Russian hockey player Nail Yakupov: biography, sports career, personal life

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 1993 in 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, 16-year-old striker was enrolled in the local 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 Championship as part of the Russian team.

Professional career

In 2010, the 17-year-old striker in the KHL draft defended 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 League of Ontario, 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 the leaders 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.

Starting from the season 2012/13, Nail Yakupov is a hockey player of the Edmonton Oilers club , who chose a Russian striker in the draft with the first number. A 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 drawing the striker played in 48 matches and scored 31 (17 + 14) points. With this indicator, he received the title of the best scorer and sniper among the newcomers to 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 moves 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 the invitation to the junior team of Russia Nail Yakupov was in 2010, but due to 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 his partners. With such a brilliant game, the 18-year-old striker helped his team win the bronze of the World Cup.

In 2012, Yakupov as part of the Russian youth team reaches the final of the MCHM. A year later, as a team captain, Nail 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.

The personal life of an athlete

The young athlete is doing very well not only on the ice arenas, but also in his personal life. For several years, he has met with the popular microblogger Natasha Bliss, whom he met on the Internet.

Nail Yakupov and his girlfriend are absolutely not shy about their relationship, laying out their love messages to each other in their blogs in Twitter. Perhaps in a short time the couple will decide to legitimize their relationship.