The St. Louis Blues had four players play in all 82 games last season: forwards Jordan Kyrou, Brayden Schenn, and Jake Neighbours, and defenseman Ryan Suter.
It was the fourth consecutive season with 82 games played for Suter, who also played in all 56 games during the 2020-21 shortened season the year before that. He has now played in 535 consecutive games, which is the 21st-longest streak in NHL history and the third-longest streak among active players (Brent Burns, 925 games, and Andrew Cogliano, 830 games).
The 40-year-old defenseman has now played a total of 1,526 regular-season games in his career since making his NHL debut in the 2005-06 season. The 7th overall pick in the 2003 NHL Draft has remained a solid option on the blue line as his career winds down.
While some players are retiring at younger and younger ages nowadays, Suter is still open to returning to play in his age-41 season.
Ryan Suter, who played in all 82 games with St. Louis last season, hasn’t officially decided if he’ll play this coming year or not. Under the right circumstances, in the right situation, he would consider playing another season. Has to be the right fit and make sense for he and…
— Andy Strickland (@andystrickland) June 19, 2025
While Suter was a constant for the Blues in the 2024-25 season, it may not make sense for either side for him to return.
St. Louis already has seven defensemen under contract for next season with Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk, Philip Brobert, Nick Leddy, Cam Fowler all making $4 million or more, and then Tyler Tucker and Matthew Kessell under $1 million.
And as for Suter, he may be looking to chase a Stanley Cup in what could be his final season. Sure, the Blues made the playoffs last year and could make a run next year, but there are better teams out there where Suter could land.
Suter's consecutive games played streak could also be a factor, as he may want a guaranteed spot in the lineup if he were to play another season. That probably isn't something the Blues want to do with their defense corps.
We'll see what happens with Suter, whether he signs with the Blues, finds a new home, or skates off into the sunset.