The 10 Oldest Active NHL Players (2025-26)

Who is the oldest player in NHL right now? The new generation of hockey players is making their mark, but the veterans will always have a place.

The 2025-26 regular season is in the books and the playoffs are in full swing, so it’s a good time to check in on the league’s elder statesmen. One 41-year-old leads the pack, with two 40-year-olds and a wave of 39-year-olds close behind. The average NHL retirement age sits around 28-30, but these warriors are defying Father Time and still making serious impacts for their clubs.

Let’s take a look at the ten oldest active NHL players and what they’re bringing to the ice this season.

Here are the oldest NHL players active right now:

10. Nick Foligno (38), Minnesota Wild

Nick Foligno is the longest-tenured pure leader on this list, and he’s still grinding shifts at 38. The son of former NHLer Mike Foligno was drafted 28th overall by Ottawa in 2006 and has worn the C in Columbus and Chicago across his career. He came to the Minnesota Wild at the deadline from the Blackhawks to add some bottom-six bite for a playoff push.

Foligno finished the regular season with 4 goals, 11 assists and 15 points in 54 combined games while throwing 128 hits. The numbers aren’t what they used to be, but the role is clear: physical fourth-line minutes, leadership, and special-teams work. He’s also part of the Wild’s current second-round series against Colorado, picking up bottom-six minutes when Minnesota needs the extra body.

9. Mats Zuccarello (38), Minnesota Wild

Mats Zuccarello cracks the top 10 oldest active players at 38 and he’s still one of the league’s most skilled small-area passers. The Oslo, Norway native went undrafted, signed with the New York Rangers in 2010, and has been the Minnesota Wild‘s top-six engine since 2019. His career points total now sits north of 700.

Zuccarello put up 15 goals, 39 assists and 54 points in 59 games this season while logging top-six minutes mostly alongside Kirill Kaprizov. The chemistry between those two has been one of the quieter problems for opposing defenses around the league for years.

He’s also playing meaningful playoff hockey at 38. Zuccarello and the Wild are deep into their second-round series against Colorado.

8. Sidney Crosby (38), Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby is 38 years old and just wrapped another elite season. Drafted first overall in 2005, the Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia native has won three Stanley Cups (2009, 2016, 2017), two Hart Trophies, and two Conn Smythe Trophies. Sid the Kid isn’t slowing down one bit.

Crosby passed Mario Lemieux to become the Penguins’ all-time leading scorer on December 21, 2025, then kept stacking points the rest of the way. He moved into 7th place on the NHL’s all-time scoring list at 1,761 career points.

Crosby finished 2025-26 with 29 goals, 45 assists and 74 points in 68 games to lead Pittsburgh in scoring for the franchise-record 16th time of his career. He also extended his NHL record to 21 straight point-per-game seasons.

The Penguins lost to the Flyers in the first round, but Crosby is back at it: he’s joining Team Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland this week. The man does not stop.

7. Cam Talbot (38), Detroit Red Wings

Cameron Talbot had an up-and-down season in Motown. The Caledonia, Ontario native signed a two-year deal with Detroit last summer to split time with John Gibson. He logged 34 games for the Red Wings, alternating between brilliant stretches and rough patches all year.

Detroit ended up missing the playoffs in the Atlantic, which leaves Talbot with a long offseason at 38. He’s still under contract for one more year and has banked nearly 500 NHL appearances since 2013. The numbers weren’t pretty across the board, but he’s still a useful veteran option behind Gibson.

6. Kris Letang (39), Pittsburgh Penguins

Kris Letang is the third member of Pittsburgh’s aging core still getting it done. Drafted 62nd overall by the Penguins in 2005, the Montreal native has three Stanley Cups to his name (2009, 2016, 2017). He’s been a fixture on Pittsburgh’s blue line for nearly two decades.

Letang played his 1,200th NHL game on January 1, 2026, becoming the 40th defenseman in NHL history to reach this milestone. He celebrated in style by scoring the overtime winner just 58 seconds into OT against Detroit. That’s his 13th career OT goal, tying Scott Niedermayer for 2nd-most among defensemen.

Letang finished the regular season with 3 goals, 31 assists and 34 points in 74 games while logging major minutes on the blue line. The Penguins lost to the Flyers in the first round to end his playoff run early.

The future Hall of Famer holds the Penguins’ franchise record for most points (792), goals (178), and assists (614) by a defenseman. Not bad for a third-round pick.

5. Ryan Reaves (39), San Jose Sharks

Ryan Reaves is 39 years old and bringing his trademark toughness to the league’s youngest team. The Winnipeg native was traded from Toronto to San Jose this summer in exchange for defenseman Henry Thrun. Drafted 156th overall by St. Louis in 2005, “Reavo” has carved out a lengthy career as one of the NHL’s premier tough guys.

Reaves finished the season with 3 goals in 50 games while racking up a whopping 160 hits for a Sharks team that missed the playoffs again. His role was crystal clear: protect young stars like Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith.

Reaves made headlines in early January when he was knocked out cold in a heavyweight fight with Columbus’ Mathieu Olivier, and he dealt with upper and lower-body injuries throughout the year. His analytics aren’t pretty, but the Sharks value what he brings to their dressing room. He’s still one of the toughest customers in the league at 39.

4. Evgeni Malkin (39), Pittsburgh Penguins

Evgeni Malkin was drafted second overall by Pittsburgh in 2004 and has spent his entire career with the Penguins, winning three Stanley Cups (2009, 2016, 2017). The Magnitogorsk, Russia native is a two-time Art Ross Trophy winner and captured the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 2012. With over 1,350 career points, “Geno” is a lock for the Hall of Fame.

The 39-year-old had a real bounce-back campaign. The big Russian center finished with 19 goals, 42 assists and 61 points in 56 games after returning from a midseason upper-body injury, and the chemistry with his linemates kept producing right through the spring.

Malkin became the 48th player in NHL history to score 500 career goals back in October 2024, the second Russian after Ovechkin to reach that mark. He also crossed 500 power-play points, becoming the third Penguin to do that. The Pens fell to the Flyers in a six-game first-round series, and Malkin heads into unrestricted free agency this summer. GM Kyle Dubas has said publicly he’d love to bring him back for a 21st season in Pittsburgh.

3. Alexander Ovechkin (40), Washington Capitals

Alexander Ovechkin turned 40 on September 17th, making him one of just three 40-year-olds in the NHL. Drafted first overall by Washington in 2004, the Moscow native has won numerous awards, including three Hart Trophies and nine Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies. “Ovi” led the Capitals to their first Stanley Cup championship in 2017-18, earning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

The Great 8 continues to rewrite the record books. Ovechkin broke Gretzky’s all-time goal record last season with number 895 on April 6, 2025, and he just stacked another 32 onto the total this year. The all-time goal leader is now sitting at 929 career goals.

Ovechkin finished 2025-26 with 32 goals, 32 assists and 64 points in 82 games while firing 244 shots on net and throwing 134 hits. That makes 21 straight 20-goal seasons, second only to Gordie Howe’s NHL record of 22.

The Capitals missed the playoffs in a brutal Metro Division, so the chase for 1,000 career goals heads into the offseason on hold. Ovechkin hasn’t committed to playing next year yet and has said he’ll talk it through with his family before deciding.

2. Corey Perry (40), Tampa Bay Lightning

Corey Perry started 2025-26 with the Kings before getting flipped to Tampa Bay at the trade deadline, his second tour with the Lightning. Drafted 28th overall by Anaheim in 2003, the New Liskeard, Ontario native is a gritty forward with a 2007 Stanley Cup, a 2011 Hart Trophy, and well over 1,400 career games. The 40-year-old knows how to win.

Perry posted 10 goals and 14 points in 22 playoff games with the Oilers last spring, setting an NHL record for most playoff goals by any player age 39 or older in a single postseason. He’s been clutch when it matters most throughout his career.

Perry split this season between Los Angeles and Tampa Bay after the deadline trade, finishing with 17 goals and 37 points in 72 combined games. The Lightning’s run ended with a seven-game first-round loss to the Canadiens, which means Perry has now lost in the Stanley Cup Final or had his playoff run end early in six of the last seven springs.

He won a Cup with Anaheim back in 2007 and hasn’t hoisted it since, but the 40-year-old keeps finding his way onto contenders. Longevity at its finest.

1. Brent Burns (41), Colorado Avalanche

Born on March 9th, 1985, Brent Burns leads the pack as the NHL’s oldest active player at 41 years old. Drafted 20th overall by Minnesota in 2003, the Barrie, Ontario native made the rare switch from forward to defense and turned into one of the league’s top offensive blueliners. He’s logged over 1,500 games with the Wild, Sharks, Hurricanes, and now Avalanche, picked up a Norris Trophy in 2017, and racked up 910+ career points.

The bearded blueliner inked a one-year deal with Colorado last summer and didn’t miss a beat. Burns put up 12 goals, 23 assists and 35 points in all 82 games, averaging nearly 22 minutes a night with 91 blocked shots and a plus rating that stayed strong all year. He became just the 4th defenseman in NHL history to record 10 or more goals at age 40 or older.

Then there’s the ironman streak. Burns played in his 1,000th consecutive NHL game on April 5, 2026, and is now second all-time behind only Phil Kessel (1,064). The streak dates back to the 2013-14 season.

He’s also still playing in the postseason with the Avalanche in their second-round series against Minnesota. The 41-year-old shows few signs of slowing down.

The NHL might belong to the kids, but these vets are showing why experience matters. The oldest NHL players are defying Father Time and have plenty left in the tank.

With Crosby moving up to seventh on the all-time scoring list, Ovechkin sitting at 929 career goals, Malkin’s bounce-back campaign, and Burns now within 64 games of Phil Kessel’s ironman record, these old dogs are still teaching new tricks.

It’ll be fun to see how long these oldest NHL players can keep up the pace. Here’s the full list of the oldest players currently playing for the 2025-26 season:

Full List of Oldest NHL Players in 2025-26

This table shows you just how exclusive the 40-something club remains in 2025-26. Brent Burns is the only 41-year-old active, with Perry and Ovechkin the only 40-year-olds left after Jonathan Quick announced his retirement on April 13. These guys are still bringing it night after night when most players their age are on the golf course or in the broadcast booth.

The game keeps getting faster and younger, but these old-timers are still showing the kids how it’s done. That’s why fans love ’em and why the young guys in the room are always all ears when they speak up.