On May 5, we celebrate the birthdays of 31 past and present NHL players. Today’s list includes a member of the core four with the Toronto Maple Leafs, a Stanley Cup-winning netminder, and a member of the IIHF Hockey Hall of Fame. Let’s look at some names blowing out candles today.
Mitch Marner (1997)
The Maple Leafs selected Mitch Marner as the fourth overall pick at the 2015 Entry Draft, three spots after Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, and Dylan Strome. In 576 games, he’s collected 639 points, good enough for a 1.10 points-per-game average. Additionally, he’s scored over 90 points on three occasions, with a career-high of 99 in 2022-23.
Marner, a key player in the Maple Leafs lineup, stands out with his unique achievements. He has scored 20 goals six times, with a personal best of 35 in 2021-22. His reputation as one of the NHL’s top playmakers is well-deserved, as he has amassed at least 42 assists outside his rookie season. His career stats are impressive, with a plus-110 and 30 game-winning goals. Despite finishing fifth in the Calder Trophy voting, he consistently receives recognition, finishing third in the 2022-23 Frank J. Selke Trophy voting.
Darcy Kuemper (1990)
Darcy Kuemper is one of the few netminders drafted in the sixth round (161st overall) to become an NHL starter and win the Stanley Cup. Initially drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the 2009 Entry Draft, he began his career with the franchise, playing 102 games over five seasons from 2012 to 2017, earning a 41-34-14 record. He opted to pursue an opportunity with the Los Angeles Kings in 2017-18, spending half a season in Hollywood before moving to the desert to skate with the Arizona Coyotes.
Although Kuemper played longer with the Wild, he began carving out his career with the Coyotes, becoming the team’s number one goalie in 2018-19, suiting up for a personal best 55 games. In 2021, the team dealt him to the Colorado Avalanche, where he played in 57 games, compiling a 37-12-4 record en route to guiding the team to a Stanley Cup championship in June 2022. After his successes in Denver, he signed with the Washington Capitals as a free agent, now sharing the crease with Charlie Lindgren. So far, in 389 games, Kuemper is 178-135-46 with a 2.61 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage.
Žigmund Pálffy (1972)
Žigmund Pálffy came to North America in 1993, two years after the New York Islanders drafted him in the second round (26th overall) at the 1991 Entry Draft. The native of Skalica, Slovakia, made his NHL debut at 21, skating in five games (no points) during the 1993-94 season. He was a bit better in 33 games (17 points) the following season, but he broke out in 1995-96, finishing 12th in Hart Trophy voting that season.
In his first entire campaign (81 games), Pálffy scored 43 goals, the first of three consecutive seasons he would surpass 40, setting a career-high of 48 in 1996-97. Despite finishing 15th in league scoring, tied with Brett Hull, he would finish fifth in goal scoring in 1995-96 and 1996-97.
Pálffy’s career took a turn when he was traded from the Islanders, where he had climbed to 12th all-time in the club’s history with 168 goals in 331 games. He joined the Kings, playing for five seasons (1999 to 2004) before a brief stint with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He retired from the NHL in 2006 and played professionally in Slovakia until 2013. In recognition of his outstanding career, Pálffy was inducted into the IIHF Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019.
Current Players Celebrating Birthdays (Age)
Inactive Players Celebrating Birthdays (Age)
Editors note: bold names are Stanley Cup winners
More must-reads: