Jets captain Andrew Ladd has eight goals this season and is red-hot heading into his 500th NHL game tonight in Raleigh, N.C., where he played his first NHL game with the Hurricanes.
RALEIGH, N.C. - Although he is no stranger to wearing the jersey of the opposition, Andrew Ladd is back where it all began.
So with a familiar backdrop, the captain of the Winnipeg Jets will celebrate his 500th NHL game on Thursday at PNC Arena against the team that chose him fourth overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, the Carolina Hurricanes.
“I never really thought about that,” Ladd said after the Jets closed out a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. “I guess knew I was close (to playing 500 games) coming into the year. It’s something you don’t really think about. You just want to play in the NHL as long as you can and play as many games as you can.
“I’ve been fortunate enough, knock on wood, to stay healthy for the last few years here. Being able to play in this league is a dream come true and something I don’t take for granted.”
It seems fitting that Ladd will hit the lofty number against his former team.
