Ryan Suter joins the list of Active NHL players at age 40

[Reality Czech]

The JAGiest JAG that ever JAGed

Yeah because all JAGs play 1500 NHL games. I assume this was a failed attempt at humor

 

[Treb]

Well…if 4 guys from one draft year play into their 40s that would actually be a crazy high percentage. I think the average would be less than one.

It is very high, but look at the names and tell me you wouldn't have expected more to make it 5 years ago.

Would have expected some of Staal, Bergeron, Getzlaf, Weber and Parise to make it.

 

[Toby91ca]

It is very high, but look at the names and tell me you wouldn't have expected more to make it 5 years ago.

Would have expected some of Staal, Bergeron, Getzlaf, Weber and Parise to make it.

I definitely wouldn’t have expected it…regardless of names, it’s simply rare for guys to play to 40 and isn’t usually reserved for the best players either. If you think about it, for the best players, if they aren’t playing on a good team and aren’t chasing milestones, why would they stick around? Some can’t stand playing beyond certain decline in ability. Gretzky retired at 38 for example.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Playing at 40 is certainly more possible than ever these days with how much money players are spending on conditioning/maintenance as well as the vast improvements in various surgeries/procedures that would turn what used to be devastating career roadblocks into tiny little bumps in the road.

That being said, a player has to consciously want to play that long. In addition to staying healthy, especially around 35, it has to become a bit of a mission and focus to play as long as possible. The aforementioned Getzlaf likely could have kept playing, but ultimately chose not to because not everybody wants to chase league minimum salaries when they've already made a lot of money in their career and keep playing when they can't do the things they used to do.

And ultimately, neither approach is right or wrong, just personal preference.

 

[spcastlemagic]

I started to really get into hockey in 2001, when Lemieux came back. 2003 draft really warped my perspective on these things for a long time, I thought every year tons of awesome talent came in, and didn't realize even the first round is boom and bust in most years.