The average NHL career is around 5 years. Most NHL careers end due to age, injuries, the demanding nature of the sport, or simply a lack of production. While around 5 years is the average, some players have had NHL careers span well over 20 years.
An NHL career is a badge of honor. Only the elite make it to the league, and nearly every Canadian kid like myself once dreamed of skating on NHL ice. But how long do these hockey heroes really last before hanging up their skates?
Dive in to discover not only the average career length but also the key reasons why NHL careers come to an end. Plus, we’ll spotlight some of the Nhl player career length
Reasons Why NHL Careers End
There are many reasons why an NHL career can end, and this section will explore a few of them.
Age
First and foremost, the age of a player often determines the end of their career. As players age, they lose explosiveness, speed, and become more prone to injuries. While some legends hang on into their late 30s and early 40s, many retire before then as their bodies can no longer keep up with the demands of the game.
Most people reach their physical peak in their late 20s or early 30s. After that, age starts to take its toll. In such a competitive sport, there are always younger, fresher players ready to take over.
Injuries
Injuries are notorious for abruptly ending promising careers. Hockey is a brutally physical sport, and injuries are all too common. From broken bones to concussions and strained muscles, the list goes on.
While many players fully recover from injuries with time and physical therapy, others never return to their peak form. Their careers are cut short, leaving fans wondering what could have been.
Some NHL careers that ended too soon due to injury include Pavel Bure, Mario Lemeiux, Mike Bossy, and Bobby Orr.
Demanding nature of the sport
In some cases, the demanding nature of being an NHL player is what ends a career. Being a pro athlete takes immense work, time, dedication, and sacrifice, and many people simply aren’t willing to commit to that for more than a few years. It can be draining and difficult not just for your body, but also for your mind. The internal and external pressures are immense, and players need to put in a ton of effort just to keep their spot on an NHL roster.
People also have other goals in life, such as running a business or spending time with their family, and balancing these while being an NHL player is a tall order. Many players are content to make good money for a few years and then shift their focus to something else.
A lack of production
In some cases, it’s a lack of production that ends a player’s career. Not everyone has the skill to stay in the NHL year after year. If a player can’t produce for their team or realize their potential, teams will often move onto someone new.
Every player has a role on their team, whether it’s to score goals, play great defense, win faceoffs, make hits, or kill penalties. If a player can no longer perform their role up to acceptable standards, teams will move on. While some may find a home with another team, plenty of players will see their NHL careers end quietly when no team decides to pick them up.
The Longest NHL Player Career Length
While a 5-year career might be the norm for many players, some have enjoyed much longer careers. The longest NHL career as a player (in terms of seasons played) is 26 seasons, by both Gordie Howe and Chris Chelios.
Howe played from 1946-47 to 1979-80 and became one of the best players ever. Chelios started in 1983-84 and went until 2009-10, holding the record for the most playoff games played by any NHL player in history.
Many other popular players have enjoyed long 20+ year careers in the NHL, including Mark Messier, Jaromir Jagr, Patrick Marleau, Ron Francis, Zdeno Chara, and Joe Thornton.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about NHL careers, and their answers.
What is the shortest career in NHL history?
Throughout NHL history, hundreds of players have only played a single game in the league. It’s impossible to narrow down precisely as time-on-ice has only been tracked for a little over 20 years.
What do players do after retiring from the NHL?
This depends on the player, but many go into coaching, start other business ventures, retire to spend more time with their family, or even become TV analysts.
Final Thoughts
I hope this guide has helped you understand not only the average career length of NHL players, but also why so many careers in the sport only last a few years.
