Nail Railovich Yakupov, born on October 6, 1993, is a Russian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for Avangard Omsk in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Known for his scoring abilities and nicknamed the "Yak Attack," Yakupov's career has spanned various leagues and teams.
Nail Yakupov in 2017. Source: Wikipedia
Early Career
Yakupov grew up within the HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk junior program. To further his career, he moved to North America in 2010 and joined the Sarnia Sting, a major junior team in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
On 28 February 2011, at 3:07 in the first period of a game against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, Yakupov set a Sarnia Sting record for most goals by a rookie with his 33rd goal. Early in the 2011-12 season, Yakupov took the scoring lead with 25 points in 10 games.
NHL Entry Draft and Edmonton Oilers
Leading up to the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Yakupov was the highest-rated player available and was expected to be selected first overall. During the 2012 NHL Entry Draft on 23 June 2012, Yakupov was picked first overall by the Edmonton Oilers.
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2012-13 NHL Lockout
As a result of the 2012-13 NHL lockout, the Oilers had assigned Yakupov to Sarnia for the 2012-13 season. Reports indicated, however, that Yakupov would instead return to Russia and play for HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). 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. That required him to return to Canada and play with Sarnia for the remainder of the season.
The lockout ended in January 2013 and Yakupov returned to North America to play for the Oilers.
Yakupov played his first NHL game in the first Oilers game on 20 January 2013, against the Vancouver Canucks. 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.
Nail Yakupov Goals '13-'14 Season
St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche
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. 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. In his next game the following day, he scored his first goal with the Blues and added an assist in a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild. After initially providing an offensive spark, Yakupov's contributions dried up and he was made a healthy scratch.
After Hitchcock's departure, Yakupov appeared in just 11 further games out of 27 after he was made a frequent healthy scratch by Mike Yeo.
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Move to Colorado
As a free agent, Yakupov opted to leave the NHL. He agreed to a two-year contract with perennial contending club, SKA Saint Petersburg of the KHL on 3 July 2018.
Return to the KHL
In the 2018-19 season, Yakupov enjoyed initial success, registering 23 goals and 33 points through 47 regular season games.
In the 2020-21 season, Yakupov 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. Yakupov made a positive impression with Avangard, collecting 6 goals and 10 points through 22 games before he was sidelined with COVID-19.
In August 2024 Yakupov signed with Kunlun Red Star, but was soon traded to Avangard Omsk.
International Career
Yakupov was part of Team Russia in the 2011 World Junior U18 championship. He also joined Russia for the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.
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Personal Life
Nail Yakupov is an ethnic Volga Tatar and a Muslim. He is the first Tatar and only Muslim ever to be selected first overall at the NHL Entry Draft. With his draft selection, Yakupov surpassed Nazem Kadri as the highest-drafted Muslim player in NHL history. His father, Rail, worked with the HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk hockey team as a coach and executive.
Yakupov with SKA Saint Petersburg. Source: championat.com
Career Statistics
The table below summarizes Nail Yakupov's statistics in different leagues:
| League | Seasons | Teams | Games Played | Goals | Assists | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OHL | 2 | Sarnia Sting | 107 | 80 | 84 | 164 |
| NHL | 5 | Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche | 252 | 50 | 61 | 111 |
| KHL | 6+ | SKA Saint Petersburg, Vityaz, Amur Khabarovsk, Avangard Omsk, Kunlun Red Star | 200+ | 50+ | 50+ | 100+ |