Nail Yakupov dripped with sweat at his locker Thursday morning and asked to take a seat, another pre-game skate behind him. But he was not ready to contemplate a pending milestone.
The Avalanche right wing, a No. 1 overall pick less than six years ago, was set to play in his 300th game against one his former teams, the St. Louis Blues, at the Pepsi Center.
“Really?” Yakupov said with a chuckle. “I can tell time flies. I just have to enjoy it and keep competing.”
This night, though, carried a more pressing concern for Yakupov and the Avs.