On April 28, we celebrate the birthdays of 31 past and present NHL players. Today’s list includes one of the best defensemen ever to play the game, plus a handful of Stanley Cup winners and three Nashville Predators players celebrating their birthdays on the same day. Let’s look at some names blowing out candles today.
Nicklas Lidström (1970)
Nicklas Lidström is the only player born on April 28 inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He is arguably one of the best defensemen ever to play professional hockey and is the greatest European-born and trained skater. During his 20-year career, all spent with the Detroit Red Wings, he won the Stanley Cup four times, serving as captain during the 2008 season. In 2002, when the Red Wings won their third championship in five seasons, Lidström became the first European to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
As a seven-time Norris Trophy winner, he trails Bobby Orr for most wins by a defenseman in NHL history, tied with Doug Harvey. He was named to the league’s All-Rookie Team in 1991-92, as well as a 12-time post-season All-Star and skated in 11 All-Star Games.
Related: Swedish Players in the Hockey Hall of Fame
Lidström played in 1,564 games, scoring 268 goals with 878 assists for 1,142 points. Regarding his place in Red Wings’ history, he trails only Gordie Howe in games played while sitting behind franchise icons Steve Yzerman and Howe in assists and Howe, Yzerman, and Alex Delvecchio in points. In NHL history, Lidström ranks in the top ten amongst defensemen in games played, goals, assists, points, and plus/minus. He is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, Class of 2015.
David Krejčí (1986)
David Krejčí is one of the few skaters born on April 28 to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup. As a member of the Boston Bruins for 16 seasons, he was a member of the 2011 championship team who defeated the Vancouver Canucks in seven games. As a second-round pick (63rd overall) in the 2004 Entry Draft, he’s one of eight players to dress in 1,000 games for the Original Six franchise.
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Krejčí was one of the most underrated centermen of his era, often playing second fiddle to five-time Selke Trophy winner Patrice Bergeron. However, he quietly put up some of the best statistics in Bruins’ history, ranking in the top 10 in both assists and points.
The native of Sternberk, Czech Republic, skipped out on the 2021-22 season to play in his home country but returned in 2022-23 to help Boston achieve the best regular season of all time. Although Krejčí never won any awards, he did lead the NHL in plus/minus in 2008-09 and 2013-14 while leading all skaters in playoff scoring in 2011 and 2013.
Joonas Korpisalo (1994)
Joonas Korpisalo is celebrating his 30th birthday in 2024. He finished his first season as a member of the Ottawa Senators, where he compiled a 21-26-4 record in 55 games. Last summer, he signed as a free agent after splitting time between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings, helping the latter into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Related: Today in Hockey History: April 28
After nine seasons in the NHL, the Pori, Finland native has played 276 games with a 115-107-29 record as a third-round pick (62nd overall) from the 2012 Entry Draft for the Blue Jackets. Korpisalo spent the first seven and a half seasons with the franchise, ranking in the top five in games played, wins, losses, and goals against.
Current Players Celebrating Birthdays (Age)
- Luke Glendening – Tampa Bay Lightning (35)
- Connor Clifton – Buffalo Sabres (29)
- Kevin Lankinen – Nashville Predators (29)
- Jeremy Lauzon – Nashville Predators (27)
- Thomas Novak – Nashville Predators (27)
- Max Guenette – Ottawa Senators (23)
Inactive Players Celebrating Birthdays (Age)
Editors note: bold names are Stanley Cup winners
- Henry Harris (1906 – 1975)
- Hank Blade (1920 – 2003)
- Wally Stanowski (1919 – 2015)
- Claude Evans (1933 – 1982)
- Jim Wiley (1950 – 2021)
- Howie Menard (82)
- Grant Erickson (77)
- Frank Beaton (71)
- Mel Bridgman (69)
- Anders Steen (69)
- Bud Stefanski (69)
- Brad Shaw (60)
- Mike Millar (59)
- Ken Sabourin (58)
- Ted Donato (55)
- Peter Ing (55)
- Jarkko Varvio (52)
- Brad Tapper (46)
- Christian Bäckman (44)
- Roman Polák (38)
- Daniel Taylor (38)
- Will O’Neill (36)
