Ray Whitney On Verge Of 1000 Career Points

Tonight, Ray Whitney can do what only 78 NHL players have done in their career. Score 1000 points. To grasp the magnitude of this, here are some facts for the 1000 point mark.

1. It took 44 years from the start of the NHL for a player to get 1000 points.
2. Gordie Howe was the first player to reach the milestone in the 1960-1961 season. Seven years later, Jean Believeau made it to 1000.
3. Wayne Gretzky did it in the fewest games, 424. Mario Lemieux holds the record for second fewest with 513 games.
4. Dave Andreychuk scored 1000 points in game 998, making him the player with the closest 1 point a game stat over 1000 games.
5. The following players, eleven in total, have reached the 1000 points in just assists alone. This includes Wayne Gretzky, Ron Francis, Mark Messier, Ray Bourque, Paul Coffee, Adam Oates, Steve Yzerman, Gordie Howe, Marcel Dionne, Mario Lemieux, and Joe Sakic.
6. Some of the legends not listed above, all of whom are in the Hall of Fame by the way, include: Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Henri Richard, Phil Esposito, Rod Gilbert, Guy Lafleur, Bobby Clarke, Gilbert Perreault, Mike Bossy, Jari Kuri, Dale Hawerchuk, Mike Gartner, Doug Gilmour, and Brett Hull.
7. Ray Whitney will join the list in spite of losing the 2004-2005 season due to the NHL labor lockout.

We here at Howlin’ Hockey want to say congratulations to a fantastic player and person in Ray Whitney. Thank you for choosing to put on the sweater of the Phoenix Coyotes. You have made players around you better, and that is the true measure of a man and a player.