Oldest player in franchise mode ever.

[MaxDummy]

Just won the Cup with a 79 ovr Luongo as my number 1 goalie. He was 44 and didn't retire at the end of the year, wich means he'll be 45 before next season ends.

I remember in NHL06 my Sakic retired at 45, with 2000+ points...

So, who have you seen retire the oldest in NHL games?

Click to read more...

 

[NHL WAR]

My oldest in 19 have been Chara/ Luongo/ Thornton at 42-44. Most players seem to retire around 37.

 

[n00bxQb]

Chris Chelios in NHL 09 (48)

 

[SlapshotTheMovie]

henrik lundqvist just retired in my new franchise at 46. He was like 72 over all but whas 81 overall the year before retirement. The year he retired i made him my ahl goalie and his overall went from 78 to 72 by December.

 

[Its a Trap]

Chara played in my most recent mode until he was 43.

 

[filip85]

Just won the Cup with a 79 ovr Luongo as my number 1 goalie. He was 44 and didn't retire at the end of the year, wich means he'll be 45 before next season ends.

I remember in NHL06 my Sakic retired at 45, with 2000+ points...

So, who have you seen retire the oldest in NHL games?

Bondra, not on my team, played until 46 in one of my saves all the way back in NHL 2005.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Got Chara to 44 in one of my NHL 19 sims.

He was still an 83 OV at like 42 years old. Finished at 76 OV when he retired at 44.

 

[GOilers88]

Pretty sure there was a guy around here who had Chris Chelios play into his 60's on one game.

 

[danielpalfredsson]

I saw Jagr stick around for a few years in an NHL Legacy GM mode once. It was really out of the ordinary since guys usually retired very quickly in previous gen. He was probably between 46-48, but I don't remember the exact number.

 

[GagneHanson12]

Pretty sure there was a guy around here who had Chris Chelios play into his 60's on one game.

Oldest player in GM mode?

This is the best thing I've seen in a while

 

[Ryan91]

I forget with game it was maybe NHL 14 or 15 but I had Jagr and I figured out a glitch in GM mode that you save before the retirement day and if the player you wanna save retired you just reload and try again until he says so I had Jagr retire at the Age of 65 he started at like 44 or something

 

[Ryan91]

Jagr age 66

 

[Ryan91]

He stats were terrible at that point but was fine lol for a 66 year old man haha

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

Jagr age 66

now that is hilarious.

I believe there is a glitch in NHL 2004 where if you only had 2 goalies, neither would retire. I somehow managed to have J.S Giguere and Marty Brodeur on the Ducks until the end of the 25-year reign.

 

[CamPopplestone]

now that is hilarious.

I believe there is a glitch in NHL 2004 where if you only had 2 goalies, neither would retire. I somehow managed to have J.S Giguere and Marty Brodeur on the Ducks until the end of the 25-year reign.

Yup I did that with Ed Belfour lol

 

[Matty Sundin]

I think it was nhl 05 or 06 for ps2 and I played be a gm mode which was 10 seasons long and Ed Belfour was still signing with with teams despite his overall declining. By end of year 10 he still wouldn’t retire and was like 50 lol.

 

[Tak7]

Wish more players would play until they were older in the newer NHL games.

The performance drop off is too steep IMO, for certain players - we know plenty of older players last in today's NHL because they take care of themselves well.

In EA's world, players drop drastically at 34-35 regardless

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

Wish more players would play until they were older in the newer NHL games.

The performance drop off is too steep IMO, for certain players - we know plenty of older players last in today's NHL because they take care of themselves well.

In EA's world, players drop drastically at 34-35 regardless

This has always been a problem with EA NHL. I've seen players already take a dive in their overall by 32. I wonder if it's due to their regen system? It's like the game 'breaks' itself and becomes wonky.

 

[Tak7]

This has always been a problem with EA NHL. I've seen players already take a dive in their overall by 32. I wonder if it's due to their regen system? It's like the game 'breaks' itself and becomes wonky.

I think it's definitely a balancing system - they want prospects to be drafted, and develop at a fair rate so that players aren't waiting 7+ years for them to enter the league (the way it used to be).

The flip side of that I guess, is that older players have to decline in ability so that they make room for those prospects - which I suppose makes sense. I just wish user controlled veterans declined at a steadier rate. It seems like they go from Elite 1st line players, to washed up, sometimes in the span of just a few months.

 

[HarryLime]

Chara plays with me and he's 47 (NHL 21)

 

[Emery]

In 21, currently have 42 yrs old turning 43 Kovalchuk rated 86 on my top line at the start of the 2025-2026 season

His linemates for the last 5 seasons have been Point and Skinner, while his two personal best seasons came at age 40 (107 pts) and 41 (99 pts). I hope he somehow hits age 50
EDIT: age 42 he had 88 pts and he retired at 43 following the end of the season with career #s of 670 goals and 1386 points in 1418 games

 

[East Coast Icestyle]

Wish more players would play until they were older in the newer NHL games.

The performance drop off is too steep IMO, for certain players - we know plenty of older players last in today's NHL because they take care of themselves well.

In EA's world, players drop drastically at 34-35 regardless

What? I find they don't drop fast enough. Old players only lose physical and defensive attributes, so the overall might drop but they still put up insane offensive stats.

The reality is tons of players are out of the league by 35 or drop off a cliff after 30, the stars are main ones with longevity outside of players like Matt Cullen, Marleau etc who are more outliers.

There's more Curtis Glencross than Justin Williams

 

[Dexter Colt]

Jagr age 66

His strength is very impressive

 

[Emery]

In 21, currently have 42 yrs old turning 43 Kovalchuk rated 86 on my top line at the start of the 2025-2026 season

His linemates for the last 5 seasons have been Point and Skinner, while his two personal best seasons came at age 40 (107 pts) and 41 (99 pts). I hope he somehow hits age 50
EDIT: age 42 he had 88 pts and he retired at 43 following the end of the season with career #s of 670 goals and 1386 points in 1418 games

Did some quick maths on his career
- average of 82 points per season (39 goals 43 assists)

Kovalchuk spent 5 seasons in the KHL, assuming he stayed in NA for those seasons and averaged 82 pts per year:

- career total of 1796 points including 865 (!) goals and 931 assists

This would have put him 2nd all time in goals and 6th all time in points

 

[teravaineSAROS]

I think it's definitely a balancing system - they want prospects to be drafted, and develop at a fair rate so that players aren't waiting 7+ years for them to enter the league (the way it used to be).

The flip side of that I guess, is that older players have to decline in ability so that they make room for those prospects - which I suppose makes sense. I just wish user controlled veterans declined at a steadier rate. It seems like they go from Elite 1st line players, to washed up, sometimes in the span of just a few months.

IMO the solution would be to make more top 15 draft picks bust. In real life you see top 5 draft picks not reach their expected potential all the time but in the game you never end up with say a Yapukov or a Griffin Reinhart when you have a high pick.

Drafting is just too safe in this game.