Let's make this birthday one to remember.

49 years old (Born on December 13, 1975)

Happy Birthday, Bates Battaglia! From skating onto NHL ice in 1997 with the Carolina Hurricanes to joining forces with the Colorado Avalanche in 2002, you've always known how to keep fans on their toes. Your moves down the left wing were smoother than birthday cake frosting and more memorable than a hat trick celebration.

Whether dazzling us during playoff runs or bringing your signature grit every game night, you’ve given hockey lovers plenty of reasons to cheer—and opponents plenty of headaches. Here's hoping this year brings as much excitement off-ice as those unforgettable moments did on it. Cheers!