There’s a new trend in the NHL that is starting to bug me a little bit.  A lot of players are thinking they are supermen and are trying to continue their careers into their forties.  Chris Chelios and Gary Roberts come to mind immediately.  These guys were both drafted to the NHL before I was born, and Chelios has been playing in the NHL longer than I’ve been alive.  These are only two examples of player who are still playing (and playing at an NHL level) well past their prime.  However, while these guys still love hockey, and I have little doubt they do, the consequences of such players continuing to impress people by coming back year after year to play a slightly more degraded game seem to be getting lost. 
Each season older players come back and decide to push it for another year, while they seem like warriors in most fans eyes, some even gaining a cult following (See Gary Roberts during his time in Pittsburgh), what few realize is that these older players not wanting to get old are preventing younger players from getting the chance to break into the NHL.
Of course, that’s not always the case.  And it makes sense that if you have a situation where you have a couple proven, but ageing scorers, they will be a better bet that trying to bring in that rookie.  It also helps allow rookies more time to develop, and lets teams try and stay competitive while their draft picks take their time and develop into NHL level players.
Unfortunately, while these are good thoughts, they may not translate into results.  A player held from the NHL too long may be unable to adjust to the game, and may never develop as he would have been projected.  Also, when you have older players taking that spot, a younger player might not get to develop that team chemistry that is so vital towards building a championship team.  Chemistry is the reason I think the Red Wings beat the Penguins for the cup this year (well, that and the Pens spotting the Wings two games).  The Red Wings have kept the majority of that team together for years.  The Penguins, however, made some big trades, losing Colby Armstrong, team jokester and Sir Sidney’s best friend, in the process.  It’s no secret that Armstrong benefitted from playing on a line with Crosby, that’s what chemistry does.  In free agency this year, the Pens lost Ryan Malone, a part of the “Steel City Line,” another example of chemistry in action.
While it’s nice to see players that I remember from my childhood, it’s somewhat weird when I remember them as old, even in my childhood.  There’s no denying that these players have taken amazing care of themselves.  They’ve persevered, taken special diets, and worked hard to reach this level of athletic ability so as to be able to play for so long.  That is quite admirable.  But sometimes, you have to know when to call it quits.  And then, if you get the itch for hockey, it means look into coaching.