Andrew Cogliano a first-round pick like no other
Andrew Cogliano doesn't always get the headlines, but he's proven to be an invaluable piece of the Anaheim Ducks' core and one of the NHL's most reliable players for nearly a decade.
Cogliano reached another milestone Wednesday night against the Edmonton Oilers, and the latest feat in his remarkable run further emphasizes just how impressive the streak has been.
The veteran forward played in his 777th consecutive contest, passing Craig Ramsay to take sole possession of the fourth-longest ironman streak in league history.
Cogliano tied Ramsay on Sunday, three months after passing St. Louis Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester for fifth on the all-time list and securing the longest active consecutive games streak in the process.
Incredibly, he hasn't missed a game in his NHL career, which began with the Oilers in 2007-08 after they selected him 25th overall in the 2005 draft.
Assuming he's able to play the remaining nine games on Anaheim's regular-season schedule, that would give him an astounding 10 seasons without sitting out a single contest.
He could then catch former NHL forward Steve Larmer for third all time if he plays another full season and the first 16 games in 2018-19.
| Rank | Player | Consecutive GP |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Doug Jarvis | 964 |
| 2 | Garry Unger | 914 |
| 3 | Larmer | 884 |
| 4 | Cogliano | 777 |
| 5 | Ramsay | 776 |
Cogliano hasn't been a typical first-round talent, but he averaged 14 goals in his nine previous campaigns and he's already equaled that figure this season.
The 29-year-old is often overshadowed by Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Rickard Rakell, and Ryan Kesler on a Ducks squad that's loaded with talent up front, but he's playing top-six minutes and is also one of the league's best penalty killers.
Cogliano isn't flashy and his skills are sometimes underappreciated, but he deserves more credit for what he provides and for the fact that he's done it for almost 10 years straight.