According to the Denver Post's Mike Chambers, the Colorado Avalanche did not give right winger Nail Yakupov a qualifying offer and Yakupov will now become a unrestricted free agent on July 1. 

The former first overall pick of the Edmonton Oilers in the 2012 NHL Draft has never quite met expectations in the NHL and struggled once again last season with the Avalanche, scoring only nine goals and seven assists in 58 games played. He did not dress in any of the team's six playoff games.

After four seasons with the Oilers, Yakupov was traded to the St. Louis Blues and then signed a one-year, $875,000 contract with the Avs last off-season.

Yakupov played in 22 games with the KHL's Nizhnekamsk Neftekhimik during the 2012-13 season, before joining the Oilers for the lockout-shortened campaign and there is some thought that the 24-year-old may return to his native Russia to play in the KHL once again.

BSN Denver's Adrian Dater asked in May if Yakupov would be returning to Russia to play in the KHL next season, Yakupov’s agent stopped well short of saying no.

“He’s a grown man, and he will decide what’s best for him,” Yakupov's agent, Igor Larionov, told Dater.

Yakupov has 62 goals and 74 assists in 350 career NHL games.