Turn back the clocks.
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are playing incredible hockey for the Pittsburgh Penguins despite their veteran status and age.
They have become the first teammates in NHL history 38 or older to each record 15 points in the same month, according to OptaStats.
Malkin, who turned 39 in July, totaled 17 points in the first month of the season. He leads the NHL with 14 assists and has added three goals. Five of his assists and one of his goals have come on the powerplay.
The 6-foot-5 center is averaging the lowest ice time of his career at 17:06, but he’s been as productive as he’s been in a long time.
Crosby turned 38 in August, and he has 15 points so far on the campaign.
The Canadian legend has scored eight goals and dished out seven assists through 12 games. Crosby too is averaging the least ice time of his career (18:46) but is delivering in a big way. He also has six blocked shots and 13 hits, still getting involved in the secondary aspects of the game even as an older forward.
The Penguins have gotten off to the start you’d expect with these two superstars playing at this level. Pittsburgh is 8-2-2 through 12 games and leads the Eastern Conference’s Metropolitan Division with 18 points.
It’s hard to know whether Malkin and Crosby will be able to maintain this pace for the whole season. More and more great athletes are maintaining most of their ability later into their careers across sport, and maybe these two are just the latest examples.
But even if they fall off, it’s been really cool to see them showing off their talents while they’re still around, because they’re two of the best players of their generation.
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