{allcanada} Over the hill? Eight NHL veterans proving age is just a number

 

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Don't trust anyone over 30 unless you are trying to win in the NHL this season.

Old guys are in vogue for a handful of teams playing better than expected in the first month of the season. This is an era when general managers are looking for younger, faster and less expensive players, but a group of aging stars are getting it done in a big way. Here are the leaders of the not-so-over-the-hill gang:

1. Jaromir Jagr (Florida Panthers), 43: He's the Panthers' leading scorer. With six goals, he has twice as many goals as anyone else on his team. More importantly, he brings a passion and work ethic to the rink that helps fuel a Panthers group that believes it can make the playoffs for the second time in 15 years.

What Jagr has lost in quickness, he has offset by relying more heavily on his experience and instincts. He still seems to be able to pull a rabbit out of his hat when he has the puck in traffic. With 10 points, Jagr is just two points behind NHL scoring leader Jamie Benn who was one when Jagr started playing in the league.

2. Henrik Zetterberg (Detroit Red Wings), 35: The general view around the Red Wings organization is that Zetterberg is playing like he did when he was in his 20s.

The primary reason is that he is healthy, feeling better physically than he has in a couple of seasons or more. He seemed like a high mileage vehicle last season, a bit sluggish when he accelerated. That's not the case this season as he leads his team in points with 11. He has been the perfect role model for teenage sensation Dylan Larkin.

Zetterberg is in the conversation when it comes to who the NHL's top captains are. He's a poised, gritty competitor.

3. Ryan Miller (Vancouver Canucks), 35: The oldest starting goalie in the Western Conference, Miller has been critical to the team's 3-2-3 start.

He holds a 2.09 goals-against average and .926 save percentage. It's not easy playing net in Vancouver where goaltending is always a primary subject on talk radio. But Miller, who is playing more aggressively, has the mental toughness necessary to thrive in a city where goaltending controversies are a way of life.

4. Andrei Markov (Montreal Canadiens), 36: It's not all about Carey Price in Montreal. Plenty of Canadiens have contributed to the team's exceptional start.

Markov recently had a five-point game, and he has as many points (10) on the season as Norris Trophy candidate teammate P.K. Subban. Markov is playing 23:31 minutes per game, and he continues to be an offense driver.

5. Roberto Luongo (Florida Panthers), 36:  The drafting of defenseman Aaron Ekblad. The hiring of coach Gerard Gallant. The improvement of young players. Those are all reasons why the Panthers are now a playoff contender.

But the real turning point of the team's turnaround was general manager Dale Tallon's acquisition of Luongo to solidify the team's goaltending

Luongo has given the Panthers the confidence that they can be competitive against any team. He boasts a .934 save percentage this season. His even-strength save percentage is .960, according to war-on-ice.com.

6. Jarome Iginla (Colorado Avalanche), 38: If you project Iginla's numbers (three goals, five points) over a full season, he should be a 30-plus goal scorer and finish with more than 50 points. That would be an impressive season when you remember that the NHL only boasted 15 30-goal scorers last season.

He still ranks among the league's top power forwards. He plays with skill and a physical edge

7. Mike Cammalleri (New Jersey Devils), 33: It seems as if the hockey world keeps expecting winger Cammalleri's production to start falling off. But Cammalleri is off to an exceptional start.

He is tied for fourth in the NHL points race with 11 in eight games. He is putting up points at a much higher rate than he has over the past few seasons. His contributions have helped the Devils record a 4-3-1 start, far better than expected.

8. Willie Mitchell (Florida Panthers), 38: He's a quality captain, respected and liked by his teammates. He's leading all Florida defensemen at plus-5.

He may not be a favorite of the advanced stats crowd because he doesn't shine in puck possession numbers, but Mitchell is playing more minutes than anyone else on the Panthers.

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