When the San Jose Sharks and Boston Bruins play at TD Garden on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; NESN, NBCSCA, NHL.TV),
three of the top 22 all-time
in NHL games played will be on the ice: Sharks forwards Patrick Marleau (fifth, 1,665) and Joe Thornton (12th, 1,578), and Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara (22nd, 1,496).
Chara is 42 years old, and Marleau and Thornton each is 40. It's the first time three players at least 40 years old played in the same game was March 4, 2014, when New Jersey Devils forward Jaromir Jagr (42) and goalie Martin Brodeur (41) played against Detroit Red Wings forward Daniel Alfredsson (41). It's the first time three skaters at least 40 years old played in the same game since April 1, 2013, when Anaheim Ducks forward Teemu Selanne (42) played against Dallas Stars forwards Jagr (41) and Ray Whitney (40).