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Who is the oldest active NHL player?

Author

Sarah Smith

Published Jan 13, 2026

Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins is now the oldest active player in the NHL after Matt Cullen announced his retirement Wednesday. Cullen, a forward who played 21 seasons in the NHL, is 136 days older than the defenseman, who turned 42 on March 18.

Who is the oldest former NHL player?

Stephen Wochy (born Wojciechowski; December 25, 1922) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player, who played 54 games for the Detroit Red Wings in the National Hockey League. He was born in Fort William, Ontario. After Jim Conacher's death in April 2020, he became the oldest living former NHL player.

Who are the 10 oldest players in the NHL?

Top 10 oldest players in NHL history

  1. Gordie Howe. Position: Right Wing. Age in final game: 52.
  2. Chris Chelios. Position: Defense. ...
  3. Johnny Bower. Position: Goalie. ...
  4. Jaromir Jagr. Position: Center. ...
  5. Zdeno Chara. Position: Defense. ...
  6. Teemu Selanne. Position: Right Wing.
  7. Dominik Hasek. Position: Goalie. ...
  8. Joe Thornton. Position: Center. ...

Who is the oldest NHL team?

Montreal Canadiens, Canadian professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The oldest continually operating team in the National Hockey League (NHL), the Canadiens have won more Stanley Cup titles than any other team (24) and are the most successful franchise in league history.

Who is the oldest living hockey player?

Still living on his own at the age of 97, Steve Wochy doesn't get around or hear quite as well these days as he used to. "I still drive and I've still got my noodles.

21 related questions found

Who is the oldest hockey player still alive?

Oldest players in a regular season or playoff game

  • 40 years, 107 days - Terry Sawchuk (1970)
  • 40 years, 66 days - Sean Burke (2007)
  • 40 years, 45 days - Mike Smith (Present)
  • 40 years, 32 days - Hap Holmes (1928)
  • 40 years, 10 days - Tim Thomas (2014)
  • 40 years, 3 days - Roberto Luongo (2019)

How old is Sidney Crosby?

Sidney Crosby, (born August 7, 1987, Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, Canada), Canadian ice hockey player who in 2007 became the youngest captain of a National Hockey League (NHL) team and who led the Pittsburgh Penguins to three Stanley Cup championships (2009, 2016, and 2017).

What is the average age of an NHL player?

Most players won't make it to the level of 1000+ games played throughout their NHL career. However, hundreds of players have achieved this feat over the years. While the average age of an NHL player is 27 years old, the league has seen players still going strong in their 40s.

Who is the oldest player in the NHL 2022?

Zdeno Chara, New York Islanders

Born March 18th, 1977, New York Islanders' defenseman Zdeno Chara is the oldest active NHL player in the year 2022. Chara is 45 years of age and two years older than the NHL's next oldest player.

Who's the youngest NHL player?

Cole Perfetti, Winnipeg Jets

Born January 1st, 2002, Perfetti just recently left his teenage years. The Whitby, Ontario native officially made his NHL debut on October 13th, 2022 before being assigned to AHL Manitoba after two games.

What age did Gretzky retire?

Wayne Gretzky, the greatest hockey player of all time, retired at age 38, right before the conclusion of the 1998-99 NHL season. Having led the league in assists two of the past three seasons and having led the Rangers in scoring for the third straight season, he certainly retired when he was on top.

Is 14 too old to start hockey?

It is never too late to start playing hockey. Players have joined hockey programs at 12-13 years old and still made varsity hockey teams. More importantly, the expansion of college intramural and adult teams have made hockey a lifetime sport.

Is there an age limit for the NHL?

Eligible players

All players who will be 18 years old on or before September 15 and not older than 19 years old before December 31 of the draft year are eligible for selection for that year's NHL Entry Draft.

Who is crosbys girlfriend?

In this post, though, we're actually focusing on Sidney Crosby's girlfriend Kathy Leutner. He is a two-time Winter Olympic gold medalist, two-time National Hockey League MVP, multiple-time NHL All-Star, multiple-time leading goalscorer, and three-time Stanley Cup champion.

Who is older Connor or Cameron McDavid?

Connor McDavid was born on January 13, 1997 in Richmond Hill, Ontario to Brian and Kelly McDavid. His father was a youth hockey coach and he has an older brother named Cameron who is an Ivey Business School graduate. He started skating when he was three and at four, began playing hockey with children older than him.

How many Stanley Cups has Connor McDavid?

Selected No. 1 by the Oilers in the 2015 NHL Draft, McDavid has one Stanley Cup Playoff series win in six NHL seasons, a six-game victory against the San Jose Sharks in the 2017 Western Conference First Round.

Who is the best player in the NHL?

1. Connor McDavid, F, Edmonton Oilers. McDavid is so good that he has taken the title of "best player in the world" from Sidney Crosby with little to no argument. Each of the past two seasons, he has led the NHL in scoring and been voted the most outstanding player in the NHL by his peers.