Colorado Avalanche Summer Social Media Series: Nail Yakupov

If you haven’t already, you might like to check out my profiles on Gabriel Landeskog, Erik Johnson, and Matt Duchene. Or continue reading this cool profile on one of the newest Avs, the Yak Attack from Nizhnekamsk.

Nail “Nailer” Yakupov

Get to know Nail better through this Edmonton Oilers video profile.

In this video, Nail discusses his close-knit family, pre-game rituals, his meticulous stick routine, and the first hockey jersey he ever owned.

Fun fact: Nail engraves his parents, sister, and dog’s initials onto his hockey sticks.

“Come On, Russia! And We Win.”

This is the a fantastic interview with Nail from the 2012 World Junior Championships. Nail loves to beat Canada.

The Opposite of Adult

When it comes down to it, Nail is just a goofy kid from Russia who plays in the snow.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Likes

Favourite Player Growing Up: Pavel Bure

Baseball team: Nail root, root, roots for the Cardinals of St. Louis.

BFF: Alex Galchenyuk is Nail’s longtime friend and former teammate from the Sarnia Sting. The two have kept in touch ever since.

Hobbies: pewpewpew

You could say he...Nailed it.

(Here’s a quick video of Nail in action).

Fine Dining: Pre-game meals are where Nail really shines. Here he is fueling up before what was probably an Oilers’ loss.

Did he eat all those apples? I’m going to say yes.

Nail looks like he’s partial to Japanese fare. Check out this solid chopstick technique:

That caption though. U stay in that seat.

Nail’s Floofy Partner-in-Crime

The Avs just got a superstar join their roster of amazing dogs. Meet Haddie!

Haddie is a native Russian, who has lived in Canada and now the United States. She’s pretty well-traveled.

When Nail is off on a lengthy trip, he’ll constantly check in with his number one gal: