Lightning defensemen Ryan McDonagh joins exclusive club with latest blocked shot

Tampa Bay Lightning defensemen Ryan McDonagh became the eighth player in NHL history to hit 2,000 blocked shots on Tuesday night against the New York Islanders. 

The milestone comes in the span of a significant few days for the 35-year-old blueliner, having been honored for playing 1,000 NHL regular-season games in Saturday’s 5-3 victory over the Islanders on home ice at Amalie Arena.

He skated in his 1,000th game in an 8-0 win over the Utah Hockey Club in Salt Lake City on March 27. 

Also on Tuesday, he joined former Tampa Bay teammate Mikhail Sergachev for the second-most shot blocks in franchise history at 670. 

By cresting 2,000, McDonagh joins an illustrious group, headlined by San Jose Sharks defensemen Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who set the all-time NHL record earlier in the 2024-25 season with his 2,165th block. As of Tuesday, Vlasic boasted 2,176 blocked shots. 

Former Calgary Flames, Seattle Kraken and Toronto Maple Leafs defensemen Marc Giordano previously held the record, blocking 2,164 shots through 1,148 regular season games in a Norris Trophy-winning career, which started in 2006, the year after the NHL began tracking blocked shots in 2005-06.

A two-time Stanley Cup champion, McDonagh has played 1,0002 NHL regular season games through six seasons with the Lightning, in addition to six with the New York Rangers and a single campaign with the Nashville Predators. Through his career, he’s scored 79 goals and 417 points while adding another 12 goals and 65 points in 191 Stanley Cup Playoff games. 

Heading into their Tuesday matchup with the Islanders, the Lightning sat second in the Atlantic Division on 91 points, tied with their state rival Florida Panthers, while trailing the first-place Maple Leafs, who were on 94 points in 74 games. 

With eight games remaining after Tuesday, the Lightning will close their regular-season schedule on April 17 with a visit to the Rangers before looking ahead to the postseason.