Who are the five oldest players to ever play in the NHL?

Gordie Howe: Age: 52 years, 6 days, Final Game: Apr. 6, 1980, Club: Hartford Whalers, Position: RW

Chris Chelios: Age: 46 years, 39 days*, Final Game: n/a, Club: Detroit Red Wings, Position: D

Moe Roberts: Age: 45 years, 347 days, Final Game: Nov. 25, 1951, Club: Chicago Blackhawks, Position: G

Johnny Bower: Age: 45 years, 32 days, Final Game: Dec. 10, 1969, Club: Toronto Maple Leafs, Position: G

Gump Worsley: Age: 44 years, 323 days, Final Game: Apr. 2, 1974, Club: Minnesota North Stars, Position: G

*as of March 4, 2008

Oldest Pro Hockey Player

In trying to determine the best, stats may not be everything. Longetivity, points etc all come into play. Championships as well as contributions to the game, leadership. In determining best ever, you can have different best ever in 100 different categories. And then how do you compare todays players to those of 40-70 years ago. Best ever, Bobby Orr, only because he did what he did on such bum knees that his records are ones todays defensemen can only dream about. Gordie and Wayne are tied for 2nd with about 10 others tied for 3rd.One or two years don't make a career, I wish Sydney the best but comparisons except for age marks are at least 8-10 years away but he off to a great start. Good question.

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The key here is the one of the words you use: debate. In a free country you don't really need credentials to debate a topic, only an honest opinion. And one honest opinion is as valid as the next, whether it happens to tick someone off or not. And the fantasy world of sports is great because my or anyone else's opinion is as good as, say, that of Glen Sather, who, on the surface, would seem to have far more "credentials" but really doesn't. If you have eyes and have watched these players play, you are qualified to offer an opinion on who you think is the best in whatever category. You don't have to play bass with The Beatles (ok, insert age group preference here ... are Coldplay still around? Is Amy Winehouse sober yet?) to know how good they were. Like a lot of forum people here, I've been watching hockey a long long time so my credentials are an honest opinion, some experience playing the game, old age and a television set, much like everyone else. If you believe eg: Gretzky (again, substitute any name you like here) is the best passer ever, you don't have to receive a pass from Wayne in order to have credentials to back up your opinion. His skills were plain to see every time he was on the ice, just like Crosby, Ovechkin and Kopitar and Zetterberg are today. In fact, our view from high up in the stands or on TV was probably better than the one Gretzky's coaches had. We saw quite a bit of him because he played so many playoff games on TV and he was a one-man highlight reel. You also can't compare eras, and I don't think people with a reasonable opinion ever do that. I don't believe when people say they think Howe or Orr were the greatest ever, that they mean if Howe or Orr were playing today they'd be better than anyone else. What they are saying is Howe's and Orr's accomplishments during their careers are greater than any other player's during their careers. You can only consider a player's impact during his own era. When Maurice Richard played, again just as an example, no one could slap a puck. But there's no denying Richard's year-to-year impact on the game at the time. His impact on the game was far greater than, say, Joe Thornton's will be, unless Joe scores 100 goals in a season or something. And yet, put Thornton in a time machine and send him to NHL 1949, he'd be six inches taller than the average player, twice as fast and the only player that could raise a puck. One thing is certain: if you're picking the greatest ever, you can't compare someone two years into a career with someone who played 25 years. It's silly. This isn't a comparison, just an example: What if Crosby blows a knee next year or the NHL drifts back to the old clutch and grab style and Sid gets mugged every night? Or other teams develop a "book" on how to play against him and limit his effectiveness for the rest of his career? How would he be the greatest ever when someone like Steve Yzerman did it so well for more than 20 years? Remember, Eric Lindros had as much a buildup as Crosby ... maybe more ... early in his career, and time took its toll. You can't really include players who are just starting out with those you can examine in detail who have many more years of success. Howe, for example, finished in the top five in scoring 20 years straight. Can Sid top that? We'll know in a little less than 18 years.

As guesses. I know these guys were pretty darn old for the NHL.

Igor Larionov

Gordie Howe

Johnny Bower

Doug Harvey

Gump Worsley

....and of course Chelios

Oh, I forgot about Mark Messier

I have asked the same question 3 times, and did not get an answer

i know chelios has been for a while but still looing great..

chelios is as old as the game itself

Here are some..

Chelios

Ray Bourque

Howe

Bower

Worsley

Messier

Joe Sakic is getting up there...I think he's 38