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Penguins at the Crossroads: Crosby's Cup Window, Letang's Longevity, and the Next Generation
Photo credit: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The end of an era could very much be coming to Pittsburgh as longtime Penguins defenseman Kris Letang's career is winding down, along with longtime captain and future Hall of Famer Sidney Crosby.
Soon, it's going to be the end of an era for the Pittsburgh Penguins because of the reality that their 3 core players are all on the wrong side of 35 years of age.
This could very well be the final year in the NHL for Evgeni Malkin, while Kris Letang's career is winding down amidst his multiple health issues, which include 2 strokes and heart surgery.
Sidney Crosby's Legacy and Final Cup Window
The Stanley Cup window for the Penguins, who have not made the playoffs in the last 3 years for the longest drought in the careers of Crosby, Malkin, and Letang, is nowhere near open.
The Penguins are expected to miss the playoffs this year for what would be a 4th straight season, but the good news is that there is no sign that Crosby is slowing down.
Last year, he had 91 points (33G, 58A) in 80 games, showing that age for him is just a number.
Kris Letang, Jagr, and the Veteran Influence in Pittsburgh
What Letang can provide to the Penguins as his career begins to wind down is the kind of leadership that a franchise icon like him has been known to provide over the last several years.
When they retire, Letang and Malkin will go down in Penguins history along with names like Jaromir Jagr, and will have their sweater numbers retired as he did.
The chance to see Letang and Malkin for potentially the last time will be one of the few draws for Penguins fans to attend games this year.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 5 | 25 ANSWERS Penguins at the Crossroads: Crosby's Cup Window, Letang's Longevity, and the Next Generation Is Kris Letang a Hall of Famer? | ||
| Yes | 21 | 84 % |
| No | 4 | 16 % |
| List of polls | ||