Nail Yakupov is a young Russian ice hockey player who plays in the NHL for the St. Louis Blues team. Prizewinner of the junior and youth world championships. Game role - the extreme attacker.
Biography of the athlete
Nail Yakupov was born in October 1993in Nizhnekamsk. His father - a well-known hockey functionary, so the boy from an early age was inextricably linked with hockey. Already in three years he had his first skates.
In 2009, the 16-year-old striker was enrolled inlocal team "Reactor", which took part in the Youth Hockey League. For the season, Nail Yakupov played in 14 matches, in which he scored 4 goals and gave 2 assists.
An annoying hand injury forced the athlete to skip the ending of the season, and she also prevented him from playing at the junior world championships as part of the Russian team.
Professional career
In 2010, a 17-year-old striker in the KHL Draftdefended the "Neftekhimik." Also under the second draft number he was chosen by the club "Ontario Sarnia Sting", performing in the Hockey League of Canada. After a brief reflection, Yakupov decided to continue his career overseas.
For two seasons, held in the Hockey LeagueOntario, Nail demonstrated great potential. In the debut championship, he became the best scorer of "Sarnia Sting", typing in 65 held matches 101 (49 + 52) points. With this indicator, the Russian hockey player received "Emms Family Awards" - a prize for the best newcomer in the league.
In the next season, Nail Yakupov became one of theleaders of the club from Ontario. In 42 fights he scored 31 goals and gave 38 assists. At the end of the championship, he decided to try his hand at the most powerful league of the planet - the NHL.
Since the season 2012/13, Nail Yakupov - hockey playerclub "Edmonton Oilers", who chose the Russian striker in the draft with the first number. The newcomer signed a three-year contract, but due to the lockout in the NHL, the debut took place only in January next year in a game with the Vancouver Canucks. A few days later he threw the first puck into the goal of "Shark" from San Jose.
In total in the current draw, the striker played in 48fights and scored 31 (17 + 14) points. With this indicator, he received the title of the best scorer and sniper among the newcomers of the NHL, and also became the most productive player of his team.
In the next three seasons, held in Edmonton Oilers, Nail played in 204 games, scored 33 goals and became the author of 47 assists.
In October 2016, as a result of the exchange, Yakupov transferred to the "Set-Louis Blues", where he regularly plays in one attacking link with another Russian hockey player - Vladimir Tarasenko.
International career
For the first time an invitation to the junior team of RussiaNail Yakupov received in 2010, but because of injury he could not go to the world championship. A year later he was one of the most productive players of the team. In 7 games, he scored 6 goals and 7 assisted partners. With such a brilliant game, the 18-year-old striker helped his team win the bronze of the World Cup.
В 2012 году Якупов в составе российской молодежки reaches the finals of the MCHM. A year later Nail as a team captain leads the team to bronze medals. Starting in 2014, the coaches of Russia's main team are gradually beginning to attract a promising extreme striker to training camps.
Personal life of an athlete
The young athlete is not doing very wellonly on ice arenas, but also in personal life. For several years now, he has met Natasha Bliss, a popular microblogger with whom he met on the Internet.
Nail Yakupov and his girlfriend absolutely notfeel embarrassed about their relationship by posting their love messages to each other on their blogs on Twitter. Perhaps soon the couple will decide to legalize their relationship.
