Nail Yakupov
Nail Railowitsch Jakupow (Russian Наиль Раилович Якупов; born 6 October 1993 in Nizhnekamsk ) is a Russian ice hockey player who plays since January 2013 with the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League for the position of right winger.
- 2.1 International
- 3.1 International
Career
Jakupow comes from the offspring system of Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk, the club of his birthplace. At the age of 16, he played there already in the highest youth team of the club - Reaktor Nizhnekamsk - in the Molodjoschnaja Chokkeinaja league. He came in 14 games on six points scorer. Order during the remainder of his career to be able to rely on the services of their youth player to Neftekhimik ensured in the KHL Junior Draft 2010 the rights to Jakupow for the Continental Hockey League. They chose him in the first round to 19th place. The talent Jakupows had not remained unnoticed by the Scouts of the Canadian Hockey League and then the Sarnia Sting Import Draft 2010 secured from the Ontario Hockey League in the CHL also the rights to the striker. He was there in the first round in second place - only behind the Slovaks Martin Marinčin - selected. Simultaneously, the Sting in the OHL Priority Selection also had the rights to Alex Galchenyuk, a Russian-born American secured.
In August 2010 Jakupow eventually moved to North America and the Sarnia Sting joined them. As a rookie, the striker completed a highly successful OHL season 2010/11. Between October 2010 and February 2011, he was elected three times to the overall rookie of the month of the OHL. At the end of the season he was - although Sarnia clearly missed the play-offs - with 101 points the best scorer of his team and the fourth best in the league. This also meant that he was the best rookie scorer of the season and aufstellte the best value since Patrick Kane in the season 2006/ 07. Also, his 49 goals were a top value among all rookies. Consequently Jakupow was elected on to the end of the season First All - Rookie team in the OHL, with the Emms Family Award as Best Newcomer League and eventually certified as CHL Rookie of the Year.
Jakupow was selected in the NHL Entry Draft 2012 as the first overall by the Edmonton Oilers. In July 2012, he signed with the Oilers an entry contract for three years. Due to the NHL lockout played Jakupow September to December 2012 for Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk in the Kontinental Hockey League.
Internationally
Jakupow represented Russia at the U18 World Youth Championship 2011 and the Under-20 World Youth Championship in 2012. During the U18 World Junior Championships he won the bronze medal with the team. To this end, he drove in seven games with 13 points scorer and was largely responsible for the medal win in the bronze medal match with a hat-trick. His two forward line partner Nikita Kucherov and Mikhail Grigorenko scored in the tournament 21 and 18 points scorer, which they formed by far the best forward line throughout the tournament. In the U20 Junior World Championship 2012 Jakupow won another silver medal and was together with the Finn Mikael Granlund best assist provider of the tournament.
Awards and achievements
- 2010 OHL Rookie of the Month October
- 2011 OHL Rookie of the Month January
- 2011 OHL Rookie of the Month February
- 2011 OHL First All - Rookie team
- 2011 Emms Family Award
- 2011 CHL Rookie of the Year
- 2011 OHL Player of the Month October
- 2012 OHL Third All- Star Team
- 2012 CHL Top Draft Prospect Award
- 2013 NHL Rookie of the Month April
Internationally
- 2011 bronze medal at the U18 World Youth Championship
- 2012 Silver medal at the U20 World Junior Championships
- 2012 Best original donor of the U20 World Junior Championships (together with Mikael Granlund )
- 2013 bronze medal at the U20 World Junior Championships
Career Stats
Internationally
Represented Russia at:
- U18 World Junior Championships 2011
- U20 Junior World Championship 2012
- U20 World Junior Championships 2013
( Key to Career statistics: Sp or GP = Games Played, T or G = goals scored, V or A = achieved assists; Pts or Pts = scored points scorer, SM or PIM = received penalty minutes, / - = Plus / Minus balance sheet; PP = scored majority gates; SH = scored shorthanded goals, GW = achieved victory gates; Play-downs/Relegation 1 )