FROM 1975 TO 1987, DOUG JARVIS SUITED UP FOR 964 CONSECUTIVE GAMES, SETTING A RECORD THAT WILL LIKELY NEVER BE BROKEN.

Hockey’s reigning iron man, Doug Jarvis broke into the NHL on opening night of the 1975-76 season and remained in his team’s lineup for the next 964 consecutive games, a record that may never be broken.

Skilled, dedicated and reliable, Jarvis spent the first seven years of his career with the Montreal Canadiens. Like many junior scoring sensations before him, Jarvis soon found out that his impact at the NHL level would not be as an offensive leader.

Coach Scotty Bowman was blessed with the best offense in the league, so Jarvis developed into the game’s premier defensive center. Gritty and determined, he checked the top lines from teams around the league, shutting them down game after game.

Pivoting a line with Bob Gainey and Doug Risebrough on the wings, Jarvis played a tough, gritty brand of hockey that rarely went beyond what was permitted by the rules of the game.

A strong skater and adept stickhandler able to slow down opponents with a well-timed hip or shoulder, Jarvis played a major role in the four consecutive Stanley Cup Championships the Canadiens won in his first four seasons with the team.

Rarely losing a draw, Jarvis was the go-to guy when the Habs had to win a late-game face-off in their own zone.

Shadowing the NHL’s big guns at even strength and shutting them down when playing shorthanded, the tireless Jarvis still lit the lamp on a regular basis. He was good for at least 10 goals a year and had the only 20-goal season of his career in 1981-82, his last in a Montreal uniform.

In 560 regular season games with Montreal, Jarvis scored 91 goals and assisted on 154 others while accruing only 151 penalty minutes. He also picked up 31 points in 72 playoff games.

Traded to Washington, Jarvis played three and a half years with the Capitals, suiting up for every game with the team. In 1984, he was awarded the Frank Selke Trophy as the NHL’s top defensive forward, and finished his career with the Hartford Whalers as the 1988 recipient of the Bill Masterton Trophy.

His playing days behind him, Jarvis tried his hand at coaching. Discovering that he had a knack for working with younger players, he spent 14 years with Minnesota/Dallas, adding a fifth Stanley Cup Championship to his resume in 1999.

Returning to the Montreal organization in 2003, Jarvis was named head coach of the Hamilton Bulldogs. He spent the next two seasons preparing many of the promising young players on the Habs roster for their initial forays into the NHL.

Promoted ahead of the 2005-06 season, Jarvis is currently an associate coach with the Canadiens. If his past record is any indication, he will be with the team for some time to come, imparting both his skills and attitude to his players.