The thirty-something superstar is an endangered species across virtually all sports, and hockey is no exception. To wit: The average age of an NHL player is 27.7 years old this season, which is down from 28.2 five years ago. The league's top ten players in both points per game and shot share (Corsi For) are an average of 25.6 years old. In a league increasingly defined by speed and skill, thirty is practically over the hill.
Unless, of course, you're Sidney Crosby. The former wunderkind, who broke into the league while living under Mario Lemieux's roof back in 2005-06, is still one of the game's best players--if not the best player--at age 31. With elite two-way play, Crosby has been one of the few constants during a 2018-19 Penguins season that has been characterized by inconsistency and injury. He's also enjoying one of the greatest years ever for a player who has left his twenties behind.
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