Nikita Filatov Nikita Vasilyevich Filatov ( ; born May 25 , 1990 ) is a Russian professional ice hockey winger currently playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . He was the top - ranked European skater by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau and was selected sixth overall by the Blue Jackets in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft . Prior to being drafted , he played for CSKA Moscow in their minor and junior hockey systems . He has played two seasons in North America , splitting time between the Blue Jackets and their American Hockey League ( AHL ) affiliate the Syracuse Crunch . During the 2009 – 10 season , Filatov was unhappy with his situation in Columbus and was loaned to CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League ( KHL ) for the remainder of the season Filatov has represented Russia in international hockey at two World U18 Championships , winning gold and silver medals , and three World Junior Championships , where he has won two bronze medals . He was named to the Tournament All - Star Team at the 2008 World U18 Championships and the 2009 World Junior Championships . Playing career . Junior . Filatov played minor and junior hockey in the CSKA Red Army hockey system from the age of 13 . At the age of 15 during the 2005 – 06 season , Filatov made his debut for CSKA 2 ( the club ' s junior team ) , where he continued to play during the 2006 – 07 season , averaging more than three points per game . In the same season , Filatov made his international debut for Russia at the World Under 18 Championship . During the 2007 – 08 season , Filatov made his professional Russian Super League debut with CSKA , seeing limited action in five games . He spent the majority of the season playing at the junior level in Russia . With his CSKA junior team , Filatov played in 23 games , scoring 23 goals and providing 24 assists . Leading up to the 2008 NHL Entry Draft , the league ' s annual meeting at which the rights to amateur players are divided among teams , NHL ' s Central Scouting Bureau ranked Filatov as the top European skater in their mid - term and final rankings . After the 2007 – 08 season , Filatov was selected in the first round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft , the sixth overall selection , by the Columbus Blue Jackets . Filatov was also the first overall selection in the 2008 Canadian Hockey League ( CHL ) Import Draft , selected by the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League . Sudbury general manager Mike Foligno was comfortable with the risks of not knowing whether Filatov would play at junior or professional level when he came to North America . Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson would not guarantee Filatov a place on their team , saying " We ’ ve already told Nikita that we ’ ll see how things go in training camp and we ’ ll decide what ’ s best for him . " Professional . After being drafted by the Blue Jackets , Filatov signed a three - year contract with the club on July 10 , 2008 . His base salary for the contract was $ 875 , 000 , with bonus clauses that could bring the value as high as $ 1 . 35 million per season . As dictated by the NHL ' s collective bargaining agreement , Filatov ' s contract was for three years . His signing with Columbus created some controversy within the KHL , as the league president Alexander Medvedev claimed that the Blue Jackets owed CSKA Moscow compensation of at least $ 1 . 5 million for signing Filatov . Medvedev claimed that although the term of the contract had expired , under Russian law it did not terminate until an indemnity amount had been negotiated . The Blue Jackets and Filatov believed that giving his club 30 days notice was sufficient to terminate the contract . CSKA threatened to withhold Filatov ' s transfer card , thus impeding his ability to play in another league , but Filatov , his lawyers and the Blue Jackets believed they had followed the necessary tenets of Russian law . Filatov ' s contract was one of six reviewed by the International Ice Hockey Federation ( IIHF ) in an attempt to mediate the disputes between the KHL and NHL . During this investigation , the players were unable to play international hockey sanctioned by the IIHF . In September , the KHL dropped its opposition to Filatov ' s contract with the Blue Jackets , and he received his transfer . Filatov did not make the team after attending training camp with the Blue Jackets , instead making his North American professional debut for the Blue Jackets ' American Hockey League ( AHL ) affiliate , the Syracuse Crunch . However , on October 15 , 2008 Filatov was called up to the NHL , playing in his first game ( and scoring his first goal ) with the Blue Jackets on October 17 , 2008 against the Nashville Predators . For the rest of the 2008 – 09 season , Filatov split time between the AHL ' s Crunch and the NHL ' s Blue Jackets . He played eight games with the Blue Jackets , finishing the season with four goals . He became the first Blue Jackets rookie to record a hat - trick in the January 10 , 2009 match against the Minnesota Wild . At the end of the season , Filatov had played 39 games with the Crunch in the AHL scoring 16 goals and adding 16 assists . He was named as a starter for the PlanetUSA team in the 2009 AHL All - Star Game . At the start of the 2009 – 10 NHL season , Filatov made the Blue Jackets roster after training camp . Although healthy , he did not play in six of the team ' s first 18 games , a decision made by Columbus head coach Ken Hitchcock . He was unhappy with his playing time and role on the team under Hitchcock and requested to be transferred back to his Russian club team . Hitchcock and the Blue Jackets coaching staff tried to improve Filatov ' s attention to defensive aspects of the game . This emphasis on defensive play did not suit Filatov , and he did not receive much playing time . The Blue Jackets management agreed to Filatov ' s request to return to Russia for the remainder of the season . This arrangement resulted from direct dealings between the Blue Jackets and CSKA Moscow , where Filatov ' s salary was paid by the Russian club , and the Blue Jackets retained his rights . Shortly after his return to Russia , Filatov set a KHL record by scoring the game winning goal in three consecutive games . He was named the league ' s best newcomer ( defined by the KHL as " a player born in 1987 or later , who has played no more than 20 top - level matches in previous national tournaments " ) for November , and the league ' s best rookie for the 11th week of the season . In his shortened season in Russia , Filatov played 26 games , scoring 9 goals and adding 13 assists . Initial statements by both sides indicated the player would return to Columbus after the 2009 – 10 season , but since returning to Russia , Filatov has been less clear about his intentions for the 2010 – 11 season , stating " I hope I ’ ll be back next year , but right now , it ’ s really hard to say because it will again be a tough decision . " Howson has not commented on Filatov ' s stance , except to say that he expects Filatov to be at the team ' s training camp prior to the 2010 – 11 season . Subsequently , Filatov stated after the 2009 – 10 season that he intended to return to Columbus for training camp . During the off - season , the Blue Jackets sent development coach Tyler Wright to Russia to train with Filatov to assess his readiness for the upcoming season , and to communicate the team ' s desire to work with him . Blue Jackets ' head coach Scott Arniel was pleased to see Filatov arrive in Columbus six weeks ahead of the teams ' 2010 – 11 season , allowing him a chance to mend relationships with his teammates who may have been annoyed by Filatov ' s departure . Howson says the team has never doubted Filatov ' s skill , " Nikita has the skill and the ability to play in a top - six role " . Arniel is optimistic about Filatov ' s return to the team , offering him a clean slate and a chance to earn a spot on one of the team ' s top two lines . After speaking with his friend Sergei Shirokov ( who played for Arniel on the Manitoba Moose ) , Filatov was optimistic about working with Arniel . International play . Filatov has played extensively for Russia ' s national teams , first in age - group competitions , and later internationally . His first IIHF competition for Russia was the 2007 U18 Championship held in Finland . Russia won a gold medal in that tournament ; as an underaged player , Filatov contributed four goals and five assists in seven games . He led the Russian team in total points and was second to Alexei Cherepanov in goals scored . After this tournament , Russia ' s coaches named Filatov as one of the team ' s three best players . Filatov also played at the 2008 U18 Championship , held in Russia . Filatov captained the team to a silver medal , scoring three goals and adding six assists . He was named to the Tournament All - Star Team . At the 2008 World Junior Championship Filatov made his debut with Russia ' s Under - 20 junior squad . At the tournament , he scored four goals and added five assists , leading the Russian squad in total points and placing second to Viktor Tikhonov in goals scored . The Russian team captured the bronze medal at this tournament , after defeating the United States 4 – 2 . Filatov scored two goals in the bronze medal game , and was named Russia ' s best player of the game by the IIHF . The AHL ' s Syracuse Crunch released Filatov to participate in the 2009 World Junior Championship , which was held in Ottawa , Ontario . Filatov served as Russia ' s captain for the tournament . In seven games at the tournament , he scored eight goals and added three assists , which tied him for fourth in tournament scoring . The Russian team again captured the bronze medal , this time by defeating Slovakia by a score of 5 – 2 . Filatov was named best player of the game for a preliminary round game against Finland and for the bronze medal game against Slovakia , and he was named to the Tournament All - Star Team . After returning to Russia early in the 2009 – 10 season , Filatov had the opportunity to compete in a third World Junior Championship at the 2010 tournament held in Saskatchewan , Canada . As in 2009 , he served as Russia ' s team captain . During preliminary round play , Filatov was named best player for Russia in their game against Finland . The tournament was a disappointment for the Russians after they lost to Switzerland in the quarterfinals . Prior to the fifth place game against the Czech Republic , Filatov was stripped of his captaincy and replaced by teammate Kirill Petrov after criticizing the team personnel during a media scrum . Playing style . Scouting reports on Filatov were mixed in advance of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft . Sergei Nemchinov , coach of Russia ' s junior national team said of Filatov , " He definitely has an NHL upside because he can score , is a well - rounded player and is responsible in the defensive zone . " Independent scouting service Red Line Report at one point declared Filatov " the next best thing to Steven Stamkos " ( who was eventually selected first overall in the 2008 draft ) . McKeen ' s Hockey scouts described him as a cross between Ilya Kovalchuk and Maxim Afinogenov . His strengths included his skating and vision , as well as the inclination to play at high intensity . The NHL ' s Director of European Scouting , Goran Stubb , assessed Filatov ' s NHL readiness as , " Nikita is a leader , has a great attitude , an excellent work ethic and tons of talent . " Other scouts were not as impressed with his defensive game , preferring to focus on his offensive abilities . Off the ice , Filatov does not train in a traditional gym or weight room , preferring to run outside in sand and lift objects such as trees and boulders . Personal life . Filatov was born in Moscow , Russia to parents Slava and Yelena . He speaks fluent English due in large part to his mother , a teacher who gave him lessons at home . When he started playing professional hockey in North America for the Syracuse Crunch , his mother stayed for several weeks to help him get acclimatised to his new surroundings . Career statistics . International . " Statistics Sources "