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Bouwmeester’s out, ending the longest active ‘Ironman’ streak in sports

Colorado Avalanche v St. Louis Blues

ST. LOUIS, MO - NOVEMBER 1: Jay Bouwmeester #19 of the St. Louis Blues skates against the Colorado Avalanche on November 1, 2014 at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jeff Curry/NHLI via Getty Images)

NHLI via Getty Images

Calling him “The Cal Ripken Jr. of Hockey” is a stretch, but Jay Bouwmeester’s run of 737 consecutive games played remains impressive. It also might end on Sunday.

The speedy blueliner suffered a lower-body injury on Saturday, and signs point to him missing the St. Louis Blues’ game against the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday. If that happens, it will end the longest active “Ironman” streak in professional sports, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The 31-year-old told the Post-Dispatch that he doesn’t want to play merely to keep the streak alive.

“I think if you’re ever at a point where you can’t play and you’re going to be a detriment out there, then you’re not going to play,” Bouwmeester said to the Post-Dispatch on Friday, the day before the injury.

“I’ve never really kept track what that streak is at ... the number or anything like that. You don’t think about it. You just approach it like you want to play. Most guys, if they’re able to play, they’re going to play. But you’re not going to do anything that’s going to take away from the whole team thing.”

Perhaps Bouwmeester would actually be better off taking a breather?

The $5.4 million defenseman only has two points in 20 games so far in 2014-15, and his possession stats have sagged noticeably as well. His struggles haven’t derailed the Blues by any means, but considering the team’s ambitions to make a deep playoff run, wouldn’t it be best for Bouwmeester to get his game back together sooner rather than later?

The Post-Dispatch points out that Anaheim Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano has the second-longest games played streak in the NHL, as he hasn’t missed a contest in 561 games.

Follow James O’Brien @cyclelikesedins