November 29 in Hockey

# November 29 in Hockey History

November 29 has emerged as a significant date in the NHL calendar, marking the career milestones of numerous players across different eras. The date showcases the league's rich tradition of longevity and consistent performance at the professional level, with accomplishments spanning from 2007 through 2024.

The Elite Tier: 800+ Games

The rarest achievement on November 29 belongs to the select group who reached 800 career games. Rick Nash accomplished this milestone in 2014, joining an exclusive cohort of durable NHL performers. Two years earlier, on November 29, 2007, Shean Donovan reached the same plateau, demonstrating that this threshold represents genuine elite status in professional hockey history.

The 700-Game Threshold

November 29 has witnessed multiple players cross the 700-game mark, establishing this date as particularly significant for career longevity milestones. Chris Thorburn achieved this feat in 2016, while Corey Perry—one of the most decorated players of his generation—reached his 1,000th career game on November 29, 2019, the most prominent individual accomplishment recorded on this date.

The 700-game milestone continued to appear on this date with regularity. Sean Monahan joined this group in 2023, and William Karlsson followed suit in 2024, indicating that November 29 functions as a consistent marker for established veterans navigating their career trajectories.

The 500-600 Game Range

The accumulation of 500-career-game milestones on November 29 reveals how this date has become distinctly associated with veteran recognition. Five players have reached 500 games on this date: Mikael Granlund (2019), Jordan Martinook (2022), Nick Jensen (2023), and Steve Reinprecht (2008). Brad Stuart reached 600 games on November 29, 2008, sharing the date with Reinprecht's milestone.

Contextual Significance

These milestones reflect the modern NHL's emphasis on player durability and the increased relevance of analytics in measuring career achievement. The concentration of milestones on a single date—particularly across consecutive years—suggests that November 29 falls at a natural inflection point in the NHL calendar, roughly one-third through the regular season when veteran players accumulate games at predictable rates.

The geographic and franchise diversity represented by these accomplishments—ranging from established organizations to newer iterations like Vegas and Arizona franchises—underscores how career longevity transcends organizational affiliation. Players achieving these milestones represent various playing styles and positions, yet all exemplify the consistency required to sustain NHL careers spanning a decade or more.

By the Numbers