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How are NHL stars connected?

Two players are linked if they were teammates in the same season. These are the shortest chains between NHL legends from different eras, worked out over 8,986 hockey players from 1942 to 2025.

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The numbers

Among the 45 biggest stars in our NHL data, any two are on average 2.41 links apart, and no pair is more than 4 apart. The average hides a lot: stars who played for several teams and stayed long are the bridges, so the longest chains run between players from the very start of the league and the newest stars.

Chains between stars from different eras

  • Connor McDavid to Gordie Howe: 4 links, 69 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Connor McDavidteammates: Oilers, 2021-22
    2. Duncan Keithteammates: Blackhawks, 2005-08
    3. Martin Lapointeteammates: Red Wings, 1992-95
    4. Mark Howeteammates: Hurricanes, 1979-80
    5. Gordie Howe

  • Connor McDavid to Maurice Richard: 4 links, 73 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Connor McDavidteammates: Oilers, 2024-25
    2. Travis Dermottteammates: Wild, 2024-25
    3. Left wingteammates: Canucks, 1970-72
    4. Hal Laycoeteammates: Canadiens, 1947-51
    5. Maurice Richard

  • Cale Makar to Gordie Howe: 4 links, 72 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Cale Makarteammates: Avalanche, 2025-26
    2. Brent Burnsteammates: Wild, 2003-08
    3. Wes Walzteammates: Flyers, 1991-92
    4. Mark Howeteammates: Hurricanes, 1979-80
    5. Gordie Howe

  • Cale Makar to Maurice Richard: 4 links, 76 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Cale Makarteammates: Avalanche, 2018-25
    2. Mikko Rantanenteammates: Stars, 2025-26
    3. Left wingteammates: Canucks, 1970-72
    4. Hal Laycoeteammates: Canadiens, 1947-51
    5. Maurice Richard

  • Doug Harvey to Nikita Kucherov: 4 links, 66 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Doug Harveyteammates: Canadiens, 1960-61
    2. Wayne Connellyteammates: Canucks, 1971-72
    3. Left wingteammates: Lightning, 2000-01
    4. Martin St. Louisteammates: Lightning, 2013-14
    5. Nikita Kucherov

  • Nikita Kucherov to Terry Sawchuk: 4 links, 64 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Nikita Kucherovteammates: Lightning, 2013-14
    2. Martin St. Louisteammates: Flames, 1999-00
    3. Grant Fuhrteammates: Oilers, 1981-87
    4. Lee Fogolinteammates: Red Wings, 1949-51
    5. Terry Sawchuk

  • Auston Matthews to Doug Harvey: 4 links, 69 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Auston Matthewsteammates: Maple Leafs, 2020-21
    2. Joe Thorntonteammates: Bruins, 1997-00
    3. Ray Bourqueteammates: Bruins, 1979-81
    4. Jean Ratelleteammates: Rangers, 1961-64
    5. Doug Harvey

  • Auston Matthews to Terry Sawchuk: 4 links, 67 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Auston Matthewsteammates: Maple Leafs, 2020-21
    2. Joe Thorntonteammates: Bruins, 1997-00
    3. Ray Bourqueteammates: Bruins, 1979-83
    4. Brad Parkteammates: Rangers, 1969-70
    5. Terry Sawchuk

  • Nathan MacKinnon to Red Kelly: 4 links, 66 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Nathan MacKinnonteammates: Avalanche, 2014-17
    2. Jarome Iginlateammates: Flames, 1999-00
    3. Grant Fuhrteammates: Oilers, 1981-87
    4. Lee Fogolinteammates: Red Wings, 1947-51
    5. Red Kelly

  • Jacques Plante to Nathan MacKinnon: 4 links, 61 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Jacques Planteteammates: Bruins, 1972-73
    2. Phil Espositoteammates: Rangers, 1979-80
    3. Pat Conacherteammates: Flames, 1995-96
    4. Jarome Iginlateammates: Avalanche, 2014-17
    5. Nathan MacKinnon

  • Red Kelly to Sidney Crosby: 4 links, 58 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Red Kellyteammates: Red Wings, 1947-60
    2. Gordie Howeteammates: Hurricanes, 1979-80
    3. Mark Howeteammates: Flyers, 1991-92
    4. Mark Recchiteammates: Penguins, 2005-08
    5. Sidney Crosby

  • Jacques Plante to Sidney Crosby: 3 links, 53 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Jacques Planteteammates: Maple Leafs, 1971-73
    2. Rick Kehoeteammates: Penguins, 1984-85
    3. Mario Lemieuxteammates: Penguins, 2005-06
    4. Sidney Crosby

  • Jean Béliveau to Patrick Kane: 4 links, 57 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Jean Béliveauteammates: Canadiens, 1968-69
    2. Tony Espositoteammates: Blackhawks, 1980-83
    3. Doug Crossmanteammates: Red Wings, 1991-92
    4. Martin Lapointeteammates: Blackhawks, 2007-08
    5. Patrick Kane

  • Evgeni Malkin to Jean Béliveau: 3 links, 56 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Evgeni Malkinteammates: Penguins, 2006-08
    2. Gary Robertsteammates: Flames, 1990-95
    3. Guy Charronteammates: Canadiens, 1969-71
    4. Jean Béliveau

  • Glenn Hall to Patrick Kane: 4 links, 55 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Glenn Hallteammates: Red Wings, 1954-57
    2. Gordie Howeteammates: Hurricanes, 1979-80
    3. Mark Howeteammates: Red Wings, 1992-95
    4. Martin Lapointeteammates: Blackhawks, 2007-08
    5. Patrick Kane

  • Evgeni Malkin to Glenn Hall: 4 links, 54 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Evgeni Malkinteammates: Penguins, 2012-13
    2. Jarome Iginlateammates: Flames, 1999-00
    3. Grant Fuhrteammates: Oilers, 1981-83
    4. Garry Ungerteammates: Blues, 1970-71
    5. Glenn Hall

  • Alex Ovechkin to Bernie Geoffrion: 4 links, 55 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Alex Ovechkinteammates: Capitals, 2007-09
    2. Sergei Fedorovteammates: Red Wings, 1990-91
    3. Rick Green (1956)teammates: Capitals, 1978-80
    4. Dennis Hextallteammates: Rangers, 1967-68
    5. Bernie Geoffrion

  • Alex Ovechkin to Bobby Hull: 3 links, 48 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Alex Ovechkinteammates: Capitals, 2007-09
    2. Sergei Fedorovteammates: Red Wings, 1992-95
    3. Mark Howeteammates: Hurricanes, 1979-80
    4. Bobby Hull

  • Bernie Geoffrion to Martin Brodeur: 3 links, 41 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Bernie Geoffrionteammates: Rangers, 1967-68
    2. Walt Tkaczukteammates: Rangers, 1979-80
    3. Pat Conacherteammates: Devils, 1991-92
    4. Martin Brodeur

  • Bobby Hull to Martin Brodeur: 3 links, 34 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Bobby Hullteammates: Blackhawks, 1963-67
    2. Phil Espositoteammates: Rangers, 1979-80
    3. Pat Conacherteammates: Devils, 1991-92
    4. Martin Brodeur

  • Nicklas Lidström to Stan Mikita: 3 links, 33 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Nicklas Lidströmteammates: Red Wings, 1992-96
    2. Paul Coffeyteammates: Oilers, 1983-84
    3. Reg Kerrteammates: Blackhawks, 1977-80
    4. Stan Mikita

  • Dominik Hašek to Phil Esposito: 3 links, 27 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Dominik Hašekteammates: Blackhawks, 1990-92
    2. Chris Cheliosteammates: Canadiens, 1984-86
    3. Lucien DeBloisteammates: Rangers, 1977-80
    4. Phil Esposito

  • Dominik Hašek to Frank Mahovlich: 3 links, 34 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Dominik Hašekteammates: Blackhawks, 1990-92
    2. Chris Cheliosteammates: Canadiens, 1983-85
    3. Guy Lafleurteammates: Canadiens, 1971-74
    4. Frank Mahovlich

  • Jaromír Jágr to Stan Mikita: 3 links, 32 years apart at the start of their careers.

    1. Jaromír Jágrteammates: Penguins, 1990-94
    2. Mario Lemieuxteammates: Penguins, 1985-87
    3. Terry Ruskowskiteammates: Blackhawks, 1979-80
    4. Stan Mikita

Questions

How many degrees of separation are there between NHL stars?

Among the 45 biggest NHL stars in our database, two players are on average 2.41 links apart through chains of teammates, and the longest shortest chain is 4 links. Counting every pair: 84 pairs are 1 links apart, 532 pairs are 2 links apart, 258 pairs are 3 links apart, 116 pairs are 4 links apart.

What counts as a link?

Two players are linked if they played for the same franchise in the same season. A team that moved or changed its name is one franchise.

Is there always a shorter chain?

These are the shortest chains in our database of 8,986 NHL players from 1942 to 2025. The database is not complete: some defunct clubs and some players are missing, so a shorter real chain can exist.

Can I try one myself?

Yes. Lockerlink gives you two players every day and asks you to build the shortest chain. It rotates through the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL, and practice mode lets you pick the sport and the difficulty.

Rosters and seasons come from public sources, mostly Wikipedia, nflverse and the Lahman Baseball Database, matched and merged by us; the credits are on the Lockerlink page.