"It's kinda neat. It's another sign you're getting a little older," Bouwmeester said of the milestone. "It's kind of like birthdays (where) after a certain point you don't want to know what number it is."
"I've been pretty fortunate throughout my career with injuries and stuff," he added. "I got to 1,000 games at a relatively young age, so that was a cool thing, that's a neat number to hit and more of a milestone. Now, it's just you want to keep playing as long as you can and I feel like I can still play."
Over his 15-year career, Bouwmeester has suited up for three different teams (Florida, 471, Calgary, 279, St. Louis, 349). The Edmonton, Alberta native was drafted third overall in 2002 by the Florida Panthers and has posted 397 points (84 goals, 313 assists) in his career.
Bouwmeester becomes the 185th player in NHL history to play in at least 1,100 games. He will also become the eighth player to reach the milestone while wearing a Blue Note.
