Things you remember as you approach your 1,000th NHL game played ...
Nick Schultz was just a teenage rookie. He scored his first goal on Nov. 29, 2001 against Florida in a home game for the Wild.
“My dad was there,” Schultz recalled. “I was only 19 years old. We went out for dinner after the game with him and I told the waitress I was 21, just so I could have a beer with him.”
Schultz's future wife, Jessica, came to his first NHL game on Oct. 14, 2001 in Minnesota.
“We played Edmonton,” Schultz said. “We were just dating at the time. She was there right from the first game and has been with me ever since.”
The 2003 playoffs. The Wild had won two grueling, seven-game playoff series to advance to the Western Conference Finals against Anaheim, which swept them.
“Just being around so many great players was a privilege,” Schultz said.
On Wednesday, the 33-year-old Flyers defenseman will play his 1,000th career game as the Flyers host the Boston Bruins at Wells Fargo Center.
“That’s an extremely impressive benchmark in terms of games played in a career,” coach Dave Hakstol said. “Not all that many players have been able to do it. It speaks to his professionalism and his work level throughout his career.”
Schultz signed here two summers ago on a one-year contract as a depth player, turned into a surprise starter and was arguably the club’s best defensive defenseman last year, earning a new two-year, $4.5 million contract.
“I feel fortunate to have played that long,” the 15-year veteran said. “As a kid, it’s your dream to make the NHL. To stick around this long, it’s fun to be part of a team and come to a rink every day and play in the best league in the world.”
Schultz's first 10 years were spent with the Wild from their inception into the league. Jacques Lemaire and Mike Ramsey took him under their wing that first season. Lemaire taught Schultz about positioning. Ramsey showed him how to use his stick effectively against stronger opponents.
“Both those guys were very defense-oriented,” Schultz said. “Mike knew the position. I was able to learn from him. I spent a lot of extra time after practice with both of them, learning how you play in front of the net. Your stick positioning, different things like that. It goes a long way in teaching a young player.”
Schultz believes the key to longevity is finding your niche within a team and being flexible enough to adjust when asked.
“It’s opportunity and finding a place that works,” he said. “In Minnesota, I had a chance to play at a young age and come in on an expansion team and play there for a long time and it worked out.”
Didn’t work out in Edmonton or Columbus, but he found that niche with the Flyers.
“There’s always people who think you’re not good enough to play,” Schultz said. “You have to believe in yourself and in your ability. Understand your role on the team and fit in. Understand what that team wants. That is important.”
Schultz has played in three markets where hockey is a significant sport. He loves the atmosphere here in Philly.
“Edmonton was a crazy hockey market,” he said. “I’m lucky to play in good places where people are passionate about the game. It’s fun to come and play where people understand the game and expect the team to play well.
“As a player, you want that pressure to go out and perform. ... If you come to a building that is half-empty and no one cares, that is not the recipe for success. It’s nice to go out and have a building full of fans who know what is going on.”
Schultz, who leads the Flyers with 87 blocked shots, has been paired with Mark Streit much of his time in Philadelphia.
“He’s very steady, very solid, great defensively,” Streit said. “He does all the little things that most people who watch a hockey game don’t realize. It goes under the radar. As teammates, you appreciate the small things. Making a little play, taking a hit, blocking a ton of shots, just the kind of guy he is in the locker room.”
Streit has played 675 NHL games. But when you add his games played over in Europe, he’s over 1,000. Think about this: The Flyers have a defensive pair in which each man has played 1,000 or more hockey games.
“We’re 72 years old as a pair,” Streit joked. “I don’t know if that is good or bad. There’s a lot of experience out there. Not very often that happens.”
Incidentally, according to Elias, the last team in the NHL to have two defensemen on its roster with 1,000 or more games both playing in the same game was the Flyers on April 13, 2013 when Hal Gill and Kimmo Timonen both dressed that night.