Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

The Old Penguins

05/15/2014 at 10:34am EDT

from Josh Yohe of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review,

Of the 20 Penguins who participated in Game 7 against the New York Rangers, eight are 30 or older. Two other 30-somethings, defenseman Brooks Orpik and right wing Pascal Dupuis, likely would have been in the lineup had they been healthy.

Once the league's fresh-faced team, the Penguins should be searching for youthful legs this summer.

But getting younger in free agency isn't realistic, and the Penguins' system isn't blessed with an impact forward at the AHL level, though many young defensemen could be ready.

And while the Penguins' stars are still young, they aren't kids anymore.

This summer, Sidney Crosby turns 27 and Evgeni Malkin turns 28.

Mario Lemieux never won a Stanley Cup past 26. Wayne Gretzky won his last championship at 27. Hockey is a young man's game, and while the Penguins' stars aren't old by any stretch, their championship window isn't as wide as it once was.

read on

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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