THE VETERAN RULE: Longtime NHL players aren't going anywhere

The NHL stars of the 2010's, aren't going anywhere just yet

Left to Right: Toews, Tarasenko, Kane, Crosby

By Anthony Pellegrino NHL Correspondent TheFrozenFocus.com

What year even is this?

The season was barely a week old when Jonathan Toews skated through the tunnel at Canada Life Centre, setting every theory to rest that his time in the NHL was over.

Across the league, the veterans are still at it. Alex Ovechkin keeps chasing history, hitting a new record at 900 goals. Sidney Crosby, somehow, still plays like he’s got more to prove.

Patrick Kane’s hands haven’t slowed. Vladimir Tarasenko is carving out a new role in Minnesota.

And so on.

These names that should have been fading are still flickering, in the year 2025.

Now, these are the players who refuse to let go. Some like Ovechkin are chasing records. Some, like Jonathan Toews are chasing peace. Some are just chasing the sound of one more crowd.

Crosby simply doesn’t think about retirement.

“When I can’t help the team anymore, I’ll know,” he told reporters in Pittsburgh. “Until then, I’ll keep playing.”

(Crosby looks on): 2024-2025

Jonathan Quick is still at it, too. Seemingly, improving more and more every season, since his arrival in New York City.

In Denver, 40-year-old Brent Burns continues to chew up minutes for the Avalanche, playing with the same edge he’s always had, his beard now streaked with grey. Even still, averaging at a half-point, per-game rate.

Ryan Reaves, at 38, remains a fixture in San Jose. From his energy, to the humor. His Instagram bio reads "San Jose Shaaaarks." And the edge, spending a minute per night in the penalty box.

And Milan Lucic, once one of the league’s most feared hitters, is grinding through a stint in the AHL with Springfield, hoping for one last recall.

Although, not every veteran is still lacing them up. Marc-André Fleury finally had his goodbye in Pittsburgh months ago. Chants of “one more year” echoing through PPG Paints Arena.

T.J. Oshie’s body couldn’t keep up anymore, and he’s moving to television, joining ESPN full time.

(ESPN NHL lineup 2025-2026 Oshie pictured far right)

They’re the exception. But most, like Toews, aren’t ready for that step yet.

“You get older, you start hearing it, that you should be done,” Toews said after practice in Winnipeg. “But you still wake up wanting to play. That’s hard to ignore.”

Call it the veteran rule. Or the unspoken code that says you don’t go quietly.

It’s stubbornness, yes. Pride, too. But it’s also love, for the noise, for the smell of the ice, for the routine that still feels like "what would I do if I retired?" They ’ve been playing this game longer than some of their teammates have been alive, yet they still find a way to matter.

Every fall, a few more will leave, and a few more will hang on. It’s the cycle of the league, the constant turnover of youth and age. But maybe hockey needs that balance. In the speed of the next generation and the gravity of the ones who built it.

Because one day soon, even these names will fade. But not yet. Not while Ovechkin still has goals to chase, Crosby to wear down the nickname "Sid the Kid" to it's final bow, and Kane and Toews make a lasting reunion.

In the circle of the hockey life, the vets are in the final chapter. Now, how long will they write it for?