If there's an art to blocking shots, Niklas Hjalmarsson has mastered it.
And while it's never pleasant to put your body on the line to stop a screaming puck from getting to the net, Hjalmarsson has made a career out of it, and then some.
On Wednesday night, Hjalmarsson is expected to be in the lineup for the 800th time in his NHL career when his Arizona Coyotes face the Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Center.
Having blocked 1,564 career shots over a career that is in its 14th season, Hjalmarsson is 19th on the NHL's career blocks list.