Golden Knights Video

WATCH: Kessel Sets Ironman Streak, Scores 400th Career Goal

Published

2 years ago

October 25, 2022

Monday night’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs was just the warmup.

After starting Tuesday night’s game against the San Jose Sharks, Phil Kessel passed Keith Yandle to become the NHL’s sole ironman. Kessel has played in 990 straight NHL regular season games, which is now the largest amount of games in NHL history.

Kessel gets a warm applause from SAP Center for setting consecutive games played record pic.twitter.com/gH1tbiip1s

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 26, 2022

He hasn’t missed a game since Oct. 31, 2009, when he was a member of the Maple Leafs. His current streak started on Nov 3, 2009, which was 4,740 days ago.

In the first period, Kessel fittingly opened up the scoring with his first goal as a Golden Knight and his 400th career goal. Against the Maple Leafs Monday night it appeared as if Kessel got this milestone goal, but the play was offside.

This one counted.

Phil Kessel's 400th goal pic.twitter.com/fUuKnS52zs

— Locked on Sharks (@LockedOnSharks) October 26, 2022

In these 989 games, Kessel has scored 400 goals, nearly 1,000 NHL points, received Lady Byng votes six times, been traded three times, and he has won two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

A mixture of luck, his play style, and commitment to the great game of hockey all have resulted in Kessel breaking this milestone. Last season he even played a game before leaving for the birth of his son.

Kessel has persevered through a lot, such as having testicular cancer early in his career. But he is soon to be the NHL’s all-time leader in consecutive regular-season games played. Congrats to Phil the Thrill.