Report: 1st overall pick admits he turned down offer from KHL

According to a report from KHL reporter and Russian hockey insider Igor Eronko, Colorado Avalanche forward Nail Yakupov had a contract offer from at least one team, SKA Saint Petersburg, but turned it down before signing with the Avs.

Wow… could you imagine the fallout if the former 1st overall draft pick bolted from the NHL to the KHL at just 23-years-old? Granted, the young Russian will never be the player people projected he’d be when he was selected 1st overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, but Yakupov is still a valuable player, nonetheless.

Whether or not he can get his career back on track in Colorado remains to be seen, but clearly his heart is still in the NHL… for now.