NHL No Longer A Young Man’s Game? Look At These Legends Coming Back From Retirement

The notion of retiring is highly relevant in professional sports, especially in the NHL. When athletes retire from professional competition, it’s usually expected that their retirement means they will never set foot on an ice rink again.

NHL No Longer A Young Man’s Game? Look At These Legends Coming Back From Retirement

However, there have been many occasions in the past when these powerful sportsmen have come out of retirement to the jubilation of their supporters.

Hockey has evolved over the years into a sport mostly played by young men. When they were old enough, players like Sidney Crosby, Patrick Kane, Connor McDavid, Connor Bedard, and many more entered the NHL. The game expanded more quickly at the same time. This meant father time started making it harder to keep up as players’ ages crept toward the big 4-0

Ilya Kovalchuk revealed a few weeks ago that he was signing a contract to play hockey professionally again after a hiatus. At forty years old, he is among the younger guys who have just returned to the game.

One of the most intriguing players to emerge from the NHL in recent years is Ilya Kovalchuk. After a protracted and turbulent tenure in North America, the former first overall choice eventually made his way back to Russia following the 2019–20 season. In 2021, he played in the KHL for one more year before deciding to retire. That is, until now.

The 40-year-old’s final professional hockey season was 2020–21, during which he earned 17 points for Avangard Omsk in 16 games. In addition, he participated in 24 postseason games en route to winning the Gagarin Cup. When he seemed to hang up the boots after that season, he was still among the league’s greatest players.

For example, 51-year-old hockey star Jaromir Jagr began his 36th professional season this past season, despite not playing in the NHL for a few years.

Jaromir Jagr’s eligibility for the Hockey Hall of Fame has been postponed until 2027 due to his professional hockey season debut with Rytiri Kladno in 2023–24.

The former NHL star, who frequently helped Kladno through hard times, joins Kladno, which is now ranked 13th in the Czech league.

And don’t even consider for a moment that he’s relaxing. After two games, he already has an assist and 4 PIMs, he’s still very much involved.

Is Donald Brashear still a professional hockey player?

Yes, it is correct. Brashear is still playing hockey with the Jonquiere Marquis in the Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey at the age of 51, having missed a few seasons due to injury. It’s incredible Brashear is still alive with all the abuse his body has endured over the years, including 2634 PIMs, many of which were from 5-minute fighting majors and a stick to the skull from Marty McSorely.

The most recent returnee, whose return to professional hockey was just revealed this week, is the next.

I guess NHL Is no longer strictly a Young Man’s Game!

 

 

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