Answer
The last active player to have played in the 1970s was Mark Messier. Messier was born in 1961 and played his first NHL game in 1979. He played until 2004, when he retired at the age of 43. During his career, Messier won six Stanley Cups, six Hart Memorial Trophies, and five Lester B. Pearson Awards. He is considered one of the greatest hockey players of all time.