The 2017-18 NHL season gets underway on Wednesday night and fans are beyond excited to get the season going.
Eleven different players enter this season with a chance of playing their 1,000th career game, but some of them are going to need to stay healthy all season long. Marian Gaborik needs to play just 11 games, while Michal Rozsival is just 37 games shy of the 1,000 game plateau, but with both players on the long-term injured reserve it's highly unlikely they hit the mark this season.
While Gaborik and Rozsival will probably have to wait another season, here are the nine other players who have a good shot at playing their 1,000th NHL game this season.
Rick Nash
Rick Nash was selected first overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets back in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. This season will be the Brampton, Ontario native's sixth season with the New York Rangers and is 11 games shy of 1,000 career games played.
Antoine Vermette
Antoine Vermette was selected 55th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. Despite bouncing around to a few teams throughout his career, the 35-year-old is now a member of the Anaheim Ducks and is 18 games shy of No. 1,000.
Roberto Luongo
Roberto Luongo was selected fourth overall by the New York Islanders in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. It's a little tougher for Luongo to reach the 1,000 career games mark as a goalie, but the six-time NHL All-Star is just 34 starts shy of 1,000 career games played.
Dustin Brown
Dustin Brown was selected 13th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. The two-time Stanley Cup champion has spent his entire career with the Kings and has been able to stay healthy for the majority of his career. This year, the former Kings captain will need to play 36 games to reach the 1,000 career games mark.
Dan Hamhuis
Dan Hamhuis was selected 12th overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. The 34-year-old defenceman spent the first half of his career with the Predators before moving to Vancouver to join the Canucks for six seasons. Entering his second season with the Dallas Stars, Hamhuis is 49 games shy of the 1,000 career games plateau.
Matt Stajan
Matt Stajan was selected 57th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. The Mississauga, Ontario native was dealt to the Calgary Flames during the 2009-10 season and has been a member of the Flames ever since. If Stajan can play 65 games this season, he'll join the exclusive list.
Brent Seabrook
Brent Seabrook was selected 14th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, one spot after Dustin Brown. The 32-year-old has spent his entire career with the Blackhawks and is a three-time Stanley Cup champion. Seabrook enters the 2017-18 campaign 77 games shy of 1,000 career games.
Alex Ovechkin
Alex Ovechkin was selected 1st overall by the Washington Capitals in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. The six-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner has managed to stay healthy for a majority of his career and enters the season 79 games shy of No. 1,000.
Tomas Plekanec
Tomas Plekanec was selected 71st overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Just like Alex Ovechkin, Plekanec enters the 2017-18 season 79 games shy of 1,000 career games.
