Nail Yakupov has made an immediate impact with the Edmonton Oilers. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)
2013-03-03 09:13:00
The Edmonton Oilers had the first overall pick at last year’s NHL draft and they wasted no time selecting dynamic winger Nail Yakupov.
The 19-year-old jumped directly to the NHL following the lockout and has made it clear he belongs. In his first 20 games, Yakupov has six goals and 12 points.
THN’s Ryan Kennedy sat down with the Russian to discuss life in the NHL, road trips and more.
REPORTER: Ryan Kennedy | PRODUCER: Ted Cooper
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"Last year we came in as maybe an underdog, quietly. Got off to the right start just because teams weren't really ready for us. But this time around that's not the case. They realize we are a good team and they're ready to go against us, right off the get-go."
- Los Angeles' Colin Fraser. The Kings have lost two in a row and are now tied 2-2 in their series against the San Jose Sharks.