History Of Ironmen

[Robert Gordon Orr]

Georges Vezina should be the leader from 1917-18 thru the first game of the 1925-26 season. Your table lists Clint Benedict. 1917-18 NHL season after the Westmount Arena fire the Wanderers forfeited the scheduled game 1-0 to the Canadiens and departed from the league. So the standings show the Canadiens with a W-L record for 22 games whereas the players only played 21 games(those who played the complete season). Creates an illusion that Vezina missed a game when in fact it is simply the league balancing the standings.

I see what you are saying, but didn't Benedict play all 22 games and Vezina only 21? (the forfeited game can't count into the number of games played). Benedict still have one game in hand at the end of the season, or am I thinking wrong here?

 

[Canadiens1958]

All Games

I see what you are saying, but didn't Benedict play all 22 games and Vezina only 21? (the forfeited game can't count into the number of games played). Benedict still have one game in hand at the end of the season, or am I thinking wrong here?

Both played in all possible games from the start of the NHL in 1917-18. This has to be reflected.

Traded players within a season can play in less or more games than scheduled without breaking their streak of consecutive games. This is recognized but an interruption caused by fire and forfeiture is not recognized.

From another perspective Vezina is at least the co-leader. Given that at the end of the season Benedict may have had one game in hand it is also true that within a given season due to scheduling quirks Vezina may have had a game in hand when the Canadiens schedule gave them a two game advantage. The leadership, assuming there was a contest would have swung back and forth. But there was no contest, just an arbitrary league decision - quirky, to award a forfeited game as opposed to redoing a balanced three team schedule where each team would have played the same number of games.

 

[Robert Gordon Orr]

Both played in all possible games from the start of the NHL in 1917-18. This has to be reflected.

Traded players within a season can play in less or more games than scheduled without breaking their streak of consecutive games. This is recognized but an interruption caused by fire and forfeiture is not recognized.

From another perspective Vezina is at least the co-leader. Given that at the end of the season Benedict may have had one game in hand it is also true that within a given season due to scheduling quirks Vezina may have had a game in hand when the Canadiens schedule gave them a two game advantage. The leadership, assuming there was a contest would have swung back and forth. But there was no contest, just an arbitrary league decision - quirky, to award a forfeited game as opposed to redoing a balanced three team schedule where each team would have played the same number of games.

I agree with you. The forfeited game was beyond Vezina's control, so I would say that he was the co-leader with Benedict. List updated. Thanks for the input.

 

[SealsFan]

Do these numbers include playoff games?

 

[seventieslord]

Do these numbers include playoff games?

no, they don't.

 

[Vujtek]

Bumping this as I finished the streak of active ironmen of NHL:

- Dates are listed in DD/M/Y format.
- The 'active ironman' column shows the time from which player was NHL's leading ironman.
- The 'GP start' column shows the # of games he had played when he became ironman.
- The 'GP end' column shows the # of games his ironman streak ended with.
- The 'overall streak runtime' column shows the time his overall streak lasted.
- Streaks have been marked to end on the day of the first game the player missed. The exception are cases where the streak ended due to retirement/leaving NHL, in which case the end of the streak is marked to happen on the final game he played on that streak.

Active ironman               GP start  Player              GP end     Overall streak runtime       Teams               Cause for streak ending
19.12.1917 - 01.03.1924        1 GP    Clint Benedict      158 GP    (19.12.1917 - 01.03.1924)     SEN                 Eye injury
19.12.1917 - 01.12.1925        1 GP    Georges Vezina*     190 GP    (19.12.1917 - 01.12.1925)     MTL                 Tuberculosis
01.12.1925 - 23.02.1926      162 GP    Reg Noble           186 GP    (21.01.1919 - 23.02.1926)     TAN/TSP/MMR         Head injury
23.02.1926 - 15.11.1927      106 GP    Jake Forbes         158 GP    (16.12.1922 - 15.11.1927)     HAM/NYA             Demoted to a minor league after training camp
15.11.1927 - 03.03.1928      133 GP    John Ross Roach     169 GP    (22.12.1923 - 03.03.1928)     TSP/TOR             Illness
03.03.1928 - 27.12.1930      147 GP    Alec Connell        257 GP    (29.11.1924 - 27.12.1930)     SEN                 Given rest
27.12.1930 - 21.03.1937      192 GP    Murray Murdoch      508 GP    (16.11.1926 - 21.03.1937)     NYR                 Retirement, changed mind but NHL rules prevented from playing in NHL for next two seasons, ended up playing a season of minor league hockey before retiring for good
07.11.1937 - 21.12.1939      300 GP    Cecil Dillon        411 GP    (12.02.1931 - 21.12.1939)     NYR/DET             Illness
21.12.1939 - 29.11.1940      239 GP    Bill Thoms          280 GP    (25.12.1934 - 29.11.1940)     TOR/CHI             -
29.11.1940 - 02.02.1941      222 GP    Phil Watson         246 GP    (16.01.1936 - 02.02.1941)     NYR                 Knee injury
02.02.1941 - 16.03.1941      224 GP    Dave Kerr           240 GP    (08.11.1936 - 16.03.1941)     NYR                 Retirement
08.11.1941 - 29.01.1942      194 GP    Bobby Bauer         223 GP    (21.03.1937 - 29.01.1942)     BOS                 Underwent tests and medical exams to enlist into the Royal Canadian Air Force
29.01.1942 - 19.03.1944      222 GP    Bryan Hextall Sr.   340 GP    (07.11.1937 - 19.03.1944)     NYR                 Denied an entry into United States by Canadian war authorities, missed all of 1944-45 NHL-season
28.10.1944 - 26.11.1944      140 GP    Lorne Carr          152 GP    (29.11.1941 - 26.11.1944)     TOR                 Leg injury
26.11.1944 - 08.11.1945      101 GP    Babe Pratt          143 GP    (05.12.1942 - 08.11.1945)     TOR                 -
08.11.1945 - 20.10.1946      122 GP    Clint Smith         167 GP    (31.01.1943 - 20.10.1946)     NYR/CHI             Leg injury during training camp
20.10.1946 - 26.10.1946      135 GP    Elmer Lach          136 GP    (19.12.1943 - 26.10.1946)     MTL                 Hip injury
26.10.1946 - 07.12.1947      135 GP    Maurice Richard     210 GP    (30.12.1943 - 07.12.1947)     MTL                 Knee injury
07.12.1947 - 11.01.1948      149 GP    Toe Blake           161 GP    (27.01.1945 - 11.01.1948)     MTL                 Career-ending leg injury
11.01.1948 - 17.03.1948      143 GP    Woody Dumart        168 GP    (24.10.1945 - 17.03.1948)     BOS                 Charley horse
11.01.1948 - 09.01.1949      144 GP    Gaye Stewart*       204 GP    (27.10.1945 - 09.01.1949)     TOR/CHI             Head injury/concussion
09.01.1949 - 22.01.1949      180 GP    Frank Brimsek       183 GP    (10.01.1946 - 22.01.1949)     BOS                 Leave of absence following death of his son
22.01.1949 - 01.12.1949      172 GP    Turk Broda          215 GP    (06.02.1946 - 01.12.1949)     TOR                 Benched for being overweight
01.12.1949 - 14.10.1951      208 GP    Pat Egan            329 GP    (23.02.1946 - 14.10.1951)     BOS/NYR             Demoted to AHL after training camp/never played in NHL again
14.10.1951 - 28.10.1951      208 GP    Paul Ronty          212 GP    (07.03.1948 - 28.10.1951)     BOS/NYR             Illness
28.10.1951 - 19.03.1952      207 GP    Bill Quackenbush    268 GP    (13.10.1948 - 19.03.1952)     DET/BOS             Rested/night off on second final game of the regular season
19.03.1952 - 04.11.1954      229 GP    Gordie Howe         382 GP    (23.01.1949 - 04.11.1954)     DET                 Shoulder injury
04.11.1954 - 12.11.1955      329 GP    Sid Smith           405 GP    (21.12.1949 - 12.11.1955)     TOR                 Groin injury
12.11.1955 - 11.10.1956      367 GP    Tony Leswick        421 GP    (26.03.1950 - 11.10.1956)     NYR/DET/CHI         Demoted to a minor league after training camp
11.10.1956 - 12.10.1957      375 GP    Cal Gardner         444 GP    (01.02.1951 - 12.10.1957)     TOR/CHI/BOS         Demoted to AHL after training camp/never played in NHL again
12.10.1957 - 06.10.1960      370 GP    Johnny Wilson       580 GP    (10.02.1952 - 06.10.1960)     DET/CHI/DET/TOR     Demoted to AHL after training camp/suspended for refusing to report
06.10.1960 - 10.11.1962      352 GP    Glenn Hall          503 GP    (06.10.1955 - 10.11.1962)     DET/CHI             Back injury
06.10.1960 - 12.10.1964      351 GP    Andy Hebenton*      630 GP    (07.10.1955 - 12.10.1964)     NYR/BOS             Demoted to a minor league after training camp/never played in NHL again
12.10.1964 - 14.11.1964      536 GP    Alex Delvecchio     548 GP    (13.12.1956 - 14.11.1964)     DET                 Fractured jaw
14.11.1964 - 25.12.1964      477 GP    Andy Bathgate       493 GP    (08.12.1957 - 25.12.1964)     NYR/TOR             Broken thumb
25.12.1964 - 07.02.1968      256 GP    Tim Horton          486 GP    (11.02.1961 - 07.02.1968)     TOR                 Leg injury
07.02.1968 - 07.12.1968      247 GP    Alex Delvecchio     292 GP    (17.11.1964 - 07.12.1968)     DET                 Bruised ribs
07.12.1968 - 09.01.1969      283 GP    Harry Howell        297 GP    (16.12.1964 - 09.01.1969)     NYR                 Strained back
09.01.1969 - 27.11.1969      187 GP    Gary Bergman        242 GP    (26.03.1966 - 27.11.1969)     DET                 Charley horse
27.11.1969 - 10.10.1970      183 GP    Murray Oliver       240 GP    (26.02.1967 - 10.10.1970)     BOS/TOR             Contract dispute/holdout
10.10.1970 - 26.11.1970      234 GP    Gordie Howe         252 GP    (19.03.1967 - 26.11.1970)     DET                 Rib injury
26.11.1970 - 02.04.1972      215 GP    Ted Hampson         350 GP    (23.12.1967 - 02.04.1972)     DET/OAK/CGS/MNS     Left to WHA in the offseason/never played in NHL again
07.10.1972 - 22.12.1979      328 GP    Garry Unger         914 GP    (24.02.1968 - 22.12.1979)     TOR/DET/STL/AFM     Dressed on bench but held out of action due to a shoulder injury
22.12.1979 - 12.02.1983      515 GP    Craig Ramsay        776 GP    (27.03.1973 - 12.02.1983)     BUF                 Broken foot
12.02.1983 - 11.10.1987      617 GP    Doug Jarvis         964 GP    (08.10.1975 - 11.10.1987)     MTL/WSH/HFD         Healthy scratch/subsequent demotion to AHL to end his career
11.10.1987 - 06.10.1993      403 GP    Steve Larmer        884 GP    (06.10.1982 - 06.10.1993)     CHI                 Contract dispute/holdout
06.10.1993 - 01.04.1994      312 GP    Ken Daneyko         388 GP    (04.11.1989 - 01.04.1994)     NJD                 Separated shoulder
01.04.1994 - 03.12.1996      322 GP    Trevor Linden       482 GP    (04.10.1990 - 03.12.1996)     VAN                 Knee injury
03.12.1996 - 12.12.1998      406 GP    Mark Recchi         570 GP    (04.10.1991 - 12.12.1998)     PIT/PHI/MTL         Pneumonia
12.12.1998 - 02.10.1999      429 GP    Rod Brind'Amour     484 GP    (24.02.1993 - 02.10.1999)     PHI                 Fractured foot during training camp
02.10.1999 - 03.03.2000      298 GP    Teppo Numminen      360 GP    (17.12.1995 - 03.03.2000)     WIN/PHX             Hip flexor
03.03.2000 - 11.01.2003      228 GP    Tony Amonte         453 GP    (01.10.1997 - 11.01.2003)     CHI/PHX             Rib injury
11.01.2003 - 05.04.2003      343 GP    Robert Svehla       382 GP    (23.12.1998 - 05.04.2003)     FLA/TOR             Retirement
10.10.2003 - 25.02.2007      270 GP    Karlis Skrastins    495 GP    (21.02.2000 - 25.02.2007)     NSH/COL             Knee injury
25.02.2007 - 12.12.2007      492 GP    Brendan Morrison    542 GP    (27.02.2000 - 12.12.2007)     NJD/VAN             Wrist injury
12.12.2007 - 01.03.2008      419 GP    Cory Sarich         453 GP    (27.11.2001 - 01.03.2008)     TBL/CGY             Healthy scratch
01.03.2008 - 21.02.2009      437 GP    Andrew Brunette     509 GP    (02.01.2002 - 21.02.2009)     MIN/COL/MIN         Lower-body injury
21.02.2009 - 23.11.2014      319 GP    Jay Bouwmeester     737 GP    (06.03.2004 - 23.11.2014)     FLA/CGY/STL         Lower-body injury
23.11.2014 - 15.01.2018      562 GP    Andrew Cogliano     830 GP    (04.10.2007 - 15.01.2018)     EDM/ANA             Suspension
15.01.2018 -                 676 GP    Keith Yandle        797 GP    (26.03.2009 -           )     PHX/ARI/NYR/FLA

*Clint Benedict and Georges Vezina were the only two players playing all of their team's games in the first two NHL-seasons (maybe Rusty Crawford too depending on how his transfer from Ottawa to Toronto occured). They were the co-ironmen early on.

*Woody Dumart and Gaye Stewart were the co-ironmen after Toe Blake's streak ended, both having started their streaks from the start of the 1945-46 season.

*Glenn Hall and Andy Hebenton were the co-ironmen after Johnny Wilson, both having started their streaks from the start of the 1955-56 season.

*Roy Conacher could be looked as being the active ironman after Pat Egan having had played 253 consecutive games after the opening night of 1951-52 season. Egan got sent to AHL prior to the season but technically his streak then officially ended when he missed the opening game of the Rangers that season. Conacher got injured in the opening game and Black Hawks played their first two games of the season prior to Rangers' opening game, so therefore Conacher's streak came to a conclusion prior to Egan's streak. So I've excluded Conacher from the list.

*Bobby Rousseau was technically the active ironman after Gary Bergman having had played 186 consecutive games up until that point. However his streak ended just two days later and he did not play any games after Bergman's streak ended so I excluded him from the list. He never 'activated' his ironman status by playing a game.

*The in-season trades can murky situations on few occasions. Jack Portland might have been the leading ironman after Dave Kerr but he had missed a game in 1940-41 season right after having been traded to Montreal. Same situation with Flash Hollett who could have been the ironman after Bryan Hextall Sr. but he missed a game in 1943-44 right after having been traded to Detroit. Also Wayne Connelly might have been the ironman after Gordie Howe's second stint but he missed a game when he was traded from Minnesota to Detroit in 1968-69 season. Those two teams played on that same day so this should be easy to figure out though as Connelly should have been scratch for either of the teams regardless whether the trade happened prior to or after the game. Out of these Hollett's situation is murkiest as he first declined to report to Detroit so the trade might have officially went through few days later and that might save his ongoing ironman streak at that point. Portland's and Connelly's situations should be such that ended their streaks.

*Alex Delvecchio and Gordie Howe each held the leading ironman status twice in their careers.

*2019-20 season has not been yet updated into Keith Yandle's GP totals.

 

[Vujtek]

Came across this tidbit (from free online newspapers sources, mostly from Daily News from New York) about the early ironman Murray Murdoch I wasn't previously aware of:

Oct. 21, 1937 (JP). Murray Murdoch, holder of hockey's all-time high endurance record, will after all, be given a chance to run his consecutive game streak to 600 for the New York Rangers. Murdoch announced his voluntary retirement at the end of last season, but changed his mind and decided to continue playing. National hockey league rules, however, make impossible for him to return to big-time ice until two years after a voluntary retirement. He will therefore, have to play with the Rangers' farm team at Philadelphia during the coming season. To keep his string intact until after he has played in 600 straight games for the Rangers, coach Lester Patrick announced today Murray will be in the New Yorkers' lineup during the six pre-season exhibition games the Rangers will play with the Americans. Murdoch, a member of the original Ranger squad organized in 1926, has never missed a league, playoff or exhibition game in the past eleven seasons.

Nov. 2, 1937 Murray Murdoch Goes To Ramblers WINNIPEG, Murray "Ironman" Murdoch, holder of the world's record for consecutive professional hockey games, Monday night parted company with New York Rangers of the National league and headed for minor league company satisfied his record would live a long time, Murdoch completed his 600th game with Rangers Saturday at Saskatoon against New York Americans. At the end of his 11th season last spring, Murray's record stood at 594 games, league, playoff and exhibition. He went down to Philadelphia Ramblers, Rangers international-American farm team, when an N.H.L. ruling prohibited his return to majors after he voluntarily retired during the summer.

So NHL rules prevented him from playing in the league for 1937-38 (and 1938-39) season due to his voluntary retirement after the previous season but they made a pretty big deal that he would reach the 600 game mark (including exhibition) back then.

Murdoch ended up playing one season in the minors before retiring for good. Seems to have missed four regular season games there so the consecutive professional hockey games streak came to an end at some point.

Even when he hit the 400 game mark, he got a pretty big honor:

Jan. 24, 1934 Especially honored was Murray Murdoch, Ranger forward, who had taken part in every one of the Rangers' 400 games, establishing a record. Lou Gehrig, Yankee player who has been in 1,307 consecutive baseball games, waddled onto the ice and congratulated Mr. Murdoch.

Jan. 24, 1934 Rangers celebrated in the grand manner last night. Playing their four hundredth game since they were founded in 1926, they defeated the Ottawa Senators, 5 to 2, in a hockey brawl which lured 13,000 into Madison Square Garden. Especially honored was Murray Murdoch, who hasn't missed taking part in a single one of those 400 arguments, the lad being so durable and punctual that he has established a record for attendance. Compliments 'Em. Between the first and second periods the entire Ranger squad was assembled in the middle of the rink while compliments were paid by Col. John Kilpatrick, president of the Garden Corporation. Lester Patrick, who has been coaching for twenty-three years, was cheered. Bill Cook, who has been captain for eight seasons, was applauded. Ching Johnson was given a big hand, and finally a large soul in baggy pants waddled onto the ice. It was Hungry Lou Gehrig, who has taken part in no fewer than 1,350 baseball games. Hungry Lou paid his respects to the hero of the evening, Murdoch. Murdoch, in turn, seized the microphone and said several very lovely things about Herr Gehrig.

Jan. 24, 1934 Congrats! From one Iron Man to another. Lou Gehrig, who's played 1,307 consecutive games with. Yanks, presents ring to Murray Murdoch, who has taken part in every one of the Rangers 400 games.

Even in that 400 game figure they accounted for the exhibition games since up until that point Murdoch (and Rangers) had played 344 regular season and 40 playoff games.

Here's the excerpt from his 500th game:

Dec. 18, 1935 The "iron men" of the New York Ranger hockey team were honored by their mates last night as they skated on to the Ice of Madison Square Garden for the 500th game of the team. The two Cook brothers. Bun and Bill, Manager Lester Patrick, Frank Boucher, Murray Murdoch, Ching Johnson and Butch Keeling were introduced to the crowd before the contest and then other members of the club skated onto the ice to present them with suitcases. Murdoch, who has competed in every game the team has played, was the youngest looking man in the group. Keeling has played in the last 400 games.

(NOTE. The last sentence does not hold true as Keeling missed a game or two on several seasons, including the prior two season before that game happened.)

 

[Vujtek]

Phil Kessel became hockey's true ironman on Monday by playing his 950th consecutive NHL-game (regular season+playoffs) - an achievement that has gone unnoticed. Usually only regular season games are looked at when talking about ironman streaks but taking into account playoff games alongside regular season games is noteworthy stat as well.

Here's all consecutive regular season+playoff game streaks of atleast 800 games:

950 GP   Phil Kessel         (03.11.2009 -           )     TML/PIT/ARI
949 GP   Garry Unger         (24.02.1968 - 22.12.1979)     TML/DET/STL/ATF
946 GP   Keith Yandle        (26.03.2009 -           )     PHX/NYR/FLA
905 GP   Steve Larmer        (20.04.1983 - 06.10.1993)     CHI
890 GP * Andrew Cogliano     (04.10.2007 - 15.01.2018)     EDM/ANA
890 GP   Patrick Marleau     (02.05.2010 -           )     SJS/TML/PIT

 

[BraveCanadian]

Phil Kessel became hockey's true ironman on Monday by playing his 950th consecutive NHL-game (regular season+playoffs) - an achievement that has gone unnoticed. Usually only regular season games are looked at when talking about ironman streaks but taking into account playoff games alongside regular season games is noteworthy stat as well.

Here's all consecutive regular season+playoff game streaks of atleast 800 games:

950 GP   Phil Kessel         (03.11.2009 -           )     TML/PIT/ARI
949 GP   Garry Unger         (24.02.1968 - 22.12.1979)     TML/DET/STL/ATF
946 GP   Keith Yandle        (26.03.2009 -           )     PHX/NYR/FLA
905 GP   Steve Larmer        (20.04.1983 - 06.10.1993)     CHI
890 GP * Andrew Cogliano     (04.10.2007 - 15.01.2018)     EDM/ANA
890 GP   Patrick Marleau     (02.05.2010 -           )     SJS/TML/PIT

Yikes a lot of softies on there for an ironman record.

 

[Iapyi]

Yikes a lot of softies on there for an ironman record.

Yeah, the way that Kessel refuses to engage in puck battles should preclude him from any consideration. It's not really hockey what he plays as far as most are concerned.

 

[jcs0218]

Yikes a lot of softies on there for an ironman record.

I think avoiding contact would help a player play lots of consecutive games in a row.

Your chances of getting hurt and missing a game increase the more physical of a player you are.

 

[jcs0218]

Yandle is going to break Jarvis' record sometime next season.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Yandle is going to break Jarvis' record sometime next season.

i haven’t followed this almost at all but what ended up happening in florida? did the gm and/or owner and/lor league and/or some other power that is step in and force Q to play him?

 

[Vujtek]

Phil Kessel is in line to reach 1000 consecutive games (regular season + playoffs combined) played over the weekend and become the first player in NHL history to achieve that milestone. He now sits at 998 consecutive games played and Coyotes have b2b on Saturday/Sunday. Huge milestone ahead for the two-time Stanley Cup champion Kessel.

List of such (regular season + playoffs) streaks of over 900 games:

998 GP   Phil Kessel         (03.11.2009 -           )     TML/PIT/ARI
979 GP   Keith Yandle        (26.03.2009 - 20.05.2021)     PHX/NYR/FLA
949 GP   Garry Unger         (24.02.1968 - 22.12.1979)     TML/DET/STL/ATF
923 GP   Patrick Marleau     (02.05.2010 -           )     SJS/TML/SJS/PIT/SJS
905 GP   Steve Larmer        (20.04.1983 - 06.10.1993)     CHI