Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby are entering their 22nd NHL seasons. During that time, they went from exciting young rookies to two of the greatest players in NHL history, winning a combined four Stanley Cups and nearly every individual award the league gives out.
With their careers now spanning three decades, the two generational talents are nearing an end, but their longevity has been so vast that players entering the NHL today have never known the sport without the Ovi-Sid rivalry.
According to the NHL, there are now a staggering 28 players in the league who were born on or after October 5, 2005, when Ovechkin and Crosby both made their NHL debuts. That list includes Michael Brandsegg-Nygård (DET), who was born that day in Oslo, Norway, and two Washington Capitals players.
Capitals young stars Cole Hutson and Ilya Protas were born shortly after the 2005-06 season ended, and their current captain was awarded the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year, narrowly defeating Crosby.
Other notables on the list include first-overall picks Macklin Celebrini (SJS, 2024), Matthew Schaefer (NYI, 2025), and Gavin McKenna (TOR, 2026), as well as emerging talents like Zeev Buium (VAN), Porter Martone (PHI), and Beckett Sennecke (ANA). Two Russians also made the list: Ivan Demidov (MTL) and Matvei Gridin (CGY).
The 28 NHL players born on or after Crosby and Ovechkin’s debut date
Player ages reflect Opening Night rosters submitted on Monday, September 28.
| Player | Team | Age | Date of birth | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Brandsegg-Nygård | DET | 20y, 358d | Oct. 5, 2005 | Oslo, Norway |
| Artyom Levshunov | CHI | 20y, 335d | Oct. 28, 2005 | Zhlobin, Belarus |
| Igor Chernyshov | SJS | 20y, 302d | Nov. 30, 2005 | Penza, Russia |
| Zeev Buium | VAN | 20y, 295d | Dec. 7, 2005 | San Diego, CA, USA |
| Ivan Demidov | MTL | 20y, 292d | Dec. 10, 2005 | Sergiyev Posad, Russia |
| Berkly Catton | SEA | 20y, 257d | Jan. 14, 2006 | Saskatoon, SK, Canada |
| Beckett Sennecke | ANA | 20y, 243d | Jan. 28, 2006 | Toronto, ON, Canada |
| Zayne Parekh | CGY | 20y, 225d | Feb. 15, 2006 | Markham, ON, Canada |
| Trevor Connelly | VGK | 20y, 212d | Feb. 28, 2006 | Tustin, CA, USA |
| Matvei Gridin | CGY | 20y, 211d | March 1, 2006 | Kurgan, Russia |
| Konsta Helenius | BUF | 20y, 140d | May 11, 2006 | Ylöjärvi, Finland |
| Sam Dickinson | SJS | 20y, 113d | June 7, 2006 | Toronto, ON, Canada |
| Macklin Celebrini | SJS | 20y, 107d | June 13, 2006 | Vancouver, BC, Canada |
| Cole Hutson | WSH | 20y, 92d | June 28, 2006 | St. Louis, MO, USA |
| Adam Jiricek | STL | 20y, 92d | June 28, 2006 | Klatovy, Czechia |
| Ilya Protas | WSH | 20y, 72d | July 18, 2006 | Vitebsk, Belarus |
| Roger McQueen | ANA | 19y, 361d | Oct. 2, 2006 | Saskatoon, SK, Canada |
| Victor Eklund | NYI | 19y, 360d | Oct. 3, 2006 | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Porter Martone | PHI | 19y, 337d | Oct. 26, 2006 | Peterborough, ON, Canada |
| James Hagens | BOS | 19y, 329d | Nov. 3, 2006 | Hauppauge, NY, USA |
| Michael Misa | SJS | 19y, 224d | Feb. 16, 2007 | Oakville, ON, Canada |
| Anton Frondell | CHI | 19y, 144d | May 7, 2007 | Trångsund, Sweden |
| Matthew Schaefer | NYI | 19y, 23d | Sept. 5, 2007 | Hamilton, ON, Canada |
| Ivar Stenberg | SJS | 18y, 363d | Sept. 30, 2007 | Stenungsund, Sweden |
| Alberts Smits | NYR | 18y, 300d | Dec. 2, 2007 | Valmiera, Latvia |
| Gavin McKenna | TOR | 18y, 282d | Dec. 20, 2007 | Whitehorse, YT, Canada |
| Viggo Björck | WPG | 18y, 200d | March 12, 2008 | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Nikita Klepov | ANA | 18y, 93d | June 27, 2008 | Deerfield Beach, FL, USA |
