Success can come at any age, but for some, it happens sooner rather than later. The average age of active players across the NHL in 2022-23 is 27 years, with the league's youngest player, Juraj Slafkovsky of the Montreal Canadiens, already on the ice at 18.
The youngest player in league history is Armand “Bep” Guidolin, who debuted in the NHL for the Boston Bruins on Nov. 12, 1942, at 16 years of age. While his early selection was the exception rather than the rule, there are plenty of young players in the NHL, proving that sometimes youth works in athletes' favor.
Ranking Youngest NHL Players in 2022-23
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| PLAYER | TEAM | AGE |
|---|---|---|
| Juraj Slafkovsky | Montreal Canadiens | 18 years |
| Wyatt Johnston | Dallas Stars | 19 years |
| Brandt Clarke | Los Angeles Kings | 19 years |
| Dylan Guenther | Arizona Coyotes | 19 years |
| Cole Sillinger | Columbus Blue Jackets | 19 years |
| Shane Wright | Seattle Kraken | 19 years |
| David Jiricek | Columbus Blue Jackets | 19 years |
| Quinton Byfield | Los Angeles Kings | 20 years |
| Jamie Drysdale | Anaheim Ducks | 20 years |
| Jean-Luc Foudy | Colorado Avalanche | 20 years |
| Jake Neighbours | St. Louis Blues | 20 years |
| Lucas Raymond | Detroit Red Wings | 20 years |
| Jake Sanderson | Ottawa Senators | 20 years |
| Oskar Olausson | Colorado Avalanche | 20 years |
| Kent Johnson | Columbus Blue Jackets | 20 years |
| Owen Power | Buffalo Sabres | 20 years |
| Mason McTavish | Anaheim Ducks | 20 years |
| Matty Beniers | Seattle Kraken | 20 years |
Eighteen active NHL players are still too young to buy a beer in America, but at just 18 years old, Slafkovsky is the youngest of the lot.'