SAN JOSE — Scott Hannan saw the NHL changing all around him a decade ago. He changed with it, played in his 1,000th game earlier this season and now has been named the Sharks’ nominee for the prestigious Masterton Trophy.

Hannan was chosen for the honor by the San Jose chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The trophy is given annually to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.

“That’s cool, and it’s an honor to be able to be able to play as long as I have. I owe that to a lot of people, coaches and family,” said Hannan, who, at 36 is a regular presence on the blue line and a mentor to younger players.

Drafted by the Sharks in the first round in 1997, Hannan played his first 511 games with San Jose, earning a reputation as a top shut-down defenseman in an era before the NHL restricted a lot of clutching and grabbing. After new rules went into effect before the 2005-06 season, Hannan knew he had to change his style.

“You grow up playing a certain way, defending and being a certain type of player,” he said on Oct. 14 when he played in his 1,000th game. “When those things change, you kind of had to change with it. You work on things in the offseason — speed, foot speed, anything you can to stay in the game.”

After signing with the Colorado Avalanche as a free agent in 2007 and stints with the Washington Capitals, Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators, Hannan was re-acquired by the Sharks at the 2013 trade deadline, sending a sixth-round draft pick to Nashville.

“When he came back to our organization, the thought was a veteran guy, kind of knows the community, knows the Sharks a little bit, he’ll fit in,” coach Todd McLellan said. “In my opinion, he’s done way more than that. He’s had an impact on the games, he’s had an impact on his teammates and on the coaching staff.”

Matt Irwin, who has been paired with Hannan much of the season, said Hannan’s presence “has been huge for me personally. When I’ve played with him this year, he communicates a lot and that’s a big part of our game, talking to each other, making it simple. He’s a great role model that way.”

Hannan has stuck with the game despite multiple injuries over the years, the latest being a cut under his right eye when he was hit by a puck in Wednesday night’s win over Colorado.

Irwin said Hannan has shared tales from his past with him.

“I’ve heard a couple,” Irwin said, “but you could just look at his face and pretty much know what’s going on.”

Hannan has played in 1,055 NHL games and recognizes that longevity is an accomplishment. Still, he didn’t see himself as any different than any other NHL player.

“I guess, like everybody, it’s for the love of the game,” he said. “It’s something you’ve done since you were five or six years old. It’s something I’ve always done. I enjoy lacing up the skates every day, coming to the rink. It’s an honor to get to play with some great players and great people. It’s definitely a driver to keep coming to the rink every day.”

And how long does he see himself continuing to play in the NHL?

“I think hockey players take it a day at a time — I think that’s how you play the game, and how you see your career. You don’t know how long it’s going to last or whatnot,” he said, “but, you just come to the rink every day.”

For more on the Sharks, see David Pollak’s Working the Corners blog at blogs.mercurynews.com/sharks. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/PollakOnSharks.