Crosby's Incredible Longevity is Both a Gift and a Dilemma for Kyle Dubas' Penguins

Sidney Crosby is not getting old, it seems at the moment, as it appears he's outpacing time. At 37, he remains one of the best players in the world, and his play shows no indication of slowing. That's not just rare, it's historical.

For Penguins GM and hockey ops president Kyle Dubas, Crosby's greatness is both a gift and a dilemma.

The team has been rebuilding in secret mode (the team hates calling it a rebuild publicly) for over a year, officially entering so when Jake Guentzel was dealt at last year's trade deadline.

That trade stung, as Guentzel did not want to be traded, nor did Crosby or coach Mike Sullivan want him to leave. But the trade signaled the team's transition to the future.

Since then, Crosby has flourished. He's generated 117 points in 97 games, a 99-point clip better than he did alongside Guentzel on his right wing.

And he's accomplished it without a superlative supporting cast, on a roster that's given up easy points some nights. He's not only maintaining; he might actually be improving.

This is where it gets tricky: the Penguins and the fans get to see Crosby ride off into the sunset in black and gold, still an all-star player (a gift). That does not happen too often, and that is special.

But it does make the rebuild that much more difficult (a dilemma). So long as Crosby plays this way, it keeps the reset waiting. You cannot tank when there is a legend scoring a point per game each and every single night.

Dubas has to walk carefully. Admire Crosby and honor his legend, but at the same time don't lose context, however. The future is coming, even if the Captain won't let up.