Casey Cizikas is on the doorstep of a milestone that has eluded some of the longest-running names in recent Islanders history.
The veteran forward is heading into his 16th NHL season with 978 career games, and every one of them has come in a New York Islanders uniform. He needs 22 more to reach 1,000, a mark he could hit early this season if he stays healthy and keeps his place in the lineup.
“I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about it, but it's not my main focus,” Cizikas told WFAN.com. “It's definitely a milestone that I'll be extremely proud of when I get there.”
That number has been a near miss for several of his former teammates. Josh Bailey got to 1,000 games with the Islanders in 2022, but Brock Nelson was traded to the Colorado Avalanche before reaching the milestone and ended up playing his 1,000th NHL game with Colorado.
Anders Lee, who served as Islanders captain, entered free agency this summer with 923 career games, all with New York. General manager Mathieu Darche offered Lee a one-year contract that would have given him a chance to reach 1,000 with the Islanders, but Lee instead signed a three-year deal with the Utah Mammoth.
Cizikas, meanwhile, has the chance to get there without ever leaving the organization.
If he plays in New York’s first 22 games, his 1,000th NHL game would come Nov. 21 against the Detroit Red Wings.
He’s not getting ahead of himself.
“Twenty-two games is still a long way away,” Cizikas said. “You have to prove yourself every single night in this league to earn a spot on the roster.”
For years, Cizikas has been one of the Islanders’ most durable pieces and spent much of his career as the center of the “Identity Line” alongside Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck. For now, he said his attention is still on helping the Islanders win. The milestone, if everything breaks right, will take care of itself soon enough.
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