UPDATED: Oilers make their picks at the NHL draft

The Edmonton Oilers have chosen Nail Yakupov as their top pick in NHL draft.

Yakupov was selected second overall by the Sarnia Sting in the 2010 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Import Draft. Prior to this, he played in the Russian Minor Hockey League (MHL) for his hometown team, the Reaktor Nizhnekamsk, but thought that trying to join the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) would be a quicker path to his dream to play in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Leading up to the announcement, Oilers fans were torn between the team choosing #1 prospect Nail Yakupov, and a strong defenceman like Ryan Murray.
Prior to the reveal, general manager Steve Tambellini, wasn’t saying whether the Oilers would take Murray, or Russian winger Yakupov with the first pick in Friday’s NHL entry draft.

Tambellini did say that he hadn’t had an offer that was intriguing enough to warrant flipping picks. He did suggest on Thursday that the Oilers’ second-round pick (32nd overall) might be of some interest to a potential trade partner.

The Oilers had the first pick for the third straight year.

In addition to Yakupov, the Oilers' drafted some other new additions.

“With the elite skill that we have, we wanted to have some size,” said general manager Steve Tambellini. “Once in a while, you may make a trade to get some size that has the skill to play with your top six or nine, but more often than not, you have to draft and develop those players.

“That was a goal of ours coming into this draft.”

They started with the selection of Edmonton Oil Kings winger Mitch Moroz - their first pick in the second round. Moroz, a native of Calgary, is a 6-foot-2, 208-pound winger who put up 16 goals and nine assists while banking 131 PIMs in 66 games last season. He was also the third Oil King selected in the first 32 picks.

“There’s a lot of upside there,” said Tambellini.

With their third selection of the day, the Oilers took winger Jujha Khaira, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound prospect who has registered at Michigan Tech but is now the property of the Everett Silvertips. He said he’ll wait and speak to the Oilers to determine his best route.

With their second third-round selection - the final piece of the trade that sent Dustin Penner to the Los Angeles Kings - the Oilers took winger Daniel Zharkov (Belleville, OHL). A confident, engaging addition, Zharkov made it clear he intends to upstage Yakupov once he makes the team.

Defenceman Erik Gustafsson (Djurgarden, Sweden) was added in the fourth round, defenseman Joe Laleggia (University of Denver) in the fifth and right winger John McCarron with their final selection of the day.

“You always have to step up if there's a player you like, and we liked (Moroz). We think his development curve is on the way up,” head amateur scout Stu MacGregor said.

“We’re trying to get a little bigger, add some size . . . so you can be strong in front of the net. The game seems to be within that 10-foot area. We have lots of skill, so let’s surround them with some guyswho are going to be able to compete and help them get the puck.”

Here's a sampling of how Oilers fans reacted to the top pick at the NHL Draft on social media:

With files from Joanna Ireland, Edmonton Journal