Stanley Cup Champion, former WHL Rookie of the Year Brayden Schenn celebrates 1,000th NHL game

St. Louis, Mo.- St. Louis Blues Captain Brayden Schenn celebrated 1,000 NHL games in style on Sunday night, burying his 276th NHL goal less than a minute into the game.

He’s the 403rd player in NHL history to hit the prestigious milestone and the fourth WHL alum to do so this season after his brother, Luke Schenn (Winnipeg Jets / Kelowna Rockets), Tyler Myers (Vancouver Canucks / Kelowna Rockets) and Mikael Backlund (Calgary Flames / Kelowna Rockets) all hit the millennium mark.

The Saskatoon, Sask. product suited up for his 1,000th game, a 5-2 road win against the Washington Capitals that saw him tally two assists, on February 27, 2025, but was honoured in a special ceremony with his family in St. Louis on March 16.

“It’s one of those things you never really think of when you enter the league,” Schenn said ahead of the milestone match. “You feel fortunate and lucky to be a part of such a special league. And then, you know, game by game, I guess it adds up. You don’t get here without the help of a lot of people along the way, too. That’s obviously family and people from all over different organizations that I played with and teammates.”

"When you do look back on it, you realize how many special teammates and people you’ve met throughout the game of hockey. It’s a special sport."

Brayden Schenn joined John Kelly to reflect on 1,000 games and his career thus far. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/4sN9Mdm2XH

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) February 27, 2025

Eight sets of brothers have hit 1,000 NHL games, including fellow alumni Geoff and Russ Courtnall (Victoria Cougars), Scott Niedermayer (Kamloops Blazers), Rob Niedermayer (Medicine Hat Tigers), and Brent and Ron Sutter (Lethbridge Broncos), but the Schenns are the first to mark the achievement in the same season.

“It’s funny how things work out,” Brayden added. “Obviously, (we) got drafted a year apart and have different career paths along the way. Luke spent some time in the minors a little bit and battled his way back. It’s just one of those things that you look back on. It’s been a relationship where we’ve always pushed each other, loved each other every minute of the way and enjoyed cheering each other on and get to do it in the same year, the first set of brothers… It’s actually crazy that we’re the first ones to do that.”

It’s a journey that started back in 2007 when Brayden struck out to make a name for himself with the Brandon Wheat Kings.

His older brother, Luke, was already a WHL standout on the Kelowna Rockets blueline, but Schenn burst onto the scene as a high-flying centreman who would lead the Wheat Kings and all WHL rookies in scoring with 71 points (28G-43A) in 66 games.

Luke was so impressed with his younger brother’s rookie run that he surprised him in Brandon after winning a gold medal for Canada at the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship.

After the gold-medal game, the elder Schenn had a few days off to recharge before re-joining the Rockets and opted to see his brother play in the WHL for the first time.

“He didn’t know we were coming,” Luke told Sportsnet at the time. “We decided to drive down and surprise him… and I’m definitely very happy that we did.”

“I was a little bit shocked,” Brayden said afterward. “I didn’t think when he had his days off he would come to Brandon, but that’s the kind of guy he is.”

Brayden would go on to win the 2008 Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as the WHL’s Rookie of the Year and earn a spot on the CHL All-Rookie Team.

The 6-foot, 193-pound centreman suited up for 224 regular season matches with the Wheat Kings and, in his final season, his hometown Saskatoon Blades, netting a total of 116 goals and 199 assists for 315 points.

He averaged more than a point per game with 51 postseason points (24G-27A) in 43 playoff tilts, highlighted by three straight trips to the WHL Eastern Conference Championship.

Schenn was named a WHL East Division All-Star twice and won a silver medal at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship.

In a funny coincidence, both Schenn brothers were selected fifth overall in their respective NHL Drafts, with Brayden going to Los Angeles.

Schenn played short parts of two seasons with the Kings before a trade sent him to Philadelphia, where he carved out a goal-scoring niche with the Flyers.

He was dealt to St. Louis ahead of the 2017-18 season and hasn’t looked back.

In his eight seasons in Missouri, Schenn has but up more than 400 points.

Most importantly, he played a key role in helping the Blues rise from last place in the NHL in the 2018-19 regular season to lifting the Stanley Cup that spring.

Schenn scored the first goal of the Stanley Cup Final against the Boston Bruins and lit the lamp again to add some insurance in Game 7.

He was named the 24th Captain in Blues history in September of 2023.

Schenn has amassed 276 goals and 402 assists for 678 points in 1008 career games.

The Blues now turn their attention to the NHL’s playoff race, with St. Louis sitting third in the wild car race with points in eight of their last 10 games.

Schenn and his teammates are back in action on Tuesday, March 18 at 7:00 p.m. as they face the Nashville Predators.