Marleau passes Gordie Howe for most NHL games played with 1,768
David Becker / National Hockey League / Getty
San Jose Sharks winger Patrick Marleau eclipsed Gordie Howe's all-time record for NHL games played Monday night versus the Vegas Golden Knights, lacing up the skates in his 1,768th career contest.
Here's a look at the leaderboard:
| Rank | Player | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patrick Marleau | 1768* |
| 2 | Gordie Howe | 1767 |
| 3 | Mark Messier | 1756 |
| 4 | Jaromir Jagr | 1733 |
| 5 | Ron Francis | 1731 |
| 6 | Joe Thornton | 1669* |
* - active player
Howe had held the record since 1980. Mr. Hockey played until he was 51, but he was a member of the World Hockey Association for six years.
Marleau, 41, is in his 23rd NHL season. He's played 21 of those with the Sharks, and he also had stints with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins.
He was drafted second overall in 1997 and sits 23rd all time with 566 goals. In 2021, Marleau's notched eight points in 44 games.