The offer was on the table and with it the chance to remain in his homeland.
But Nikita Filatov wanted more. He wanted to follow the likes of Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin and Pavel Datsyuk to the National Hockey League, so the winger made his way to Ottawa intent on getting his start.
"They offered me big money, about $50,000 a month," said Filatov, who is projected to be a top-five draft selection. "But I don't have a contract. Nothing can stop me."
NHL teams have been reluctant to play roulette with Russian prospects, particularly since the Russian federation opted out of the transfer agreement between the NHL and the International Ice Hockey Federation. Why draft a player if he isn't going to be able to play in North America? Why waste a pick?
Kirill Petrov starred at the under-18 world championship this year, popping in five goals in six games, and has all of the makings of an NHL power forward, but he is under contract with Kazan for another three years.
Filatov may be the only first-round Russian pick of this draft.
"I am ready to stay here in North America," continued the teenager, who played for Central Red Army last season and has since hired superagent Don Meehan. "Me and a lot of other young players in Russia understand now that it is not so good in Russia. "Because sometimes you get big money but you don't play. Like me. Last year I was sure I would play half of the games. Not five," said Filatov, who speaks fluent English, thanks to the teachings of his mother.
"Everybody understands this is the best league and that all the best players are here and people like hockey here -- it's like a show."
Changes are afoot in Russia, with the 24-team Continental Hockey League set to launch in September. On paper, it looks to be a bigger, better version of the Russian Super League, but the goal is that it will one day rival the NHL.
League president Alexander Medvedev has said that his pet project, which will be financed by the deep pockets of oil and gas companies, will conduct a draft that could include NHL players. So far, tough guy Chris Simon and goaltender John Grahame have signed on.
"I think this season it might be an even higher level of hockey, but I don't think it will change it a lot. It's not the same as the NHL," said Filatov.
The Moscow native lacks size but neither skill nor speed.He netted four goals, assisted on five others at the world juniors, and racked up 75 points in 34 games with CSKA's junior team. He played five games with the big team.
"He's one of those stars," said Kevin Prendergast, the Edmonton Oilers director of hockey operations. "He's exciting to watch. He wants the puck all the time. He can score."
Filatov has met with most of the NHL teams and representatives from Columbus twice. (The Blue Jackets pick sixth.) He was to meet with Wayne Gretzky's Phoenix Coyotes on Thursday afternoon.
"With the Continental Hockey League, there are some Russian players now saying, 'I need to get over to North America' because they're getting tied up in these second-tier leagues," Oilers head scout Stu MacGregor said. "And the kids we met (at the NHL combine) are quite open about it. They want to come over. They want to play in the NHL."