Nate Schmidt has a pretty expressive face, but it’s hard to describe all the different emotions he conveyed in an interview that lasted only two questions.

The Utah Mammoth defenseman had just wrapped up a morning skate at Ball Arena. This is year No. 13 for him in the NHL. Just to his right, Dmitry Simashev was also removing his gear and about to answer questions about the anticipation for his NHL debut Thursday night.

That same game, which turned out to be a 2-1 win for the Avalanche, was No. 1,499 for Brent Burns . He played No. 1,500 on Saturday against the Dallas Stars.

“It’s double what I’ve got,” said Schmidt, almost in disbelief as he prepared for his 742nd career game. “It’s incredible. Honestly, the level he’s still playing at it … it’s so impressive. I remember that guy pla

See Full Page