Minnesota Wild's Pat Cannone Makes Long-Awaited NHL Debut at 30 Years Old

The NHL's youth movement has been the talk of the hockey world in 2016. But on Tuesday, the old guy got his moment in the spotlight.

After four years at Miami University (Ohio) and toiling in the AHL for six-plus seasons without a call up, 30-year-old Pat Cannone finally made his NHL debut for the Minnesota Wild in a 2-0 win over Colorado, putting up two shots on goal while going 5-for-7 in the faceoff circle in just over nine minutes of ice time. It was a near-perfect debut for Cannone, one that was many, many years in the making.

Cannone's opportunity finally arrived as a result of a lower-body injury sustained by centreman Erik Haula last Saturday against Arizona. Cannone signed a one-year deal worth a guaranteed $300,000 with Minnesota this offseason because he thought "he may have an opportunity to jump up to the big club" at some point throughout the year. Well, thanks to a depleted Wild lineup and his strong play in the AHL so far this season, that moment came for him on Tuesday night.

If age 30 seems late for a career minor-leaguer to be suiting up for his first NHL game, it's because it is. The average age of an NHL rookie is 22 years old according to Quant Hockey, while the majority of rookies make their debut at the age of 20—a whole decade younger than Cannone. And sometimes it's even younger, like Jets super rookie Patrik Laine who's playing in his first NHL season as an 18-year-old.

Cannone, a Long Island native, is up there in terms of hockey age, but he isn't even the oldest player to debut for the Wild, let alone in the NHL. According to Elias, defenceman Lubomir Sekeras made his debut with the Wild at the age of 31 on Oct. 6, 2000.

Since the first major expansion in 1967, there have been several NHL debuts by guys in their mid-30s or later. Here are some of those who skated their first NHL game a little longer in the tooth than most:

Connie Madigan—St. Louis Blues 1972-73 (age 38)
Helmut Balderis—Minnesota North Stars, 1989-90 (age 37)
Lars-Erik Sjoberg—Winnipeg Jets, 1979-80 (age 35)
Jim McLeod—St. Louis Blues, 1971-72 (age 35)
Jim Anderson—LA Kings, 1967-68 (age 34)
Rick Knickle—LA Kings, 1993-94 (age 34)

Cannone became the 30th player since 1990 to play his first NHL game at the age 30 or older. No matter how many games he plays or how many goals he scores, he will always have that.

On the other end of the spectrum, the honour of youngest player to ever lace them up in the NHL is Chris Speyer, who suited up at the tender age of 16 for the Toronto St. Pats in 1923-24.