Photo credit: USA Today
According to reports, former-Oilers’ number-1 overall draft pick Nail Yakupov has signed with Avangard Omsk of the KHL through to the 2026-27 season.
Former-Oiler top NHL draft pick has brief career in NHL
The 32-year old was drafted by Edmonton first overall in the 2012 NHL Draft, and arrived to the team with great promise.
In fact, Yakupov, then 19-years old, made the Oilers’ roster straight from his first training camp, in the shortened lock-out season of 2012-13, scoring 17G and 31 points in 48 games played.
In the 4-seasons he spent with the Edmonton Oilers, in which Yakupov played 249 games, he scored 50G and 111 points.
He was traded by Edmonton to St. Louis for the 2016-17 season, and the following year was traded to the Colorado Avalanche, where he played his final NHL year.
Over his NHL career, Nail Yakupov played 350 games, scored 74G and 136 points, playing an average TOI of 13:36.
In 2024-25, Nail Yakupov split the season in the KHL between two teams. In 27 games with the Kunlun Red Star he recorded 11 points; and in 43 games with Avabgard Omsk he posted 21 points.
Yakupov’s OHL career elevated his ranking all the way up the draft-chart, all the way to number-1. In the OHL, he scored 80G and 170 points in 107 games over 2 years with Sarnia, catching the attention of NHL scouts and GMs.
Yakupov was selected to the OHL All-Rookie Team in 2011 and was OHL Rookie of the Year, also in 2011.
In addition, he was Canadian Major Junior Rookie of the Year (2011)
and the Canadian Major Junior Top Prospect of the Year (2012).
Previously on Oilers Daily