Only 77 players in the history of the NHL have played at least 20 seasons in the league. 

Four NHL players joined the club in 2026-27. That includes Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Anze Kopitar, and Jordan Staal. Staal's 20th NHL season also resulted in him winning the Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Now, at least three more players will play in their 20th NHL seasons in 2026-27. Here's who those three veterans are.

Claude Giroux will officially play in his 20th NHL season after signing another one-year deal with the Ottawa Senators. While there were rumors that he would return to the Philadelphia Flyers, he will instead be playing in Ottawa for a fifth straight season. 

While Giroux is 38 years old, he is still an effective right winger at this stage in his career. In 82 games last season for Ottawa, he posted 14 goals, 49 points, and a 63.1 faceoff-winning percentage. 

In 1,345 career NHL games, Giroux has recorded 379 goals, 786 assists, and 1,165 points. He was also captain of the Flyers from 2012-13 to 2021-22. 

Nick Foligno signed a one-year, $900,000 contract this off-season to stay with the Minnesota Wild. He's looking to win his first Stanley Cup, all while continuing to be teammates with his brother, Marcus Foligno.

Foligno is more of a bottom-six forward at this point in his career but is still effective due to his physicality and leadership skills. In 54 games this past season, split between the Chicago Blackhawks and Wild, he posted four goals, 15 points, and 128 hits. 

In 1,287 career NHL games, Foligno has posted 251 goals, 361 assists, 612 points, and 2,885 hits. He was also previously captain of both the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Blackhawks. 

With Patrick Kane signing a two-year, $8-million-per-season contract, he will play his 20th NHL season in 2026-27.

While Kane may not be as dominant as he was during his prime, he is still an impactful top-six forward. The 37-year-old forward showed this last season with the Detroit Red Wings, posting 16 goals and 57 points in 67 games. 

In 1,369 career NHL games, Kane has recorded 508 goals, 892 assists, and 1,400 points. He also won three Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks, the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2007-08, the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2012-13, as well as the Art Ross Trophy and Hart Trophy in 2015-16. He's had an amazing career and is still not interested in calling it quits. 

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