Statistics play a massive role in the NHL. Not only do they indicate how well a player or team is doing, but they are used to compare current NHLers from the past and the present. Whether it is goals, assists, wins or points, stats are an important part of the NHL as they help fans and media predict, compare and rank different players throughout history.
While they weren’t always available, the NHL has done a fantastic job of expanding their collection of statistics to include more than just points and win totals. Whether it is hits, blocked shots or even time on ice, there is now an opportunity to salute those who do the little things needed to ensure their team is successful. Without further ado, here are some lesser-known all-time records in NHL history.
*Note: All records are as of the start of the 1997-98 NHL season.
Hits – Cal Clutterbuck: 3,756
Few players in the NHL are as tough as Cal Clutterbuck. Not only has he surpassed the 200-hit mark 11 times in his career, he is the current all-time leader in hits with 3,756. Despite his age, he is a player who doesn’t look to be slowing down, as in 2022-23, the 35-year-old finished with 194 hits despite only playing in 49 games.
An interesting race to watch this season will be to see if Clutterbuck can hold on to the record throughout the season. He will have some internal competition as teammate Matt Martin is just 53 hits off of his linemate. Regardless of who holds the record by the end of the season, expect plenty of hits coming from their line in 2023-24.
Blocked Shots – Mark Giordano: 2,078
A player’s ability to not only block shots but put their body on the line night after night is a skill that is underrated in the NHL. Not only do they need to line themselves up with where the shot may be coming from, but they also need to have the courage to willingly be hit with a puck, sometimes going over 90 miles an hour. While many have had success blocking shots, none have been better than Mark Giordano, who not only holds the record but is one of four players to eclipse the 2,000 mark for their career.
After a successful season with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2022-23, where he blocked 147 shots, there is little doubt that he will reach the century mark once again in 2023-24. A player who seems to be getting better with age, he should hold the record once again at the end of the upcoming season as his next closest active player is San Jose Sharks Marc-Édouard Vlasic, who sits 42 blocked shots behind in third place. Based on his totals from the last few seasons, do not be surprised if he becomes the first-ever player to eclipse the 2,300 mark by the end of the campaign.
Takeaways – Joe Thornton: 962
When discussing Joe Thornton’s career, most will talk about how he is one of the greatest playmakers of the last 20 years. He sits seventh on the all-time assist list and is just one of 13 players to eclipse the 1,000-assist mark. Looking back on his career, though, it seems he had another skill, as he is the current leader in all-time takeaways since the statistic started being tracked.
Related: Revisiting Joe Thornton’s Impact on the San Jose Sharks
The reason Thornton leads this list is not necessarily because of his defensive play but more because of the amount of time he spent in the NHL. Despite playing 600 more games than second-place Ryan O’Reilly, he only leads the current Nashville Predator by 33 takeaways. While his reign at the top of the list may be coming to an end shortly, the record is a testimony to just how good the former Shark was throughout his career.
Faceoff Wins – Patrice Bergeron: 15,182
One of the easiest records on this list to guess, Patrice Bergeron tops the all-time faceoff wins list with over 15,000 during his career. Not only is he the only player with over 15,000 wins, no one in the history of the statistic has over 14,000, with the next closest being Sidney Crosby, who has won 13,558 over his illustrious career. This, like the record for most Selke Trophy wins all-time, is a record he should hold onto for the foreseeable future.
Bergeron’s dominance in the faceoff dot was fluid all the way until his retirement in the 2023 offseason. He finished below 50% once during his 19-year career while winning over 1,000 draws in five of those seasons, including his final year in 2022-23. Arguably, the greatest two-way forward in NHL history, he should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer in a few years.
Time On Ice – Zdeno Chara: 39,485:19
From one former Bruins captain to another, Zdeno Chara is the NHL’s all-time leader in time on ice, playing over 39,000 minutes during his career. For reference, that is the equivalent of playing just over 27 straight days of hockey. A force that averaged over 21 minutes in 20 of his 24 seasons, he leads second-place Ryan Suter by over 5,800 minutes and should keep the record for at least the next few seasons.
Related: Zdeno Chara – 7 Cool Things About the Big Guy
On top of leading in all-time overall minutes, Chara also holds the record for most shifts with 45,702 and shorthanded minutes with 5,768:04. While the numbers are staggering, the records are a reminder of just how consistent he was at avoiding injury even late into his career. One of the league’s best defencemen from 2002-2014, do not be surprised if he ends up in the Hall of Fame in the next few years.
Plenty Of Records Could Be Broken In 2023-24
Heading into the 2023-24 season, there are still plenty of records that could be broken. Whether they have been mentioned above, like takeaways and hits, or others like empty net goals or shootout goals, there will be plenty of players looking to establish new franchise or league records during the upcoming season. Regardless of how big or small the record is, each player should be celebrated when they finally make it to the top of the list.
