To have longevity in a league like the NHL, playing a game as physically tasking as hockey at the highest level, is truly a remarkable thing. Think about how sore you feel after a beer league hockey game or a game of shinny with your friends. Now imagine that 82 times against the best hockey players in the world, who only get younger and more athletic, the older you get. While it’s always flashy goal scorers and top point getters like Connor McDavid or Sidney Crosby who get all of the accolades, true greatness comes with surviving the war of attrition that comes with the grind of each NHL season.
So for once we are going to take a look at some of the great examples of longevity in the NHL. It is truly an indication of toughness, grit, and maybe a little bit of luck as well. To survive in the league for as long as some of these players have, you need to avoid serious injury as well as have the ability to continue to produce in one way or another. Here are five of the most impressive careers in the history of the NHL:
Patrick Marleau
We couldn’t make this list without having the new all-time leader in NHL games played at the top. Patrick Marleau was drafted second overall in 1997 by the San Jose Sharks, and since then has played 1,779 games for the Sharks, the Maple Leafs, and the Penguins. Actually, Marleau has played over 1,600 of those games for San Jose so his tenure with Toronto and Pittsburgh were pretty minimal. Marleau has shown incredible consistency throughout his career, playing in 80 or more games in a season 15 times, including a streak of six straight years where he didn’t miss a game from 2013-2019. Perhaps more impressively, Marleau never played less than 70 games in a season until last year, which was twenty-two seasons into his illustrious career. Although the Sharks missed the playoffs this year, Marleau has already stated he hopes to come back for a 24th season in 2022. I wonder if we will see him as a coach one day? Marleau seems like a perfect candidate for this!
Joe Thornton
Did anyone think back in 1997 that two of the top six leaders in games played in NHL history would be picked first and second? That’s right Jumbo Joe went one spot ahead of Marleau in the same draft, going to the Boston Bruins. Funnily enough, Thornton and Marleau played much of their careers together in San Jose, once Thornton was traded to the Sharks in 2006. The two would go on to play the next thirteen seasons together for San Jose, before Marleau left for Toronto in 2017-2018. Thornton signed with the Leafs this season, when Marleau actually returned to San Jose. As can be expected, Thornton has just as impressive of a career as Marleau, appearing in 70 or more games in 18 different seasons. At 1,680 career games played, Thornton needs just 54 more games to crack the top 4 in NHL history, but at this point in his career, catching Marleau may be out of the question.
Zdeno Chara
Big Z has had a marvelous career in the league, most notably as the captain of the Boston Bruins who won the Stanley Cup back in 2011. Since his NHL debut back in 1998, Chara has played in 1,608 games for the Islanders, Senators, Bruins, and currently the Washington Capitals. Chara is as rugged and tough as they come, and if it weren’t for some early career injuries and struggles, he may be challenging Thornton and Marleau for a top 5 spot on the list. Chara was not able to suit up for a full NHL season until his fourth year in the league. Washington lost in the playoffs this year, and Chara has yet to officially make a decision on returning in 2022.
Jaromir Jagr
In my opinion, one of the greatest players to ever play professional hockey, Jagr was a dominant force in the NHL for the better part of two decades. Jagr sits fourth on the all-time games played list, although he is still playing in Europe, he has not officially retired from the NHL. Jagr is most well known for his years alongside Mario Lemieux as a Pittsburgh Penguin, but also had significant stints with the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers, as well as cups of coffee with Philadelphia, Dallas, Boston, New Jersey, Florida, and Calgary. Incredibly, Jagr has dealt with injuries throughout his career but he has managed to play across 27 different seasons. At the now tender age of 49, Jagr may have played his last game in the NHL, but his legacy as one of the greatest to ever lace them up, will not soon be forgotten.
Alex Delvecchio
When going down the list of the NHL games played list, Alex Delvecchio sticks out like a sore thumb. Why? Delvecchio sits 16th on the all-time list with 1,550 games played across 24 seasons. The incredible thing is Delvecchio never played in a season with more than 78 games played by each team. Most of the players on the list were able to play their entire careers in seasons of 82 or more games. Delvecchio also only played in one game in his first year and eleven games in his last year. In the 22 seasons in between, he played less than 65 games only once, including a span of seven straight years of all 70 games. Talk about an iron man! Remember that Delvecchio played at a time where helmets weren’t worn and padding was questionable at best. To avoid serious injury and to be able to play in that many consecutive games is impressive in any era!
