Phil Kessel's NHL Ironman record officially in danger.

Despite being a very polarizing figure early on during his career in the National Hockey League, by the time it was all said and done Phil Kessel was a very beloved player around the league.

That's why many fans will be disappointed if one of Kessel's most iconic records is broken.

On Saturday night, veteran NHL defenseman Brent Burns officially became a challenger to Kessel's record when he passed former NHL defenseman Keith Yandle for sole possession of the second most consecutive games played of all time. Unfortunately for Yandle his record was cut short when he was scratched by the Philadelphia Flyers, putting a stop to his Ironman streak at 989 games, which allowed Burns to overtake him with his 990th consecutive NHL game on Saturday.

Burns still has a lot of ground to cover to catch Kessel but, if he remains healthy, he could realistically overtake Kessel's record setting Ironman streak by the end of next season. Kessel's record setting mark was set at a mind boggling 1,064 consecutive NHL games but with less than a full season of games between them, as well as several games remaining in this current season, Burns has a real chance of setting a new record.

It will be interesting to see if Burns himself pursues the record next season with the veteran defenseman currently on an expiring contract as a member of the Colorado Avalanche. Burns will have to secure a new deal for next season if he wants a chance at the record, and only he truly knows if he intends to continue playing beyond this current season.