In an up and down season that seems destined to either end with another round one exit or a failure to qualify for the playoffs altogether it is very easy to gloss over the positive. The Penguins were legitimate contenders for at least a decade. They’re on the other side of the arc now. While team potential isn’t what it used to be there are still things you can depend on. At the top of the list is Sidney Crosby being Sidney Crosby. Despite being in his age 36 season he is still one of the elite players in the league. We may take it for granted, but this is not the norm, even for the very best players. What Crosby is doing is remarkable.
The general understanding is that an NHL player’s peak more times than not occurs during their age 24-26 seasons with it skewing a touch earlier in more recent years. Here is a visual representation of the aging curve courtesy of data from Stanley Cup Champion Dawson Sprigings and Evolving Wild
When you contextualize what Sidney Crosby is doing this year and where he is on this chart it really highlights how special of a season he is having. Not only is he having a great season relative to his peers historically. He is also comparing favorably to his own personal standard he’s set over the course of his magnificent career. Quite frankly, it is an absurd and special accomplishment.
As far as driving play he’s doing it as well as he’s ever done. His 2023-24 xGF% and CF% is up there with some of his best seasons at the age of 36
Not only has he been playing great hockey into his mid-thirties he’s seen year over year growth the past three seasons. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the Penguins teams he’s been on haven’t been getting better. He’s doing this in spite of the team showing its aging curve. He just keeps beating the curve back.
Offensively, he’s been terrific as well. His 5v5 points per 60 ranks favorably to the standard he’s set over the years.
Don’t let that spike during Crosby’s prime cast a shadow on what came after. Those numbers are skewed a little bit by the sample size due to his missed time and him being at the peak of his powers. There would still definitely be a noticeable spike if he played a full season, but I’m not sure it would be so pronounced as it is here. We’ll never know what Crosby’s true ceiling was as a player due to the concussion and neck injuries sustained in the 2010-11 season. Personally, I’m pretty comfortable saying it is closer to the pronounced spike than it isn’t
For some more context on how superb this run by Crosby has been let’s compare him to the consensus best player in the league, Connor McDavid. Since McDavid has come into the league he has taken it by storm. He’s electric and on most nights looks like he’s playing a different sport. Sidney Crosby’s last three seasons (age 34, 35, 36) compares quite favorably to McDavid. When you consider they are McDavid’s age 25. 26, and 27 seasons it drives home the kind of season(s) Crosby is having.
To be this late in his career posting McDavid like offense at 5v5 is something else. It is incredibly special. I think it is something people would be talking about more if Crosby’s raw point total was higher than it is. He is current 23rd in scoring with 27 goals and 50 points in 46 games. He is on pace for 48 goals this season which would be the second-best total of his career. I can only imagine where his point total would be if the Penguins power play wasn’t an atrocious mess, a mess I don’t blame on Crosby in the least bit.
Look at just how devastating the Penguins power play has been on a Sidney Crosby clearly still playing at a high level
It is shameful what has transpired this year on the Penguins power play. It is so bad that a Sidney Crosby still firing on all cylinders at 5v5 has seen his production plummet to a career low. It’s been a real disservice to the team’s success and has taken a sizeable chunk from the potential buzz surrounding Sidney Crosby’s unbelievable year 36 season. He only has four power play assists this season. He is on pace for the only season of his career where he’s had a single digit assist total on the power play (not counting the concussion years).
The Penguins are one of the worst finishing teams in hockey this year and it is snaking away assists from Sid. He has his lowest assists per 60 of his career
If the Penguins power play would start to resemble and NHL caliber unit and if his teammates could finish Crosby might have a puncher’s chance at having the best age 36 season of all-time. Here are the best age 36 seasons of all-time per statmuse
Currently, Sid is projected for 48 goals and 89 points. If his teammates can join the party, he still has a realistic chance of doing so. This chase also relies on the front office keeping Jake Guentzel around which should be a priority, unless of course you are tearing everything to the studs and trading away Crosby, which the Penguins aren’t considering.
So many superlatives and compliments have been levied towards Sidney Crosby over the years. He’s earned all of them. His age 36 season is just the latest marvel in what has been one of the best careers of all-time. Enjoy it, it isn’t the norm, and it is quite special. Even this late into his career the Sid the Kid moniker still has a little life in it.
Thanks for reading!
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