How many players in the NHL are shorter/taller than their listed heights?

[Statto]

Most will be shorter

Vast majority are exaggerated. I've been side by side with many and most are at least 2 inches off. A few seem legit.

I’m 6’4” and stood next to guys listed at my height. We were absolutely level but they were in skates. One an ex NHL guy, one AHL.

 

[PositiveCashFlow]

If Nathan Gerbe's height is exaggerated, I don't even want to know

 

[triggrman]

That's what they say, however it's really closer to 290.

The answer is 311

I feel like I could drink beer with you 2.

fyi, this isn't exclusive to sports, it seems to be a male thing period.

 

[Evergreen]

Ovechkin and Malkin are both listed at 6’3” but Malkin is a solid two inches taller than Ovy.

Gaudreau, who I’ve met several times, is about 5’7”.

Domi doesn’t look anywhere close to 5’10”.

Garland said in an interview that his 5’10” listing is way off.

Briere has said that his 5’10” listing was inaccurate and he’s in the 5’8” range.

NHL height measurements are very rarely accurate, especially for smaller players. But I actually think the weight measurements are even more inaccurate.

 

[57special]

Agreed that most will be shorter. One old school exception - Borje Salming. I'm 6' 1/2", he is listed as 6'1". I was standing right by him in a bar years ago, and he looked substantially taller than me - at least an inch, if not two. He also always looked taller than most players on the ice, also.

Maybe he was wearing boots with heels?

Malkin sure looks a hell of a lot taller than Ovi.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

I'm 5'10"

I remember meeting Ales Hemsky (6'0") Sam Gagner (5'11") and Jordan Eberle (5'11") at a bar in Edmonton (The Bend in Riverbend).

I was the same height as Hemsky, and a bit taller than Gagner and Eberle.


I met Jaromir Jagr on the street here in Montreal (when he was traded to the Panthers) and shook his hand.
He was barely taller than me. Maybe 2 inches at the most. He is listed at 6'3" but I have several friends who are 6'3" and they would've towered over him.

 

[Doctor No]

When I played in college (ACHA), I was listed at 6'2" and 200 pounds, which was probably what my measurements would have been in the equipment. No one ever asked me about it beforehand.

Twenty years later, I'm proud to say that I've finally reached that 200 pound mark.

 

[Daximus]

I think it starts in Junior and just keeps going. I'm 5'9 and was at a New Years eve party a few years ago where a bunch of MJ Warriors were at. I was noticeably taller than a few of the guys listed at 5'9 and even some of the guys listed at 5'10 were looking up at me. Really made me question my own height. Even my wife made a mention at how much shorter a lot of these guys were than they were listed.

 

[sureWhyNot]

Back when I was in high school Chris Chelios was on the Red Wings.

I saw him at a party at the Roostertail and he was pretty short. Like I was and have been 5’9 and he 100% shorter.

 

[StreetHawk]

Id be shocked if there was a single players height listed accurately.

They all get measured at the combine. So, if you can find those statistics that should tell you their minimum height. Weight will increase as they mature.

 

[Kerberos]

Every NHL player's height seems to give them an extra inch or two. It's as if they arbitrarily factor in what their height is on skates and list that as the standard.

Not unlike people on the internet who regularly and consistently add an extra inch or two to their height and their dicks because they're compensating.

 

[General Disarray]

Seems like everyone in this thread is also 6'0 or above

 

[The Nuge]

My cousin played lacrosse and he was listed at 6’0, 200 lbs, aka the most suspicious measurements possible. He’s 5’11, 180. I know because me and his brother called him on it and measured him. A buddy playing college hockey is listed at 6’3, 215 lbs. He’s probably 6’2 and also maybe like 205. Tons of guys are inaccurate, but the guys around 6’0 or 200lbs are the worst. It makes sense though. If you’re 5’11, 195 lbs, you’re small. If you’re 6’0, 200 lbs, you’re big. It makes a difference in the draft

 

[Crazy Cizikas]

Anyone that was truly 5'11 would just lie and go with 6'0.

I’m 5’11.5” and when asked, I say 5’11.5”. Because I’m not actually 6’. But, of course, my value isn’t somehow tied to my height.

 

[COHawk]

Nathan Gerbe was actually 4'11"

Edit: Whoops someone beat me to it

 

[cptjeff]

Martin St. Louis listed at 5'8" always made me laugh. No, he ain't. He's 5'6" on a good day. I do believe the listed weight for him- that man has some muscles.

 

[abo9]

I'm 5'10"

I remember meeting Ales Hemsky (6'0") Sam Gagner (5'11") and Jordan Eberle (5'11") at a bar in Edmonton (The Bend in Riverbend).

I was the same height as Hemsky, and a bit taller than Gagner and Eberle.


I met Jaromir Jagr on the street here in Montreal (when he was traded to the Panthers) and shook his hand.
He was barely taller than me. Maybe 2 inches at the most. He is listed at 6'3" but I have several friends who are 6'3" and they would've towered over him.

Yeah height is misrepresented but I remember meeting Kovalev as a kid, and my dad took a picture with him.

Kovalev was absolutely massive - like twice the width of my dad (he's short but bulky, not a hairpin).

Encountering Jagr must be pretty crazy too on the "width" sode of things?

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Logan Stankoven is listed at 5'8" but he is closer to 5'5"

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

I feel like I could drink beer with you 2.

fyi, this isn't exclusive to sports, it seems to be a male thing period.

Definitely. I'm a little over 6'1" and I don't know how many times I've had guys tell me, "you must be more like 6'3" or 6'4", because I'm 6 feet tall" when they were maybe 5'10?

I'd be surprised if someone was listed shorter other than due to a mistake. But taller? Probably most of the league.

 

[hellvetet]

Of the current Finnish NHL players I've seen live so closely that their height could be assessed, I'd say most are pretty close.

The tall guys (Laine, Puljujärvi, Hakanpää) looked to be in the 6'4 - 6'5 range.

Heiskanen, Aho and Teräväinen are somewhere around 5'11 and 6. Heiskanen at some point was listed as 6'1 which seemed slightly off.

Granlund may be more exaggerated. Not sure what he's listed nowadays but I recall reading 5'11 somewhere. He looked like a pretty regular 5'9.

On a side note, Pekka Rinne is an absolute tower. His listed 6'6 - 6'7 as an active player might have even been downplaying the reality.

 

[GMR]

Max Domi listed at 5'10" on hockey database.
Nope.

Tie Domi was listed the same.

Much like professional wrestling, NHL heights are wildly exaggerated. Not sure about weight though.

 

[Regal]

Of the current Finnish NHL players I've seen live so closely that their height could be assessed, I'd say most are pretty close.

The tall guys (Laine, Puljujärvi, Hakanpää) looked to be in the 6'4 - 6'5 range.

Heiskanen, Aho and Teräväinen are somewhere around 5'11 and 6. Heiskanen at some point was listed as 6'1 which seemed slightly off.

Granlund may be more exaggerated. Not sure what he's listed nowadays but I recall reading 5'11 somewhere. He looked like a pretty regular 5'9.

On a side note, Pekka Rinne is an absolute tower. His listed 6'6 - 6'7 as an active player might have even been downplaying the reality.

I sometimes wonder whether the really big guys might be downplayed a bit. I’m a somewhere over 6’6 but just say 6’6. I wonder if someone like Chara is actually a bit bigger even than 6’9

 

[Primary Assist]

I’m 5’11.5” and when asked, I say 5’11.5”. Because I’m not actually 6’. But, of course, my value isn’t somehow tied to my height.

5'11.75" here. Some guys have gotten legitimately angry with me when I say my exact height since they're a little shorter than me but claim to be 6' or taller.

In the NFL, players are measured at the combine and their heights are rounded to the nearest inch - so you and I would both be 6' by NFL standards. I'd imagine the NHL does something similar, which is why Matthews who is probably a hair over 6'2" is listed at 6'3"

 

[12ozPapa]

I’ll say after meeting Getzlaf a handful of times, dude was definitely 6’4

 

[Siludin]

Most will be shorter


I’m 6’4” and stood next to guys listed at my height. We were absolutely level but they were in skates. One an ex NHL guy, one AHL.

Yeah it seems like some of the heights are genuinely listed as though they are on skates.

Also a person's height does change by about +/- 1 inch depending on physical fitness.
Edit: by this I mean more weight on your body is likely to compress you a bit and affect your posture even when you think you are standing at your straightest - your bones don't actually change or anything though some joints may feel the compression more than others, requiring stretching and exercise to gain full extension.