While the past year has been a bit different for NHL fans, with a season unlike any other, one thing that we can all continue to admire is the beards of our favorite hockey superstars. There is something about the NHL that brings out the best in facial hair, as our favorite players tend to grow impressive beards in preparation for their upcoming seasons on the ice. And, in most cases, their hairstyles are just as enviable, and complement their beards perfectly.
If you are an NHL fan who happens to be looking for some beard and hair inspo, we have got you covered.
You have gotta check our our five favorite beard and hair looks coming from the NHL, with names that you know both for their great skills on the ice, and their awesome looks off the ice.
#5: Alex Ovechkin
Alex Ovechkin is a popular name in the NHL, and his personal style is one that’s tempting to emulate. Ovechkin has maintained a fairly neat and tidy beard for a long time now, with a medium-length that always looks its absolute best. We all watched him grow out his hair, and can recall its awkward stage just a couple of seasons ago.
Now, he keeps his hair mid-length, and its thickness is something that many of us envy. It complements his beard perfectly, giving him a strong, masculine appearance but with those flowing locks softening his appearance in a way that we’re sure women find irresistible.
#4: Joe Thornton
Joe Thornton’s beard has become almost as famous as the player himself. Over the years, he has gone from a fresh face with a clean-cut look to a lumberjack, with his beard becoming incredibly long and bushy. At the same time, he famously keeps the hair on his head quite unkempt, giving off the appearance that he looked exactly the same when he woke up that morning.
Thornton’s look is unruly, and it works in his favor as it matches his personality. We respect any guy that can pull off this look. It’s also good to note that Thornton’s long beard helps flatter his oblong face, making his jaw appear slimmer in a way that can be emulated by any guy looking for the same effect.
#3: Jakub Voracek
Jakub Voracek proudly rocks a ginger beard which complements his overall look perfectly. Voracek has a baby face, and he disguises it with a thick, medium-length beard that makes him appear more rugged and masculine. His beard hair is coarse, but you can tell that he puts in the effort to maintain it with beard oil, as it looks very healthy.
Meanwhile, Voracek has gone ahead and grown out the hair on his head, which is much finer than his beard hair, resulting in the appearance of soft, flowing locks that balance out the ruggedness of the beard. The guy is clearly lucky that he was blessed with good hair genes, as his hair gives him a softer appearance, creating a look that’s never too hard and never too sensitive.
#2: Gabriel Landeskog
Gabriel Landeskog has chosen a more restrained look, which contrasts some of the major lumberjack looks that we’ve been seeing all over the NHL in recent years. If you want to grow out your beard and your hair without looking too rugged, then this is a look that you can emulate easily.
Landeskog keeps a very short and tidy beard, which always looks like he combed it minutes before stepping out onto the ice. His beard is fine in texture, which makes it easy to manage, but you can use some beard balm and beard oil to keep your beard looking smooth even if it’s naturally coarse and thick.
To match his beard, he maintains an effortless slicked back hairstyle that’s never too “perfect-looking,” always with a bit of tousle to minimize the look of putting a lot of effort into his appearance. His hair is naturally on the finer side, so it always looks soft, shiny, and smooth. We are certain he uses just a touch of pomade to maintain this look.
#1: Brent Burns
How could we not include Brent Burns on our list? His look is iconic, to the point that it has overshadowed his playing in the past. Burns is a man who clearly is not afraid to express the more eccentric side of his personality, with a look that’s completely unique to him, and one that many men wouldn’t dare try to copy, unless they were brave.
Burns has been rocking the man bun as of late, in a way that’s quite different from the trendier version we mainly see today. His man bun is messy and unruly, never being perfectly symmetrical, and always with some hair sticking out as though he did not quite complete the process of creating a bun.
Meanwhile, his beard is just as visually out of control, being extremely long and bushy with no real clear shape to it. While most guys could not pull this off, we’ve to say that it suits Burns very well, and we cannot get enough.
Truly the NHL All-Stars of Beards
The stars of the NHL are known for their fantastic beards and hairstyles, and a lot of these looks are easy to copy if you want to try something new. The five players above have really gone above and beyond to define their personal styles by putting effort into styling both their beards and their hair to create unique looks of their very own.