Flyers' Keith Yandle sets NHL ironman mark with 965 straight games
The Flyers' Keith Yandle looks on during a stoppage in the third period of an NHL game against the Stars on Monday in Philadelphia. Credit: AP/Derik Hamilton
NHL history was made on Tuesday night at UBS Arena.
Flyers defenseman Keith Yandle, in his 15th season, played in his league-record 965th straight game, logging 11:58 in the Islanders’ 4-3 win. That moved Yandle past Doug Jarvis, who had held the NHL ironman record for more than 35 years.
"It’s unbelievable," Islanders defenseman Andy Greene said. "To stay healthy, it takes a lot of luck. Especially these last two years with COVID. To play that many games and for that long, it’s remarkable. Good for him."
His milestone was marked during a first-period stoppage, with Yandle waving and acknowledging the crowd’s applause.
Yandle is in his first season with the Flyers after the Panthers bought out the final two seasons of his seven-year, $44.45 million deal. He was a fourth-round pick of the Coyotes in 2005. The Rangers acquired him from Arizona in 2015.
"It’s pretty unique," Islanders coach Barry Trotz said of Yandle’s accomplishment. "You get hurt, you get tweaks. You get random fire even from your own guys. Being a defenseman, you get tangled up with someone.
"As the game has gotten faster, guys have come a little more physical at you, especially on the forecheck. And he’s been able to get through that and get through a COVID-riddled couple of seasons. That’s even more impressive."
Jarvis, a center, did not miss a game in his NHL career, starting with the Canadiens in 1975 and ending with the Hartford Whalers in 1987.
Notes & quotes: Defenseman Scott Mayfield has the Islanders’ longest current ironman streak at 124 games…Brock Nelson had two assists…Mathew Barzal notched his first power-play goal of the season…Trotz said, other than one play, he was happy with Oliver Wahlstrom’s game after he had been benched the previous four periods. Wahlstrom had two shots in 14:08.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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