Fansided

5 burning questions for the Pittsburgh Penguins

By Joshua Axelrod

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 05: Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) warms up on May 5, 2018, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. in the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Washington Capitals defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins, 6-3. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 05: Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) warms up on May 5, 2018, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. in the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Washington Capitals defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins, 6-3. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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DETROIT, MI — MARCH 27: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins talks to Evgeni Malkin #71 during during the third period while playing the during the third period at Little Caesars Arena on March 27, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit won the game 5-2. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI — MARCH 27: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins talks to Evgeni Malkin #71 during during the third period while playing the during the third period at Little Caesars Arena on March 27, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit won the game 5-2. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

5. How much magic do Crosby and Malkin have left?

Yes, Penguins fans, this has to be brought up now that Sidney Crosby is 30 and Evgeni Malkin is 31. While there are no tangible reasons to believe that either superstar will lose a step this year, the two have enough mileage on their bodies to make it worth at least beginning to wonder just how much they have left in the tank.

The Penguins drafted Malkin in 2004 and selected Crosby a year later, and the two quickly became the cornerstones of a new era of Penguins hockey. With Crosby as Batman and Malkin as a more-than-willing Robin, the duo have led the Penguins to four Stanley Cups and three wins, cementing their places forever in Penguins lore.

Crosby has played 864 career games, and came dangerously close to having his already-legendary career derailed by concussions on multiple occasions. The man is still the best player in hockey until otherwise indicated, but it’s possible that next year will be when younger talent like Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews surpass him in the NHL’s hierarchy of greatness.

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Malkin has logged a comparatively less troubling 784 career games and has a less harrowing injury history than his running mate Crosby. He did miss some time in the playoffs this year though, and it’s quite possible that all the hits Malkin has taken and dished over the years may catch up with him.

Of course, we’re talking about two three-time Stanley Cup winners who theoretically know what it takes to keep their bodies in championship-caliber shape for years to come. That’s what the Penguins better hope continues to be the case, or else they have bigger problems to address going forward than just how to take down the Capitals.

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