The “Wow He’s Still in the League?” Thread

[Brookbank]

Haha. Saw thread title. First name that came to mind was Jeff Carter on the penguins.

Examples in OP check out.

That Jeff Carter ?

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

Without reading through 4 pages of posts I would have to think Kyle Okposo is the only true answer here.

 

[Brookbank]

Jack Johnson?

I assumed it was a different Jack Johnson. Its his 20th season in the league

 

[DialUp]

Weird seeing people talking about Bonino and Pitlick. As a NYR fan, I knew these names but never really noticed these guys until this year. They are gamers. Absolutely still got it.

Either Megna

There are two of them?!?

 

[MadLuke]

Sam Gagner is top of the list for me.

That a big one for me too, make a giant splash early on (very high draft pick, solid rookie season, Oilers had a lot of attention on them, the 8 pts game in 2012....), then a long journey of teams under the radar (i.e. never got out of the first round his whole career, he played playoff game only 2 times, 2016 and 2017).

Always a bit of a surprise to see his name pop-up, not that old but was a name at a very young age a long time ago.

 

[Jay26]

Giordano for me. I honestly did not realize he was still with the Leafs this year. Thought for sure he was done.

 

[miscs75]

Today was the first time I heard the name William Lagesson outside of when his hockey cards were in boxes.

 

[CowbellConray]

I haven’t seen his name yet, Luke Glendening for Tampa. Just a pure 4th line guy, nothing more nothing less

 

[jetsforever]

Drouin

 

[majormajor]

I assumed it was a different Jack Johnson. Its his 20th season in the league

More like 18th season. He was drafted in the Crosby draft, in 05, and then played two years at Michigan before coming to the NHL. If you count the 5 NHL games at the end of the second year at Michigan, then I think it's 18 NHL seasons total.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Trevor Lewis. Wasn’t he a member of the 2012 cup team ?

I was like no way he's still in the league, but I looked and was shocked that he in fact is.

Still on the same team that drafted him too which is even more amazing

 

[Chet Manley]

That a big one for me too, make a giant splash early on (very high draft pick, solid rookie season, Oilers had a lot of attention on them, the 8 pts game in 2012....), then a long journey of teams under the radar (i.e. never got out of the first round his whole career, he played playoff game only 2 times in his career, 2016 and 2017).

Always a bit of a surprise to see his name pop-up, not that old but was a name at a very young age a long time ago.

It's pretty weird to see him play well as a 4th line winger. Not too often that happens with a small-ish, slow-ish, and highly skilled guy.

 

[trellaine201]

Ryan Suter 1389 games

 

[mcleex]

James Reimer

 

[MK9]

Ditto Trevor Lewis.

I was also surprised to see Alex Goligoski in Minnesota's lineup when they played Vancouver a few days ago ... I kind of just assumed his career ended after last season.

I don't wish the guy any ill will, but that would've been nice...

 

[Leksand]

Honestly, Alexander Nylander. I thought that ship had sailed.

 

[Mr Positive]

Nobody feels like that for me anymore. When the last of those dead puck era players retired that was it. When Jagr retired it felt like he had 3 careers. Pronger was a Whaler.

There are players who I feel the opposite. "Players who you can't believe aren't in the league anymore"

Sami Vatanen looked fantastic in his prime. Been out of the league 3 years and he's 32

 

[abo9]

Here's the 23-24 you forgot they still played squad:

Perron Carter Okposo
Gallagher Gagner Gerbe
Cogliano Bonino Girgensons
Lewis Bellemare Clutterbuck
Lazar

Hamonic Vlasic
Bortuzzo Kulikov
Goligoski Bogosian

Varlamov
Halak

I love how Gerbe was so uneventful that people are surprised he still plays in the NHL 3 years after his last NHL game

I'll take this a different direction, looking at guys who are still playing outside of the NHL that will catch you by surprise.

AHL/ECHL

• Peter Holland on the Avs ahl team. Hasn't played an nhl game since 2018.
• Steven Kampfer has a contract with the Coyotes, and is playing in Tucson.
• Ian White former Leafs, Red Wings and Flames Dman. Actually a documentary about his addiction. Cool to see him playing again even if it's the Echl.

Europe

• Nikolai Kulemin is still playing in the K. He left the N with concussion issues six years ago, and is still around.
• Ryan Spooner has been playing in the K for time now, and has been pretty good.
• Lauri Korpikoski still has a contract in the SM Liiga for TPS. Hasn't been in the bigs for 7 years.
• Linus Omark is still playing in the SHL has 18 points in 25 games. Wonder if he's still got his shootout prowess.
• Valtteri Filppula is still playing, now in Switzerland. Thought he'd be about 50.
• Daniel Winnik is still playing out in Switzerland as well. I still remember the leafs flipping him multiple times.
• Damien Brunner a devils legend. Hasn't been in the league for 9 years.
• Tomas Plekanec still playing out in the Czech league, looks to be pretty much done though now.
• Martin Hanzal he's playing in the 4th-tier of professional czech hockey. He's got 32 points in 9 games.
• Nikolai Zherdev playing in the 2nd-tier of Italy. Weird place to see him.
• Sergei Kostitsyn is still playing in Belarus's professional hockey league.

Thays a really cool list! Its fun to see guy who were extrenely relevant hy NHL standards and left too early or what we thought for retirement, and end up playing for much longer than we thought.

Somehwere, Corey Locke is still riding AHL busses

 

[Mobiandi]

Whatever Staal brother is still kicking around in Carolina

 

[JFleegs]

For a long time it was Nate Thompson, apparently he’s still playing in the A this year?

 

[MadLuke]

One can wonder how many of those names would still be played if the nhl was still a 30 teams league, that 46 rosters spots and with injuries most of them get to play at least sometime.

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

Didn’t think Perron was still in the league until I saw a thread title about him.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

the remaining players from the Pens 2017 Stanley Cup:

Sidney Crosby
Evgeni Malkin
Kris Letang
Jake Guentzel
Bryan Rust

and CHAD MF RUHWEDEL

Chad Ruhwedel has carved out a nice career for himself for being a #6/7 guy. And for one team to boot. Part of the core.

 

[HanSolo]

That a big one for me too, make a giant splash early on (very high draft pick, solid rookie season, Oilers had a lot of attention on them, the 8 pts game in 2012....), then a long journey of teams under the radar (i.e. never got out of the first round his whole career, he played playoff game only 2 times, 2016 and 2017).

Always a bit of a surprise to see his name pop-up, not that old but was a name at a very young age a long time ago.

Ditto Cam Fowler. Kinda crazy to think he's only 32.

 

[Mogo]

Adam Henrique