As the 2024-25 NHL season gets underway, two of the league’s brightest stars, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, are celebrating a major milestone: 20 years in the NHL. While this achievement is certainly impressive, they still have a ways to go before they reach the all-time record for most seasons played.
Speaking of which, have you ever wondered which players have logged the most seasons in the NHL? Here’s a look at the top players:
**All-Time Leaders**
* 26 seasons: Chris Chelios (1983-2010), Gordie Howe (1946-71, 1979-80)
* 25 seasons: Mark Messier (1979-2004)
* 24 seasons: Tim Horton (1949-74), Alex Delvecchio (1950-74), Zdeno Chara (1997-2022), Joe Thornton (1997-2022), Jaromir Jagr (1990-08, 2011-18)
**23 Seasons and Counting**
* Al MacInnis (1981-2004), Johnny Bucyk (1955-78), Dave Andreychuk (1982-2006), Ron Francis (1981-2004), Patrick Marleau (1997-2021)
**22 Seasons and Still Going Strong**
* Ray Whitney (1991-2014), Dean Prentice (1952-74), Doug Mohns (1953-75), Stan Mikita (1958-80), Steve Yzerman (1983-2006), Ray Bourque (1979-2001), Scott Stevens (1982-2004), Mark Recchi (1988-2011)
**Active Players Closing In**
* Brent Burns, 21 seasons
* Marc-Andre Fleury, 21 seasons
* Sidney Crosby, 20 seasons
* Alex Ovechkin, 20 seasons
* Corey Perry, 20 seasons
* Ryan Suter, 20 seasons
* Jack Johnson, 19 seasons
* Anze Kopitar, 19 seasons
* Kris Letang, 19 seasons
* Evgeni Malkin, 19 seasons
* Jordan Staal, 19 seasons
* Marc-Edouard Vlasic, 19 seasons
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