Introducing Steve Wochy, the oldest living player to grace the ice in the NHL. Stephen Wochy (né Wojciechowski; born December 25, 1922) Fort William, Ontario, Canada. At the age of 101, he is a living legend in the world of hockey.
Wochy made his NHL debut in 1945, playing alongside the Detroit Red Wings ( Jud McAtee and Ted Lindsay). His National Hockey League (NHL) career was brief but impactful. He played 54 games for the Detroit Red Wings between 1944 and 1946. He tallied 19 Goals and 39 Points in 54 Games with the Red Wings, with all of his points coming in his first season, in which he played 49 games.
However, his journey in the sport extended beyond the NHL. His career spanned from 1940 to 1955, mainly in the minor leagues. His post-NHL years saw him play ten seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL), where he left a lasting impression, particularly with teams like the Indianapolis Capitals, Philadelphia Rockets, Cleveland Barons, and Buffalo Bisons.
In 1952, his prowess on the ice was recognized when he was named a first-team AHL All-Star.
After Jim Conacher’s death in April 2020, he became the oldest living former NHL player. He is the second NHL player to become a centenarian, Al Suomi being the first known. Albert William Suomi born (October 29, 1913 – September 23, 2014). Who played five games in the National Hockey League with the Chicago Black Hawks during the 1936–37 season. He never recorded any stats and never played in the NHL after that.
No former NHL player has ever lived longer than Steve Wochy.
By contrast, Armand “Bep” Guidolin, a Canadian born on December 9, 1925, was the youngest player ever to skate in an NHL game. At the tender age of 16 years and 11 months, he made his debut for the Boston Bruins on November 12, 1942. In that game, the Bruins faced off against the Toronto Maple Leafs, resulting in a 3-1 loss. Armand’s playing career spanned nine seasons in the NHL, during which he accumulated 278 points in 519 games and a hefty 616 penalty minutes. Bep Guidolin was a 5’8” and 175-pound Canadian kid who played left wing for the Boston Bruins. His playing career lasted from 1942 to 1952. His welcome to the league was thanks to WW2 and the Bruin’s desperate need to replace a thin roster after players left to serve in the military. Otherwise, it’s unlikely a 16-year-old kid would ever be drafted into the NHL, and something we will probably never see again. Bep was a massive advocate for the development of a player union. He was met with fierce resistance by the NHL’s ownership groups.
Ultimately, the battles between players and ownership he helmed brought an early career demise. It was a necessary sacrifice; without it, player protections might not have come as far as they have in the modern era. Guidolin also played for the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Black Hawks. Guidolin’s dream of coaching in the NHL became a reality when he got the opportunity to coach the Boston Bruins midway through the 1972–73 season, where he was bench boss for 26 games. He coached Boston again in 1973–74, leading the Bruins to the Stanley Cup Finals. Guidolin also coached the Kansas City Scouts for the 1974–75 and 1975–76 campaigns.
Keep Your Stick on the Ice. (Steve Wochy, the oldest living NHL player)
