The Tallest Players In The NHL: The 10 Tallest Players To Ever Skate On NHL Ice

The NHL is a league filled with prolific goal scorers, but also tough, hard-nosed, imposing figures.

Wayne Gretzky, who was 6-feet tall, dominated the NHL in his era, but there were several skaters that lapped him in height.

For example, Zdeno Chara stood at 6-foot-9 back in his playing days. He was one of the most intimidating skaters to ever step on the ice.

Today, players like Matt Rempe are setting the bar pretty high, literally.

Here are the tallest players in the NHL:

The Tallest players in NHL history

Rank	Player	Height	Years in league
1	Zdeno Chara	6’9″	1997-2022
2	Matt Rempe	6’9″	2024-Present
3	Elmer Soderblom	6’8″	2021-Present
4	Tyler Myers	6’8″	2009-Present
5	Andrej Sustr	6’8″	2013-2022
6	John Scott	6’8″	2009-2018
7	Jamie Oleksiak	6’7″	2013-Present
8	Brian Boyle	6’7″	2008-2021
9	Hal Gill	6’7″	1997-2017
10	Chris Breen	6’7″	2011-2014

1. Zdeno Chara | 6’9” | 1997-2022

Zdeno Chara is the tallest player in NHL history at 6-foot-9. He played for several teams including the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Washington Capitals, and, most notably, the Boston Bruins.

The defenseman was known for his size and his powerful slap shot. His fastest slap shot he ever recorded was 108.8 miles per hour.

2. Matt Rempe | 6’9” | 2024-Present

While we list forward Matt Rempe at 6-foot-9, he is really 6-foot-8.5, but he is still one of the tallest players in NHL history.

Rempe currently plays for the New York Rangers and he is known for his size and physical presence on the ice. He got into a fight in his first ever NHL shift.

3. Elmer Soderblom | 6’8” | 2021-Present

Forward Elmer Soderblom of the Detroit Red Wings is one of the tallest players in the NHL today and one of the tallest players in NHL history.

For his 6-foot-8 frame, Soderblom has solid skills. He is also very young and can eventually develop into a solid NHL contributor for the Red Wings.

4. Tyler Myers | 6’8” | 2009-Present

Veteran defenseman Tyler Myers, who stands at 6-foot-8, is one of the tallest players in NHL history. Myers has spent time with the Buffalo Sabres, Winnipeg Jets and Vancouver Canucks.

He has played over 1,000 games in his NHL career and he is approaching 100 career goals as well. Myers is a steady two-way defenseman.

5. Andrej Sustr | 6’8” | 2013-2022

Defense Andrej Sustr didn’t have the most successful NHL career of the guys on this list, despite being one of the tallest players in NHL history.

The 6-foot-8 Czech played for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild in his NHL career. He is currently playing professional hockey in Europe.

6. John Scott | 6’8” | 2009-2018

Forward John Scott played 10 seasons in the NHL and he is one of the tallest players in NHL history.

The imposing 6-foot-8 Scott was a journeyman having played for the Wild, Chicago Blackhawks, Rangers, Sabres, San Jose Sharks, Arizona Coyotes (now the Utah Mammoth) and Montreal Canadiens. He was a physical enforcer back in his playing days.

7. Jamie Oleksiak | 6’7” | 2013-Present

Left-handed defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, who currently plays for the Seattle Kraken, is one of the tallest players in NHL history at 6-foot-7.

He’s also played for the Dallas Stars and Pittsburgh Penguins in his NHL career. Oleksiak is an NHL veteran having played well over 500 games in his career.

8. Brian Boyle | 6’7” | 2008-2021

While Brian Boyle is somewhat known for his size, at 6-foot-7 and being one of the tallest players in NHL history, he might be more well known for his battle with leukemia and his eventual remission.

The left-handed center was drafted in the first round by the Los Angeles Kings in 2003 and he also played for the Rangers, Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, Nashville Predators, Florida Panthers and Penguins.

9. Hal Gill | 6’7” | 1997-2017

Former defenseman and Stanley Cup champion, with the Penguins, Hall Gill is one of the tallest players in NHL history at 6-foot-7.

In his NHL career, he played just over 1,100 games for the Bruins, Maple Leafs, Penguins, Canadiens, Predators and Philadelphia Flyers. Gill is known for his physicality and leadership on and off the ice.

10. Chris Breen | 6’7” | 2013-2014

Former defenseman Chris Breen played a total of nine NHL games, despite being one of the tallest players in NHL history.

He played all nine of those games with the Calgary Flames. Breen spent most of his professional career in the AHL, where he played over 400 games and was a reliable defender.

The Tallest players in the NHL today

Rank	Player	Height	Years in league
1	Matt Rempe	6’9″	2024-Present
2	Elmer Soderblom	6’8″	2021-Present
3	Tyler Myers	6’8″	2009-Present
4	Jamie Oleksiak	6’7″	2013-Present
5	Tage Thompson	6’7″	2018-Present
6	Adam Edstrom	6’7″	2023-Present
7	Ivan Fedotov	6’7″	2023-Present
8	Dennis Hildeby	6’7″	2024-Present
9	Mads Sogaard	6’7″	2021-Present
10	Victor Hedman	6’6″	2009-Present

1. Matt Rempe | 6’9” | 2024-Present

Rangers forward Matt Rempe is the tallest player in the NHL today as he stands at 6-foot-9. Rempe is a physical presence on the ice as he regularly gets into tussles and fights.

In fact, he got into a fight in his first ever NHL shift. In that game, Rempe became the first player to make his NHL debut in an outdoor game.

2. Elmer Soderblom | 6’8” | 2021-Present

At 6-foot-8, forward Elmer Soderblom of the Red Wings is one of the tallest players in the NHL today. He was drafted by the Red Wings in the sixth round in 2019.

Soderblom is still young, but his skill and stick handling is quite impressive for a guy his size.

3. Tyler Myers | 6’8” | 2009-Present

Canucks veteran defenseman Tyler Myers is also one of the tallest players in the NHL today. He made his debut for the Sabres back in 2009 and he’s played over 1,000 games since.

Myers won the Calder Trophy, which is awarded to the best rookie, following his 48-point 2009-2010 season.

4. Jamie Oleksiak | 6’7” | 2013-Present

Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak is one of the tallest players in the NHL today at 6-foot-7. Oleksiak is known for his physicality, size and reliability on defense.

Oleksiak was originally drafted by the Stars and he has played over 500 career NHL games. He usually is the best on the team in hits and blocked shots.

5. Tage Thompson | 6’7” | 2018-Present

Sabres center Tage Thompson is one of the tallest players in the NHL today. He is one of the better forwards on the Sabres and he is an alternate captain for them.

Thompson was drafted by the St. Louis Blues and made his debut with them. He had a breakout 2021-2022 campaign, when he recorded 38 goals. He’s had three consecutive 40-goal seasons since then.

6. Adam Edstrom | 6’7” | 2023-Present

Rangers forward Adam Edstrom is one of the tallest players in the NHL today. At 6-foot-7, he is a reliable fourth line winger and has been paired up with Matt Rempe in the past.

Edstrom was drafted in the sixth round in 2019 by the Rangers and he’s approaching 100 games with the team.

7. Ivan Fedotov | 6’7” | 2023-Present

The list of tallest NHL players today is typically dominated by skaters, but goaltender Ivan Fedotov of the Flyers is on the list at 6-foot-7.

He recorded his first NHL win on November 7, 2024. Fedotov won a silver medal with the Russian Olympic Committee in the 2022 Winter Olympics.

8. Dennis Hildeby | 6’7” | 2024-Present

Sticking with the goaltender theme, Dennis Hildeby of the Maple Leafs is one of the tallest players in the NHL today. The young goaltender made his NHL debut on October 10, 2024, in a 22-save win.

Hildeby provides depth in the Maple Leafs organization at the goaltender position. He’s had a lot of success in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies as well.

9. Mads Sogaard | 6’7” | 2021-Present

Former second round pick by the Senators, goaltender Mads Sogaard is one of the tallest players in the NHL today. He made his debut on April 2, 2022, with the Senators.

Sogaard has good agility for being a 6-foot-7 goaltender. He was named NHL Rookie of the Month back in February 2023.

10. Victor Hedman | 6’6” | 2009-Present

Rounding out the list of tallest players in the NHL today is defenseman Victor Hedman. He was a former second overall pick by the Lightning and he’s won two Stanley Cups with them.

Hedman is a legend with the Lightning. He has the franchise record for assists and games played. His impressive skating and passing ability make him a true two-way defenseman.

The Tallest players in the NHL FAQs

Who is the tallest player in the NHL right now?

The tallest player in the NHL right now is New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe, who is 6-foot-9. Rempe took the hockey world by storm when he made his NHL debut because he got into a fight in his first ever shift. His size makes him an imposing figure on the ice.

What is the average height of NHL players?

The average height of NHL players is about 6-foot-1, but the averages can vary from year-to-year. Defensemen and goaltenders usually are the tallest players on the team at about 6-foot-2 or 6-foot-3 on average. Forwards in the NHL are usually slightly smaller as they are about 6-foot or 6-foot-1 on average.

How has the average height of NHL players changed over the years?

The average height of NHL players has slightly increased over the years. Back in the 1950s, NHL players stood at about 5-foot-11. Now, NHL players are about 6-foot-1, on average, despite the fact the rule changes and analytics favor the smaller, quicker players as opposed to the taller players in the league.

How tall is Zdeno Chara?

Former defenseman, most notably for the Boston Bruins, Zdeno Chara stands at 6-foot-9. While Matt Rempe challenges Chara in terms of height, he is still about a half-inch shorter than Chara. Chara is most well known for his and his powerful slap shot, which can reach triple digits in miles per hour.

How tall was Roy Worters?

Roy “Shrimp” Worters, the shortest player in NHL history, stood at just 5-foot-3. He was a goaltender that played for three teams during his career, which lasted from 1925-1937. While his size could have worked against him, Worters was an elite goaltender for his time and he got inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1969.

How tall is Wayne Gretzky?

Forward Wayne Gretzky, who is widely regarded as the best NHL player of all time, is 6-feet tall. Gretzky, nicknamed “The Great One”, won four Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers and he holds NHL records for most career points (2,857) and assists (1,963) and most points in a single season (215). Gretzky was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1999.

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