Alex Ovechkin ends season with 44 Goals in 65 games at 39 years of age!

[Lou Sassole]

True, but the average amount of guys with significant career longevity (35+) is increasing as a whole compared to past eras, which is impressive, especially in an era when the league is more competitive than ever. That likely is a testament to modern medicine and training methods.

Or beer, Coca-Cola, subway, chicken parm, and hot cheetos

 

[ricky0034]

True, but the average amount of guys with significant career longevity (35+) is increasing as a whole compared to past eras, which is impressive, especially in an era when the league is more competitive than ever. That likely is a testament to modern medicine and training methods.

goal scoring however remains very much a young mans game

this year for example other than Ovechkin at 3rd you have to go down to 8th in goal scoring to find anyone that's even 30, and you have to go all the way down to Crosby at 26th to find anyone 35+

other than Ovechkin and Crosby the 35+ year old with the highest goal scoring finish this year? Stamkos at 66th and he just turned 35 a couple months ago, if you want someone else that's been 35+ all year you have to go all the way down to Marchand at 97th

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

goal scoring however remains very much a young mans game

this year for example other than Ovechkin at 3rd you have to go down to 8th in goal scoring to find anyone that's even 30, and you have to go all the way down to Crosby at 26th to find anyone 35+

other than Ovechkin and Crosby the 35+ year old with the highest goal scoring finish this year? was Stamkos at 66th and he just turned 35 a couple months ago, if you want someone else that's been 35+ all year you have to go all the way down to Marchand at 97th

Raw goal-scoring is, FTMP, but I'm referring to all-around, two-way games. A lot of the best teams in the league are on the older side of the age curve, even an analytically-inclined club like Carolina. A lot of the best role players today are in their 30s. We're sort of in a golden era as far as effective, dependable, high-longevity role players are concerned. It's a huge reason why teams like Washington, Carolina, Dallas, and St. Louis are slowly building blueprints to thread the needle between youth and veterans in re-tooling phases rather than full-blown teardowns.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

Or beer, Coca-Cola, subway, chicken parm, and hot cheetos

I'm not talking about outliers. I'm talking about the average.

 

[Lou Sassole]

I'm not talking about outliers. I'm talking about the average.

And I'm making a funny, lighten up Francis.

 

[Hippasus]

Biomechanics of that one timer are perfection personified. It's a deadly almost unstoppable weapon. The signature move that he will be always remembered for. And even at 39 the speed the puck comes off the stick & the weight it carries is mightily impressive. Even if some netminders get something on it the force behind it still results in it going through.

What about his snap shot though, these days? It's equally impressive to me.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Older guys hanging on generally indicates a weakening league when it has happened in the past.

I don't think you can put that much weight into a few players here and there.

If there was a big trend of older players, then yeah maybe. But I don't think there is.