lot better for it. This was certainly disappointing, and some whispers of him being a bust did come up, but the majority of fans and analysts considered the bad season just a blip in the radar. Then came the draft and Yakupov was the pick. As a result, he played 22 games in the KHL before heading over to the NHL to play for the Oilers in their 48-game season. Burke elaborated, saying "Because we were picking fifth in 2012, and he was outraged we would have the temerity to interview him. Check it out: While there were plenty of rumors he was stubborn and only wanted to work on the skill parts of his game, it still isn’t fair to blame 100% of his failed career on him. Yakupov grew up within the HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk junior program and moved to North America in 2010 to further his career. Yakupov seemed unhappy about it at times but once he starts scoring again and continues to grow defensively the team and the player will be a lot better for it. While those numbers are bad enough on their own, they are even worse when paired with the fact he had a -88 plus-minus rating over those four seasons, including a career-worst -35 during the 2014-15 season. His team defeated Canada in the semi-finals, but lost 1–0 to Sweden in the gold medal game, acquiring a silver medal. Stránka o velkém talentu světového hokeje - Nailu Yakupovi @+[478742922163410:] On 27 April 2013, Yakupov recorded his first career hat trick in a 7–2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks, with all three goals coming in the third period. On top of the attitude issues, there were also concerns about his defensive game, or lack thereof. Nail Yakupov Bio. [8] At the end of the season, Yakupov was named winner of the Emms Family Award as OHL Rookie of the Year, becoming the first Sting player to receive the honour. What … This post is often updated with new information on Nail Yakupov’s estimated income, salary and earnings. [31][32] Despite gaining KHL interest, Yakupov was determined to continue in the NHL, and on 4 July 2017, he signed a one-year, $875,000 contract with the Colorado Avalanche.[33]. A fan of Pavel Bure growing up, Yakupov wanted to have the number 10 on his jersey, the same one Bure wore for most of his career. This certainly wouldn’t be easy for any young up and coming player trying to learn how to play the game the right way, as every coach implements different systems. Yakupov played in just 40 games with the Blues that season, as he often found himself in the press box. Nail Yakupov is an ethnic Volga Tatar[citation needed] and a Muslim. Nail Yakupov Signs In KHL. Burke added that during the draft interview, a fistfight almost developed between Yakupov and John Lilley, Toronto's chief amateur scout.[15]. Often times losing can create a negative atmosphere, and the Oilers certainly did a lot of that with a record of 103-153-38 over his four seasons. He was selected first overall by the Edmonton Oilers at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Nail Yakupov is one of the biggest busts in NHL history. [2], Yakupov scored his first OHL goal against the Windsor Spitfires on 24 September 2010. Nicknamed the "Yak Attack" for his scoring abilities, he joined the Sarnia Sting, a major junior team in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), where he played for two years before being selected in the NHL Entry Draft. The early part of the 2010s was an exciting time for fans of the Edmonton Oilers. A player would need to completely fail, be substantially worse than other players drafted after him or provide low … On 7 October 2016, Yakupov's tenure with the Oilers ended in the lead up to the 2016–17 season, as he was traded to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for prospect Zach Pochiro and a conditional third-round pick in 2017. Yes, the team was struggling mightily at the time, but they had plenty of young talent. May 3, 2014 by Shane Sander. The Yakupov story should serve as a cautionary tale to all teams and fans that attempting to tank in order to get the first overall pick doesn’t always work out. What bugs me about internet fans like r/hockey or hockey futures is people have this weird expectation that … [35] In the following 2019–20 season, Yakupov was unable to build upon his previous season and suffered a drop in production and role, registering 10 goals and 20 points in 46 games of the COVID-19 affected season. As of 2021, Nail Yakupov’s is not dating anyone. During the 2012 NHL Entry Draft on 23 June 2012, Yakupov was picked first overall by the Edmonton Oilers. That 2017-18 season is very likely the last we will ever have seen from Yakupov in the NHL, as the now 26-year-old has spent the last two seasons in the KHL with St. Petersburg SKA. While it certainly was an unfair situation for Yakupov, it should be noted that players like Nugent-Hopkins, Hall, and Eberle went through the same dark years and all turned out to be very good players. Meanwhile in the media, there were all kinds of signals that the Oilers would take Ryan Murray instead. You just never know what can happen. Nail literally turned 20 years old a week ago, he's still very young and is bound to have ups and downs and it's going to take him time to find himself. Now fans wonder what happened to Mikey Eyebrows on Tough as Nails? His KHL career has seemed to follow a pretty similar storyline to his NHL career. So naturally, a string of early losses led to Yakupov’s benching before the Oilers even hit the 10-game mark. He was highly praised for his high-end skill, skating ability, and overwhelming shot. [11][12] On 19 March 2011, in Sarnia's last game of the 2010–11 season, he scored an assist on the first goal as well as the third goal for Sarnia to obtain his 100th point of the season; he also scored another assist with 80 seconds left in the game to finish the season with 101 points. His father, Rail, worked with the HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk hockey team as a coach and executive. [16] Reports indicated, however, that Yakupov would instead return to Russia and play for HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Find Nail Yakupov online. It turned out to be a big disaster, as even after having three first overall picks in a row from 2010-12, and another in 2015 (Connor McDavid), they did not make the playoffs until the 2016-17 season. Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Nail Yakupov, 1993-10-06 Nizhnekamsk, RUS Russia. His production dipped in the playoffs, totalling 4 goals in 18 games. On 23 July, the Oilers signed Yakupov to a three-year entry level contract. [7] He later won the title for the month of February as well. Build your custom FanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis on Puck Prose and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. Due to the NHL lockout, Yakupov could not play in the NHL and was therefore required to play in Sarnia. Though he was regarded as a goal scorer, he also had great vision, proven by his nine assists in seven games at the 2012 World Juniors. July 3, 2018 at 8:22 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment. Nail Yakupov. When it comes to the draft the term bust is thrown around rather easily. According to CelebsCouples, Nail Yakupov had at least 1 relationship previously. That attitude was very much on display when Russia beat Canada in a game during the 2012 World Junior tournament, where Yakupov gave this exuberant interview. Nail Railovich Yakupov (Russian: Наиль Раилович Якупов, Tatar: Наил Раил улы Якупов; born 6 October 1993) is a Russian professional ice hockey forward for Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). - round 1 #1 overall 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Nail Yakupov is one of the biggest busts in NHL history. Under head coach Ralph Krueger that season, he put up 17 goals and 31 points in those 48 games, which put him on a 29 goal, 53-point pace. Nail Railovich Yakupov (Russian: Наиль Раилович Якупов, Tatar: Наил Раил улы Якупов; born 6 October 1993) is a Russian professional ice hockey forward for Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). As a result of the 2012–13 NHL lockout, the Oilers had assigned Yakupov to Sarnia for the 2012–13 season. Yakupv played in the 2013 tournament as well, posting three goals and five assists in seven games. As a result of the team’s struggles, they went through a ton of coaches. [43], 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, "The truth about Nail Yakupov, an imperfect prospect set up to bust", "Sarnia Sting's dynamic Russian prospects turning heads in the OHL", "Reaktor Nizhnekamsk 2009-10 Stats and Fights", "Nail Yakupov 1st career OHL goal vs Windsor 2010 09 24", "Team Russia Roster, 2010 Subway Super Series", "Game 3 Highlights Video, 2010 Subway Super Series", "OHL Top Performers of the Month for January", "OHL Top Performers of the Month for February", "Sarnia Sting's Nail Yakupov Named BMO Rookie of the Year", "Sting's Nail Yakupov Named CHL Player of the Week", "Q&A: Brian Burke on the Kessel ultimatum, Hull haircut, worst draft interview", "Nugent-Hopkins sent to AHL, Yakupov to juniors", "Yakupov's Lockout Fate 'to be Decided Wednesday, "Hockey Canada clears Nail Yakupov to resume KHL career", "Oilers' Nail Yakupov may have to return to OHL", "Nail Yakupov decides on No. Nail Yakupov, the No. [6], On 3 February 2011, Yakupov was named the 'Kal Tire OHL Rookie of the Month' for January, which he had previously won in October 2010. 1 NHL draft pick in 2012, didn't look like a bust after his first season, but that perception changed over time. When he did play, his minutes were very low as he failed to gain the trust of the Blues coaching staff. [4] After winning OHL Rookie of the Month for the month of October, Yakupov participated in the 11 November game of the Subway Super Series for Team Russia,[5] at the John Labatt Centre in London, Ontario; Russia lost the game 4–0. [37], In the 2020–21 season with Yakupov looking to assume a larger role with Khabarovsk, he tallied just 1 goal and 7 points through 15 games with Amur before he was traded to Division leading Avangard Omsk in exchange for financial considerations on 20 October 2020. [Friedman] Jeff Bezos announces Amazon buys naming right to Seattle’s NHL Arena....will be called Climate Pledge Arena. [Ottawa Public Health] We admit, sometimes wearing a mask in public isn't the most fashionable or comfortable choice. Despite some scouts saying he was a good kid who got along well with teammates, there were other reports who cited his immaturity and cocky attitude. [17] Yakupov had played for the organization previously as a member of its junior teams. Last night I crowdsourced some of Oilers Twitter’s favourite moments and what will ensue will be a few weeks of some great memories. [26] After attending training camp and pre-season, he made the Blues opening night roster, making his debut in a 5–2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on 12 October 2016. He was selected first overall by the Edmonton Oilers at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, and also played with the St. Of course, there were some warning signs with Yakupov. "[21], The lockout ended in January 2013 and Yakupov returned to North America to play for the Oilers. Want your voice heard? The final reason it cannot be blamed on Yakupov is that, as was mentioned above, the team was terrible during his time with them. [2] Prior to this, he played in the Russian Minor Hockey League (MHL) for his hometown team, Reaktor Nizhnekamsk,[3] but thought that trying to join the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) would be a quicker path to his dream to play in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected first overall by the Edmonton Oilers at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, and also played with the St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche. He was selected first overall by the Edmonton Oilers at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, and also played with the St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche. Fact: Nail Yakupov is turning 28 years old in . Yakupov was selected second overall by the Sarnia Sting in the 2010 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Import Draft. In an article titled "What went wrong with Nail Yakupov" by Puck Prose's Colton Pankiw attempts to answer exactly that question. However, since Shawn Horcoff wore that number at the time, Yakupov instead chose to wear number 64, as the two digits added up to 10. First and foremost, the night Nail Yakupov broke the internet by sliding down the ice on his knees at Rexall Place. [20] According to IIHF rules, players moving between teams in different countries need to have a transfer card signed by the outgoing national ice hockey federation and the incoming federation. The speedy and offensively gifted Russian was hurt in last night's 4-1 loss to … What bugs me about internet fans like r/hockey or hockey futures is people have this weird expectation that the Oilers should be good by now. Nail Yakupov. Right Wing -- shoots L. Born Oct 6 1993 -- Nizhnekamsk, Russia. The Oilers were likely the worst team in the league that Yakupov could have worked to, as they had a management that appeared to have no plan other than stacking up on high draft picks and hoping they could figure out the rest on their own. Given his raw talent, however, the Colorado Avalanche took one final shot on him, signing him to a one-year, $875,000 deal. [30] He completed his season with 3 goals and 6 assists for 9 points in 40 games, all career lows. … Nail Yakupov usage relative to teammates (rank among forwards) Powered by Minute Media © 2021 All Rights Reserved. The young Russian forward had a ton of hype, as he was receiving some elite-level player comparisons in Alexander Ovechkin and Ilya Kovalchuk. What happened to Nail Yakupov? His rookie season happened to take place during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 year. Hockey Canada, the governing body of ice hockey in Canada, had not signed Yakupov's card, making him ineligible to play in Russia. The future of this team already looked very bright, so you can only imagine the excitement when they yet again were awarded the first overall pick in 2012 NHL Entry Draft. [28] After initially providing an offensive spark with 4 points in his first 6 games, Yakupov's contributions dried up and he was made a healthy scratch by the Blues 12th game under head coach Ken Hitchcock. 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