How many NHL players have played 1,500 or more games?

Durability is a remarkably prized asset for NHL players, yet only a small handful have stuck around in the league long enough to play 1,500 games.

The 2026-27 NHL season is now nearly a week old, with fans of the league’s 32 teams clocking back into hockey while many are keeping an eye on the NFL regular season and MLB playoffs.

In many ways, this year looks and feels quite different. For the first time in league history, the NHL has implemented an 84-game regular season schedule, skimping out a bit on preseason games while starting the regular season in September – another first.

This decision appeared to be a culmination of growing apathy towards the preseason while wanting to increase opportunities for ticket sales and broadcasting rights – even if it’s just another two games for every team.

The extra games also give players a chance to perhaps beef up their career highs when it comes to regular season totals, while also allowing the league’s most durable players to stack up more ice time.

The change to the regular season schedule had me thinking about the league’s all-time leaders in games played, and how this change could play a small role on the leaderboard in future decades if the 84-game season remains in place – or if the regular season is extended even more.

The all-time leader in games played is currently Patrick Marleau, who led a storied career from 1997 to 2021 mostly with the San Jose Sharks, skating in 1,779 games – nearly 200 more than the active games played leader in Brent Burns.

Considering Burns is awaiting his 42nd birthday in March, he would still need a few more full NHL seasons to give Marleau a series run for his money – speaking to the impressive nature of Mr. Shark’s historic durability.

While 245 different players have appeared in at least 1,100 NHL games, only 25 have stuck around long enough to have made it into 1,500 games – and only six have reached the 1,700-game milestone. Of the 25 to have done it, 17 are members of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Burns and Alex Ovechkin are the only two active players to have played in more than 1,500 games, with Los Angeles Kings forward Corey Perry in position to reach the benchmark this year if he stays healthy.

Here’s a look at the 25 players to have reached the milestone, along with the teams they have appeared in at least one game for:

Italicized names indicate active players

1. Patrick Marleau (San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins): 1,779 games
2. Gordie Howe (Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers): 1,768 games
3. Mark Messier (Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks): 1,756 games
4. Jaromír Jágr (Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils, Florida Panthers, Calgary Flames): 1,733 games
5. Ron Francis (Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes, Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs): 1,731 games
6. Joe Thornton (Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers): 1,714 games
7. Zdeno Chára (New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals): 1,680 games
8. Mark Recchi (Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, Montreal Canadiens, Carolina Hurricanes, Atlanta Thrashers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins): 1,652 games
9. Chris Chelios (Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Atlanta Thrashers): 1,651 games
10. Dave Andreychuk (Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning): 1,639 games
11. Scott Stevens (Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues, New Jersey Devils): 1,635 games
12. Larry Murphy (Los Angeles Kings, Washington Capitals, Minnesota North Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings): 1,615 games
13. Ray Bourque (Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche): 1,612 games
14. Brent Burns (Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks, Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche): 1,581 games
15. Alex Ovechkin (Washington Capitals): 1,575 games
16. Nicklas Lidstrom (Detroit Red Wings): 1,564 games
17. Jarome Iginla (Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings): 1,554 games
18. Alex Delvecchio (Detroit Red Wings): 1,550 games
19. Johnny Bucyk (Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins): 1,540 games
20. Shane Doan (Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes): 1,540 games
21. Ryan Suter (Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues): 1,526 games
22. Brendan Shanahan (New Jersey Devils, St. Louis Blues, Hartford Whalers, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers): 1,524 games
23. Anže Kopitar (Los Angeles Kings): 1,521 games
24. Matt Cullen (Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, Pittsburgh Penguins): 1,516 games
25. Steve Yzerman (Detroit Red Wings): 1,514 games