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As the NHL begins a new calendar year, every player across the 32 teams will become a year older, leading to some shuffling amongst the top 10 oldest players still playing professional hockey in North America.
Interestingly, every skater on this list has had a distinguished NHL career, with many headed to the Hockey Hall of Fame upon retirement. However, after the most recent offseason, there have been some changes to the list, with a few players hanging up their skates.
So, for the fans who wonder which players are the oldest in the NHL, here's a breakdown, with their birthdays calculated to Jan. 1, 2024.
Top 10 oldest active players in the NHL in 2024
10.) Alex Ovechkin - 38 years, 105 days
After a slow start to the 2023-24 season, Alex Ovechkin is starting to score again, with each lamplight inching him closer to Wayne Gretzky's record of 894 goals. As the future first-ballot Hall of Famer continues his quest for immortality, he still has two years left on his current deal after this season, meaning we could see him skate into his 40s.
9.) Alex Goligoski - 38 years, 154 days
Alex Goligoski is skating in his 17th season and has no goals through 19 games with the Minnesota Wild. Although he's never been known as a scorer, with a career-high of 46 points, he is a Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins and has surpassed 1,000 games in the league.
8.) Corey Perry - 38 years, 229 days
Corey Perry has won a Stanley Cup title, an Art Ross Trophy, and a Maurice "Rocket" Ricard Trophy while playing with the Anaheim Ducks, the best stretch of hockey during his 19-year NHL career. However, he is not skating after a tumultuous start to the 2023-24 season, which saw him enter into the league's assistance program after a rocky 16 games with the Chicago Blackhawks.
7.) Brent Burns - 38 years, 297 days
Brent Burns is a former Norris Trophy winner, still chasing his first Stanley Cup title at 38. Although his career high is 83 points, achieved in 2018-19, he recently had his best season (61 points) since then and continues to anchor the Carolina Hurricanes blueline. Furthermore, Burns has one year left on his current deal, paying him $8 million annually.
6.) Pierre-Édouard Bellemare - 38 years, 300 days
Interestingly, Pierre-Édouard Bellemare made his NHL debut at 29, which explains why he's only played ten seasons in the league, skating in over 680 games. Unfortunately, he's bounced around in his brief stint in the league, playing with five franchises and collecting 136 points, while currently playing with the Seattle Kraken on a league minimum salary.
5.) Ryan Suter - 38 years, 344 days
Surprisingly, the Dallas Stars do not have the NHL's oldest lineup despite employing two players over the age of 38, including defenseman Ryan Suter. Although he is often criticized for this play, Suter remains a key player in the team's lineup and routinely scores over 20 points a season.
4.) Jeff Carter - 39 years (Birthday on New Year)
Jeff Carter has netted at least 20 goals in 11 of his 19 NHL seasons, but at 39, he's slowed down and is currently on pace for the lowest point total of his career. The two-time Stanley Cup champion has only a few months left on his current deal, which means this could be his final season.
3. Marc-André Fleury - 39 years, 34 days
Recently, Marc-André Fleury became only the fourth netminder in NHL history to skate in 1,000 games. Meanwhile, the three-time Stanley Cup champion is close to becoming the second-winningest goalie of all time. Although he had not officially announced his retirement, this year appears to be his last.
2.) Joe Pavelski - 39 years, 173 days
Joe Pavelski continues to defy the odds at his age, and with every goal and point, he continues to rewrite the record book for players who are 39 or older. Despite his elder statesman status on the Stars, he's in the running for the team's scoring title and is on pace to tally at least 25 goals for the fourth consecutive season.
1.) Mark Giordano - 40 years, 89 days
Mark Giordano is skating in his 18th NHL season, beginning his career at 22 with the Calgary Flames in 2005-06. As the oldest player in the NHL today, Giordano has only skated in 24 games this year, missing some time due to injury. Overall, he's netted over 570 points in 1,120+ career games.
