A massive accomplishment for NHL players is reaching 1,000 career games. Earlier this season, Flyers forward Erik Johnson reached his 1,000th career game. The former first-overall pick from the St. Louis Blues in 2006 won the cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022.
Another player who has played for both the Philadelphia Flyers and St. Louis Blues is Brayden Schenn. The Los Angeles Kings drafted Schenn fifth overall in the 2009 entry-level draft. He went on to be traded to the Philadelphia Flyers, along with Wayne Simmonds, in 2011. Schenn played with his brother Luke in Philadelphia for a few seasons. However, he was later traded to the St. Louis Blues in 2017 and won the Stanley Cup with the team in 2019. Schenn was later named captain of the Blues Before the 2023-2024 season started. Schenn is in his eighth season with the Blues and is 16th overall in the NHL.
Being in a position where I’ve had the privilege of covering both the Blues and Flyers, I’ve been able to speak with the Blues captain for years. At the beginning of the season, Schenn said, “We need to play with one another and play hard.” Schenn also reiterated that the goal is the playoffs, and he will help the team in every way possible to get there. However, the Blues have also been having a tough season. They’ve recently gained five out of six points in their last three games. Schenn has been a key factor in the team’s most recent success. While the playoffs seem like a long shot at this point for the Blues, it’s with Schenn’s leadership that the team still has a chance.
Erik Johnson discussed Schenn’s upcoming milestone. While the two never crossed over, Johnson maintained a personal relationship with Schenn off the ice. Johnson stated, “It’s super tricky. (to reach 1,000 career games). I know him personally through other friends and am super happy for him. He’s a good person and a good player. Going through that 1,000 games experience myself this year, I can speak to the fact that it’s kind of a big buildup until the game, and then once it’s over, you kind of have the attention off you because everyone is talking about it. It’s a huge milestone everyone wants to hit, and once you hit it, you can sigh in relief. It’s a milestone that not a lot of people get to. It takes longevity, durability, and all of those things that help you stay in the league for a long time. It’s a great moment for him.”
The St. Louis Blues will face the Washington Capitals tonight in D.C. While this is a monumental game for Schenn, a lot of the attention will be on Alexander Ovechkin, who is 13 goals shy of breaking former St. Louis Blues captain Wayne Gretzky‘s goal record.
Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
