Since its inception in 1917–18, 404 players have played at least 1,000 regular season games, varying in amounts between Patrick Marleau's 1,779 to Bernie Federko's 1,000.
Of these players, a number have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
[1] Forty-nine of the listed players have played for only one franchise (of which 15 are still active as of the current 2024–25 season).
Brothers Eric, Jordan, and Marc Staal became the only trio of brothers to play 1,000 games each in the NHL, with Marc making this achievement possible by playing his 1,000th game in the 2021–22 season.
Patrick Roy, Martin Brodeur, Roberto Luongo, and Marc-Andre Fleury are the only goaltenders with at least 1,000 games played.
The first 1,000-game goaltender was Roy, marked in the 2002–03 season while Brodeur has a goaltender-leading 1,266 games.
Three of those 21 (Nicklas Lidstrom, Alex Delvecchio and Steve Yzerman) played their entire careers with Detroit; Shane Doan, of the Winnipeg/Phoenix/Arizona franchise, is the only player to play over 1,500 games with a single franchise other than Detroit.
In addition, eight of the 21 spent at least some portion of their career with the Red Wings, also more than any other team.
Jagr played his 1,500th game with New Jersey, his seventh NHL team.
No NHL player surpassed 1,000 games before Gordie Howe on November 26, 1961, against the Chicago Black Hawks.
Note: There have been two different NHL franchises carrying the Winnipeg Jets name: one that played from 1979–96 and that is now the Arizona Coyotes, and one from 2011 onward, formerly the Atlanta Thrashers.
Added to the NHL for the 2024–25 season, the Utah Hockey Club has not yet existed for 1,000 games.
Added to the NHL for the 2017–18 season, the Golden Knights have not yet existed for 1,000 games.