Who are the oldest past and present NHL players?

If you have ever watched a hockey game you know how fast and physical the games are. The analysts and broadcasters churn heavy talk on the rookies and if they will live up to their hype. They dig into the super stars and if they'll top their previous season. There is not a ton of discussion when it comes to age, and how some of these players are grinding on the ice when they could easily move on to the next part of their lives (easier said than done, I know). Of course it's mentioned if they're potentially at the end of their careers, but, when you dive into the oldest players in the game, who played the longest and who's still at it, it's incredibly fascinating.

Before we break down the oldest active players, let's get into the players that have already hung up the skates.

Oldest NHL players in the past

1. Gordie Howe

Gordie Howe is the oldest player to ever play in the NHL, his play spanned across five decades. He began his career as a teenager and ended it at 52 years, 11 days old. His list of hockey awards and accomplishments is a mile long. After playing 25 seasons for the Detroit Red Wings, he announced his retirement. But just like that he came back to the game he loved one year later, joining the WHA with his sons Marty and Mark. When the WHA folded and merged with the NHL, the Hartford Whalers came about - and so did the only instance of father son duo playing together in an NHL game. He was also named to the NHL's 100 Greatest Players list. Howe passed away at 88 years old back in 2016.

2. Chris Chelios

Chris Chelios didn't make it into his fifties as a player in the NHL, but he came close. He played 1,651 games in his career for the Montréal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, Red Wings, and seven games with the now defunct Atlanta Thrashers retiring in 2010. Chelios played hockey until he was 48 years, 71 days old.

3. Jaromir Jagr

Jaromir Jagr is a dynamic force, and I say "is" because he was still playing professionally with the Kladno Knights (which he also is the owner of) as of last hockey season with no announcement that he is done with the sport. He officially has passed Gordie Howe as the oldest professional player, and at 52 years old he is still a difference maker - scoring on his first shift back after turning 52. He is known for his time spent with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but before he retired from the NHL at 45 years, 319 days old he had stops in DC with the Capitals, NYC with the Rangers, and then Philadelphia, Dallas, Boston, New Jersey, Florida, and Calgary. He is truly special.

4. Zdeno Chara

Zdeno Chara started and ended his NHL career with the New York Islanders, amassing 1,680 games. He is known for his long tenure with the Boston Bruins, but the gentle giant, he stands at six-foot-nine, played with the Ottawa Senators and Washington Capitals as well. He retired at 45 years, 42 days old in 2022.

5. Doug Harvey

Doug Harvey spent 1947-1961 with the Montréal Canadians and then made stops with the Rangers, Red Wings and then the St. Louis Blues in 1969 for his last season. He was 44 years, 100 days old. He passed away in 1989 at 65 years old.

6. Tim Horton

Tim Horton is a notable four-time Stanley Cup winner with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was named to the NHL's 100 Greatest Players list and was nicknamed "Superman" by former teammates. He played with the Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Buffalo Sabres before tragedy struck, where he passed away at 43 years old. And yes, he is the Tim Horton from the coffee and doughnut shop.

7. Teemu Selanne

Teemu Selanne is another member of the 100 Greatest Players list, playing for a handful of teams, most notably the Anaheim Ducks. Selanne is a Stanley Cup champion with the Ducks in 2007, he played until 43 years, 317 days old.

8. Claude Lemieux

Claude Lemieux won three Stanley Cups with three different teams, which the list of players who have done that is very small. Lemieux retired in 2009 and was 43 years, 277 days old.

9. Mark Recchi

Mark Recchi spent over two decades in the NHL, hitting 1,652 games played. A three-time Stanley Cup champion and Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, he played until 43 years, 134 days old.

10. Igor Larionov

Igor Larionov was the oldest player, at 41 years old, to score a goal in the Stanley Cup Final. "The Professor", as he was nicknamed, spent many years with the Red Wings, but also had success at other clubs (Vancouver, San Jose, Florida, New Jersey). He played until he was 43 years, 129 days old.

No current active player has reached an age of those listed above, but some have played hockey in the NHL for 20 years! Who are the oldest active NHL players right now?

Oldest NHL players under contract 2024-25 season

1. Marc-Andre Fleury

Marc-Andre Fleury is 39 currently, but will turn 40 this year. The Minnesota Wild goalie will hit the big 4-0 on November 28, right in the thick of month two of the NHL season. The three-time Stanley Cup winner has 1,025 regular season games between the pipes, with most coming from his long tenure on the Pittsburgh Penguins. His career has taken him to Vegas, Chicago and now the Wild where he has a one-year contract.

2. Ryan Suter

Ryan Suter, a 2003 Nashville Predators draft pick, is 39 years old, turning 40 this coming January. He is currently a defenseman for the Dallas Stars, combining for a +15 over the last three seasons with the team, while also playing all 82 games each campaign. That is stamina if I have ever seen it! Suter's last year of his contract was bought out by the Stars and he most recently signed a one-year contract with the St. Louis Blues. Will he finally win a Cup?

3. Brent Burns

Brent Burns turned 39 on March 9 and you would never know he is knocking on the door to decade four. He has also played every single game for the past three seasons and is a number one blueliner for the Carolina Hurricanes. The Norris Trophy winner is a big, physical, offensive defenseman, finishing the last two seasons with a +19. Burns was drafted by the Wild as a forward and then became a defensemen in San Jose, which has transformed his career. We will see how long he lasts; my guess is at least a Jagr-type run!

4. Corey Perry

Corey Perry, a six-foot-three, 39-year-old goal-scoring agitator, fell short this year in the Stanley Cup Final yet again, with the Edmonton Oilers losing to the Florida Panthers. A fun fact though, Perry's 300th and 400th goal in the league came playing against the Oilers, his current team. He spent the majority of his career with the Anaheim Ducks, where he won a Cup in 2007. But since then he has been with 5 teams and has lost in the Cup final four times. He turns 40 on May 15, 2025.

5. Alex Ovechkin

Alex Ovechkin was the first overall pick in the 2004 NHL draft, so the 38-year-old just finished his 20th season in the league. He has played the entirety of his career for the Washington Capitals, finally winning a Stanley Cup in 2018. Ovechkin, one of the greatest goal-scorers in league history, has the potentially to touch one of Wayne Gretzy's records, all-time goals scored which sits at 894. "The Great Eight" currently has 853, and with no career end in sight, will he pass "The Great One"? Ovechkin turns 40 on Sept. 17, 2025.

6. Jonathan Quick

Jonathan Quick, who turned 38 January 21, is a three-time Stanley Cup, one-time Conn Smythe winning goaltender who entered the NHL in 2007. He played the majority of his career in LA with the Kings until he was traded to Vegas in March 2023. The New York Rangers picked up Quick as a free agent July 1, 2023 and that is where he is today. With a career save percentage of .911 and GAA 2.47, he is a great back-up to Igor Shesterkin, so as a Rangers fan, I hope he sticks around for a bit. He is for at least one year thankfully; the Rangers signed him to an extension this off-season.

7. Jack Johnson

Jack Johnson, another long-time LA King, turned 37 this past January. Johnson's career has taken him to five more teams where he has amassed 1,187 games. The Stanley Cup winner (with the Colorado Avalanche), signed a one-year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets on July 3, 2024 (the second time in his career that he will be skating for this team).

Only time will tell how the careers of these active players will go, hopefully some will outlast the oldest to ever play!