NHL draft focuses on defence after Oilers take Russian sniper Nail Yakupov
Posted June 22, 2012 8:03 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Edmonton Oilers added another young gun to their roster Friday, selecting slick Russian winger Nail Yakupov first overall in an NHL draft otherwise top-heavy in defencemen.
Eight of the top 10 picks were blue-liners but the Oilers elected not to opt for defensive help or trade down. Instead they stuck to the book, taking the top-ranked North American-based player in the Central Scouting rankings.
“The Edmonton Oilers are so proud to select from the Sarnia Sting Nail Yakupov,” said GM Steve Tambellini.
At a little under five foot 11 and 185 pounds, the Sting star is not big and this season was disrupted by injury. But he is explosive with good hands and has spent two seasons in the OHL, meaning he is acclimatized to North America.
Not short on confidence, Yakupov said he felt he can help the Oilers right away.
“I think yeah, why not?” said Yakupov. “I have lots of time for work in the summer and work with Edmonton, (to) try to make the team. I think I’m ready for the NHL.”
The last Russian to go first overall was Alexander Ovechkin, to the Washington Capitals in 2004. Atlanta opened the 2001 draft by taking Ilya Kovalchuk.
But the last four top picks have been Canadian: Ryan Nugent-Hokins and Taylor Hall (Edmonton), John Tavares (Islanders) and Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay).
There were 47 Russians taken in the 1992 draft alone, compared to just eight in 2011, when just 30 Russians played in the NHL.
“He’s a very exciting player to watch,” Nugent-Hopkins said of Yakupov. “And he’s got some great skill obviously and he’s a hard worker. It’s going to be great to get the chance to play with him.”
The Oilers won the lottery after finishing 29th in the league with a 32-40-10 record, nine points ahead of 29-46-7 Columbus.
Ryan Murray of the Everett Silvertips went second to the Blue Jackets, the first of eight defencemen in the next nine picks.
“I was pretty nervous before the draft. It seemed like I was in the building for about an hour but it felt like a day,” said Murray.
The Montreal Canadiens did not opt for the blue-line, choosing centre Alex Galchenyuk, Yakupov’s teammate at Sarnia.
The Milwaukee-born forward — he was born there because his father was playing minor league hockey there for the AHL Admirals — said all the right things before a media throng. He’s proud to wear the Habs jersey and plans to add French to his linguistic arsenal of English, Russian and Italian.
A run on defencemen followed with Griffin Reinhart of the Edmonton Oil Kings (Islanders), Morgan Rielly of Moose Jaw Warriors (Toronto), Sweden’s Hampus Lindholm (Anaheim), Matt Dumba of the Red Deer Rebels (Minnesota), Derrick Pouliot of the Portland Winterhawks (Pittsburgh using Carolina’s pick acquired in a trade that sent centre Jordan Staal to the Hurricanes), Jacob Trouba of the U.S. under-18 team (Winnipeg) and Slater Koekkoek of the Peterborough Petes (Tampa Bay).
The first five defencemen picked came from the WHL.
Reinhart, the son of former Flames and Canucks defenceman Paul Reinhart, had been ranked 10th among North American skaters by Central Scouting. But a good playoff run and an NHL-sized body 6-4 and 206 pounds moved him up.
Reinhart’s older brother Sam was selected by the Calgary Flames in the third round — 64th overall — in 2010. His younger brother Max, the WHL rookie of the year last season, is draft-eligible in 2014.
The Buffalo Sabres used their 12th overall pick to take Quebec Remparts centre Mikhail Grigorenko, who had been rated third among North American skaters.
Picking 15th, the Ottawa Senators took defenceman Codi Ceci of the Ottawa 67’s.
The first Canadian forward picked went 16th when Washington took Thomas Wilson of the Plymouth Whalers. Prior to Friday, the lowest a Canadian forward had gone in the draft was seventh overall in 1999 (Kris Beech to the Capitals).
Rounds two through seven go Saturday
Almost all of those taken at the draft will return to their junior teams for seasoning. Only nine players from last year’s draft made their debut in the NHL during the 2011-12 season and six of those were among the first eight players taken.
It’s the first draft in Pittsburgh since 1997 when the Boston Bruins picked Joe Thornton first overall. He was followed by Patrick Marleau, Olli Jokinen, Roberto Luongo and Eric Brewer.
Notes: As the team personnel on the draft floor answered a roll call, the fans present saved the biggest boos for Philadelphia. The Caps weren’t too popular either.
