We honor the birthdays of thirty-two NHL players, both current and former, on April 30. On today’s list are the New York Rangers player with the longest tenure, the Edmonton Oilers three-time Stanley Cup champion, and a young defenseman that plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs on the blue line. Today, let’s examine a few names that are blowing out candles.
Kreider, Chris (1991)
When Chris Kreider was just three years old in 1994, the New York Rangers last won the Stanley Cup. The Rangers selected him with the number one pick (19th overall) in the 2009 Entry Draft following his outstanding career at Boston College, where he won two NCAA titles. In the opening round of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs, he would make his NHL debut.
Having recently concluded his twelfth season with the Blueshirts, Kreider is now the skater in the team with the longest contract. He finished the 2021–22 season with 52 goals, virtually shattering the club goal record. He is a three-time 30-goal scorer. In addition, he had the most powerplay goals (26), and game-winners (11) in the NHL.
He is getting close to Rod Gilbet’s record of 406 goals after 815 regular season games and 304 goals. Kreider, who is currently 22 points behind Hall of Famer Brian Leetch in the standings, has an opportunity to pass him as the Rangers’ all-time leader in postseason points with one or two more deep playoff runs.
Liljegren, Timothy (1999)
The Toronto Maple Leafs selected Timothy Liljegren with their 17th overall first-round pick in the 2017 Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut in 2019–20 and skated in 11 games before participating in just two the following season. At 25, he is almost 200 games into his NHL career.
Liljegren eventually established himself as a mainstay in the Toronto starting lineup, appearing in over 55 games over the previous three seasons and recording career-high 23 points in 2021–22 and 2023–24. Liljegren is one of four Swedish players on the Maple Leafs roster, along with William Nylander, Pontus Holmberg, and Calle Jarnkrok, since he was born in Kristianstad, Sweden.
Steve Smith, 1962
Steve Smith won the Stanley Cup three times, in 1987, 1988, and 1990 while playing for the Edmonton Oilers. Even though he made vital contributions to those winning teams, he is most known for ending the Oilers’ two-year championship run in 1986 by scoring on his own net in the Smythe Division Final. Smith was the first to accept the trophy from Wayne Gretzky when Edmonton won the Stanley Cup again in 1987, despite the fact that the occasion is still remembered in infamy. Gretzky recognized the significance of this victory for Smith and the team.
He was named to the All-Star squad in his last season (1991) with the Oilers before signing a free agency contract to play for the Chicago Blackhawks. He played with the Flames from 1998 to 2001 to conclude his NHL career before turning to coaching, where he is still employed by the American Hockey League.
Present Players Marking Their Birthdays (Age)
Inactive Participants Honoring Birthdays (Age)