For Nail Yakupov, it wasn't a case of if he'd be traded, but where he'd be dealt.

Related: Oilers trade Yakupov to Blues

The Edmonton Oilers shipped the former first overall pick to the St. Louis Blues on Friday, a team Yakupov was surprised to find out was in the mix for his services.

"I think it's a good thing for me,"Yakupov said. "I was expecting something. I didn't expect it was going to be St. Louis."

For Yakupov - who hasn't eclipse the 17-goal mark he reached in his rookie campaign - he feels a change of scenery could be just what he needs, especially leaving a team that seldom won hockey games.

"This is first time I've played on really, really good team," Yakupov said, according to Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "I think it's awesome, I don't know what winning is.

"It's going to be a great move for me and I get to play with one of the best teams in the league," said Yakupov. "I'm looking forward to it."

Yakupov has amassed 50 goals and 11 points in 252 career games.

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