The NHL features some of the strongest and most mentally mature players. Given the toughness of the game, you’d expect players to be within legal ages. While this is true today, what if we told you this has not always been the case?
In fact, the National Hockey League has witnessed players make it into drafts at young ages with some even below 18 years! Amazing, right?
In this article, you’ll learn some of the youngest players in the NHL, their careers, records and how they achieved this amazing feat.
Youngest NHL Players Ever
“My dream as a kid was always to win the Stanley Cup. There’s nothing else like it and there’s no better feeling than raising it above your head.” – T. J. Oshie, American Hockey player.
The NHL today has an age limit for those who want to partake in the league. This was not the case in the early days with many young players making their entry into their favorite teams.
Things changed with the introduction of the NHL Draft in 1963, along with age brackets for players to be eligible for draft picks. Nonetheless, there have been many young stars who were able to play in the NHL and we’ll cover them in this section.
1. Armand “Bep” Guidolin
Armand holds the record for the youngest player in NHL history, having played his first game at 16 years. This is impressive and something that is most likely impossible to repeat.
He was born in Canada, in the year 1925 and ended up playing for nine seasons in the NHL. The Canadian forward spent nine seasons in the NHL, during which he featured in 519 games and scored 278 points.
2. Ted Kennedy
Ted Kennedy, commonly called “Teeder” is another young player to make the NHL draft. He was born on the 12th of December 1925 and made his first NHL appearance at the age of 17 years. Teeder spent 14 seasons playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs and his exceptional skills got him into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
During this time, he led the Leafs to win the Stanley Cup finals five times and was named the Most Valuable Player in 1954-55.
3. Don Raleigh
Don Raleigh also known as “Bones” made his NHL debut in the New York Rangers when he was only 17 years old. The Rangers needed serious help before they clinched this young star in the 1943-44 season. He went on to play 15 games for them before he clocked 18 years!
His speed and playmaking skills quickly made him popular among fans. During his career, he played 523 games and scored 101 goals. The centerman’s journey ended in the 1949-50 season after the Rangers lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final to the Boston Bruins.
4. Ross Johnstone
Ross is another of the youngest players in NHL history, who made it into the Toronto Maples at 17 years. However, he had a shorter career than the others we have covered so far. This star played for only two seasons and stopped playing in the NHL after he clocked 18 years.
However, he spent more time playing in the American Hockey League where he featured in eight seasons. Ross played in a total of 271 games and scored 25 goals all through his career.
5. Don Gallinger
Gallinger also made it to his first NHL game at the age of 17 years where he played for the Boston Bruins. However, he took a short break as he was enrolled into the Winnipeg Royal Canadian Air Force Bombers.
After his service, Don returned and played for three seasons with the Boston Bruins before the death of his career. Gallinger was suspended from the NHL when it came to light that he had been betting on his team.
He played in the Stanley Cup Finals twice but was not fortunate to win any.
6. Aaron Ekblad
Aaron Ekblad made the first NHL Draft in 2014 and was signed into the Florida Panthers at 18 years of age. During his first year, Aaron showed amazing skills and was selected for the 2015 NHL All-Star Game where he won the Calder Memorial Trophy.
Aaron would later win the Stanley Cup with his team in 2024. He has featured in a total of 676 NHL season games and scored 115 goals.
7. Grant Mulvey
Mulvey was signed into the NHL draft at the age of 18 years with the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1974-75 seasons. He then went on to score his first goal 32 days later making him the youngest player in history to score a goal in the NHL.
This exceptional hockey player scored a total of 149 goals in 586 games during his career. Unfortunately, his time in the league was cut short as a result of numerous injuries.
Play with your favorite NHL Teams
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky, Former Hockey Player.
As you can see, age is nothing but a number, and this list is proof that anyone can make it in the NHL. Their drive for success has left a mark on the league, and that is not about to change anytime soon. We can expect more young players to emerge on the hockey scene and set new records.
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