Old Hockey Player Still Playing In The NHL

Who is the oldest player in the NHL right now? Mike Smith became the oldest player in the NHL following Craig Anderson's retirement after the 2022-23 season. 

Born on Match 22, 1982, Mike is currently an unrestricted free agent most recently playing for the Edmonton-based team called Edmonton Oilers.

The goalie recently had one of the best seasons in the NHL in 2022-23 after leading the Oilers to the playoffs.

Initially selected by the Dallas Stars in the 2001 NHL draft, Smith played AHL for the Utah Grizzlies, Houston Aeros, and Iowa Stars and also played for the Lexington Men O'Warof the East Coast.

Similarly, he also played for several NHL franchises like Tampa Bay Lightning, Phoenix Arizona Coyotes, and the Calgary Flames.

Mark Giordano is one of the oldest hockey player in the NHL. He plays as a defenseman for Toronto-based Toronto Maple Leafs in the league. 

Debuting his professional NHL career in 2006 with Calgary Flames, Mark played 15 seasons with the franchise before joining Seattle Kraken in July 2021 and was eventually traded to The Leafs on March 20, 2022.

Born on October 3, 1983, the 39-year-old played two seasons of major junior ice hockey with the Ontario Hockey League's Owen Sound Attack before his stint with the Fames in 2005.

Mark is regarded as one of the finest defensemen in the game and was selected to play his first NHL All-Star Game in 2015. He has also been heavily praised for his leadership and offensive skills too.

Joe Pavelski became the oldest player in the NHL history to score 4 goals in a single game. He was born on July 11, 1984 and is currently 39 years old. 

Standing 5 feet 11 inches tall, Joe is an assistant captain for the Dallas Stars and previously served San Jose Sharks for thirteen years of his NHL career.

Selected in the seventh round of the NHL draft by the Sharks in 2003, Joe made his professional NHL debut in the 2006-07 season and instantly became of the team's finest players.

Throughout his career, the Dallas star has been named to the NHL All-Star team thrice and reached two Stanley Cup Finals in 2016 and 2021. 

Despite failing to triumph in any Stanley Cup finals, there's no denying Pavelski's impressive goal-scoring record, tallying 449 goals during 17 seasons in the league. 

Among the oldest NHL player currently in the league is Zach Praise. The 38-year-old veteran is a two-time All-Star and a Stanley Cup Champion.

After his sophomore year at UND, Parise abandoned his final two years of NCAA eligibility to sign a professional contract with New Jersey Devils after he was drafted by the franchise in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. 

Following the draft, he spent a season (2004-05) playing for the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League and made his professional NHL debut during the 2005 season.

He plays for the New York Islanders, which he joined in the 2021-22 season. Before this, Zach was a Minnesota Wild legend, spending nine seasons with the North Stars, recording 199 goals.

Marc-Andre Fleury is the second oldest active NHL player who plays as a goaltender. He is a veteran of the game currently serving under Minnesota Wild.

Marc played 13 seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He helped the Penguins win three Stanley Cup Championships in 2009, 2016, and 2017 during his stint. 

A legend of the game, Fleury is the third goaltender to ever reach the 500 victories milestone in NHL history after Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur. 

Internationally, the 38-year-old goaltender won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics, and he also bagged back-to-back silver medals at the World Junior Championships as a junior.

One of the oldest player to play in the NHL is Jeff Carter. Despite his age, he is a pure goal scorer and a treasured asset for the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Solidly built 6-foot-4, the Ontario native initially played junior hockey for Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds before getting drafted by Philadelphia Flyers in 2003. 

He joined the Philadelphia Phantoms of the AHL, an affiliate of the Flyers for the 2005-06 season, and assisted them in their Calder Cup victory, after which he made his NHL debut with the Flyers in 2006. 

One of his career's major highlights, Carter's eight-goal tally for the Los Angeles Kings during the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs helped the Kings win their first championship, while his 10 goals and 25-point record in 2014 helped LA secure the second title in 2014. 

In the NHL's modern history, only a handful of players deserve the title of workhorse defenseman more than Ryan Suter. 

The 38-year-old defenseman relished a lengthy career at Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild before signing with the Dallas Stars in 2021.

Nashville Predators first-round pick (No. 7) in the 2003 NHL Draft, the Madison, Wisconsin, native had bloodlines to succeed. His father, Bob Suter, won gold with the US in the 1980 'Miracle on Ice' game, while his uncle, Gary Suter, was a four-time NHL All-star and Stanley Cup champion.

To date, the Dallas defenseman has played over 1,362 games in the regular season on NHL, where he has scored 103 goals and assisted 561 times, a feat which is quite impressive for a defender.

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare became the ninth Frech national to play in the NHL when he joined the Philadelphia Flyers for the 2014-15 season at 29. 

His stint in Sweden Elite League honed him into an NHL-worthy player. His time with Skelleftea AIK was a success, scoring 64 goals and 125 points in 238 games and winning back-to-back SEL titles in 2013 and 2014.

Following his successful stint in Europe, Bellemare attracted interest from NHL, after which he signed with Philadelphia Flyers. He then went on to play for Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, and Tampa Bay Lightning.

With the conclusion of the 2022-23 season, Bellemare signed a one-year, $775 contract with Seattle Kraken on July 7, 2023, after his two-year term in Tampa Bay Lightning.

Hailing from Barrie, Ontario, Brent Burns is a 6-foot-5 giant who plays as a defenceman for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. 

Initially drafted as a right-wing at the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by Minnesota Wild, he gradually converted into a defenceman upon turning professional. After playing under the Wild for the first four NHL seasons, he was traded to the San Jose Sharks in 2007. 

Under the Sharks, Brent developed into one of the league's best defensemen but he did occasionally play as a forward. He was named to the NHL All-Star squad four times and also won James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2017. 

After a lengthy stint at San Jose, Brent was traded to Carolina Hurricanes in 2022, where guided the Hurricanes to the Eastern Conference Final and also recorded his 1,300th NHL game. 

Billy Elliot is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He recently played for Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Elliot was playing for Ajax Axeman of the Ontario Provincial Junior when he was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the ninth round (No. 291) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. 

The two-time NHL All-Star made his NHL debut with the Senators in October 2007 and spent much of his early career splitting between Ottawa and Binghamton. 

The goaltender spent much of his career hopping in between teams as a free agent, playing for teams like St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, and Philadelphia Flyers until the finally decided to sign for Tampa Bay on July 28, 2021.