Last active guy for old franchises

[The Panther]

The weird thing about Chelios is that, to me, he never seemed to get old. I saw him play c.1986, and I already thought he seemed old. In 2009 or whatever, he still seemed the 'same' old. Gordie Howe was different in that he looks like a kid when he started and a Grandpa when he retired.

Chelios, in fact, didn't even play an NHL game until after his 22nd birthday in January 1984. He wasn't drafted until he was 19, but, even so, he could have started playing in the NHL in 1981-82. He was, in fact, 18 when Gordie Howe retired in 1980, so 'legally' Chelios could have started in 1980-81, meaning we'd have a North-America pro-hockey span of 1946 to 2010 for two players (minus Howe's two retirement years in 1971-73).

 

[Staniowski]

The weird thing about Chelios is that, to me, he never seemed to get old. I saw him play c.1986, and I already thought he seemed old. In 2009 or whatever, he still seemed the 'same' old. Gordie Howe was different in that he looks like a kid when he started and a Grandpa when he retired.

Chelios, in fact, didn't even play an NHL game until after his 22nd birthday in January 1984. He wasn't drafted until he was 19, but, even so, he could have started playing in the NHL in 1981-82. He was, in fact, 18 when Gordie Howe retired in 1980, so 'legally' Chelios could have started in 1980-81, meaning we'd have a North-America pro-hockey span of 1946 to 2010 for two players (minus Howe's two retirement years in 1971-73).

The Chelios story is fascinating. He tried out for 2 Tier II junior teams in Ontario when he was 16 and was cut by both of them. He couldn't even make TierII teams. He went back to California, and was cut by a team there. I think he was about to give up on hockey, when he got an opportunity to play TierII in Moose Jaw, SK, when he was 17. At this time he switched from forward to defense, and played 2 years in Moose Jaw. He really emerged in the 2nd year and the Habs drafted him. He then played 2 years at Wisconsin, and then to Montreal.

 

[blood gin]

The last active Minnesota North Star wasn't Mike Modano. It was actually Mike Craig who played with them from 1990-1993 and played his last pro season in Austria in 2011-2012 at the age of 40.

 

[blood gin]

Last active Whaler is either Giguere who retired in 2014, or Hnat Domenichelli who played with the Whale in 96-97 and retired in Europe (playing for Bern in Switzerland) in 2014. Guess it depends whose season finished first.

 

[crobro]

Marek Malik I believe is still playing in the KHL

Chris Pronger technically cause he still hasn’t officially retired