With his 989th consecutive regular-season game under his belt, Phil Kessel has officially tied the National Hockey League’s “Ironman” streak.
The record, set last season by the now-retired Keith Yandle, was matched by Kessel on Monday as he took the ice with the Vegas Golden Knights against his former club, the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Kessel was playing for the Leafs when his consecutive games streak begun, with the 35-year-old forward not missing a single contest since Nov. 3, 2009.
“A lot of stuff has happened to me (since). I’m old now, I guess,” said Kessel at the Golden Knights’ morning skate on Monday.
“It’s still fun for me. I just try to play no matter what and I’ve been fortunate over the years. There’s obviously a lot of luck. Some nights you could have missed — and ended up not. And we’re here now.”
Yandle’s streak took place from March 26, 2009 to March 29, 2022 and came to an end on April 2, when the Philadelphia Flyers chose to scratch the defenceman. After 16 seasons, he announced his retirement from the NHL on Sept. 20.
Prior to Yandle taking over the longest Ironman streak, the record belonged to longtime holder Doug Jarvis, who appeared in 964 straight games from Oct. 8, 1975 to Oct. 10, 1987.
Originally drafted by the Boston Bruins fifth overall in 2006, Kessel’s NHL career has seen him play for the Bruins and Maple Leafs, in addition to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Arizona Coyotes and as of current, the Golden Knights.
Vegas acquired Kessel over the off-season, signing the three-time NHL All-Star to a one-year, $1.5 million deal.
“It’s cool to be a part of and we’re happy for him,” said Morgan Rielly, of his former Maple Leafs teammate. “A lot goes into doing what he’s been able to do. Lots of games, lots of travel, lots of things have to go your way in order to get to where he now. Good for him, but ultimately, our team has to be focused on winning the game.”
Monday’s matchup will also mark the Madison, WI. native’s 1,211th career NHL appearance. Over 1,210 games Kessel has collected 399 goals and 588 assists for a total of 957 points overall. He’s appeared in 96 post-season games and won the Stanley Cup twice with the Penguins — back-to-back in 2016 and 2017.
At the international level, Kessel has represented the United States three times at the IIHF World Championships (2006, 2007, 2008) and twice at the Winter Olympics (2010, 2014).
Kessel will have the opportunity to break the record by playing his 990th consecutive game on Tuesday against the San Jose Sharks. Should his streak continue even further, game 1,000 would come against another former club, the Coyotes, on Nov. 17.
