In two recent articles we have identified the league's top players for ages 18 through 23, and 24 through 29, and in this final piece, we will examine those players in their 30s.
Since players of very different types, styles, and positions are being compared, the challenge is to find metrics that can dispassionately and objectively measure each individual's contributions, much as we did in 2013-14 and 2014-15.
Every age group has its own set of difficulties in identifying the best player, and today we're examining our sport's most accomplished athletes to figure out which ones are still at the top of their games, and likely to remain so.
Even with all these numbers floating around, there is still a fair deal of interpretation to pack into our analysis, so ultimately these choices can be considered my own personal opinions and wide open to other perspectives.
Here we go!
Age 30
Evgeni Malkin, C, Pittsburgh Penguins
This is a classic case of being overshadowed by legendary teammates. For many franchises, Malkin would be ranked as the all-time best offensive player. In Pittsburgh, he doesn't even stand a chance of cracking the top three.
Malkin's numbers are absolutely outstanding. His 1.14 career points per game rank second to his incredible teammate Sidney Crosby. They have each won the Art Ross Trophy twice, which is second to only Jaromir Jagr among active players. Malkin is the only player to take more shots than Alex Ovechkin in a season. More recently, he was just two points behind for the NHL scoring lead when he suffered an undisclosed injury against the Blues on Jan. 24.
It's true that Malkin doesn't dominate every area of the game, as he is notoriously poor in the faceoff circle and isn't the first choice in defensive-minded situations, but his offensive talents are without equal. Well, almost without equal.
Honorable mention: Devan Dubnyk
Age 31
Brent Burns, D, San Jose Sharks
Being in the same age group as Ovechkin means never bubbling to the top of a list like this -- until now.
To finally unseat the Great Eight, San Jose's big, bearded defenseman has scored 64 points in 60 games, which is just four points in back of Connor McDavid in the league scoring race. With some luck down the stretch, Burns could become the first defenseman to win the Art Ross Trophy since Bobby Orr in 1974-75.
The only modern comparison is Ottawa's Erik Karlsson, whose 199 points in the past three seasons combined is tied with Burns, and is well ahead of Pittsburgh's Kris Letang, who is third among defensemen with 154. This season, Burns leads Karlsson by 13 points.
While scoring is his clear focus, Burns averages 1:47 minutes per game killing penalties, while he and defensive partner Paul Martin don't shirk their defensive duties at even strength. For the believers in shot-based metrics, the Sharks outshoot opponents 1,204-1,083 with Burns on the ice, for a plus-121 differential that leads the team and ranks 22nd among NHL defensemen.
It took someone on the brink of an Orr-like achievement to do it, but Ovechkin's crown has finally been snatched away.
Honorable mention: Alex Ovechkin
Age 32
If Burns is knocked off track down the stretch, then his top competition for the Norris Trophy could be a veteran defenseman who has received plenty of consideration during the past seven seasons, but never enough to win.
Minnesota leads the Central Division and is three points behind the Washington Capitals for tops overall in the NHL. Suter is relied upon more than any other player on the team. Studying the following table of the league's top workhorses, are there any defensemen in the league on whom a team has relied more during the past few seasons -- at any age?
Suter also leads the NHL with a plus-35. Plus/minus might not be the best statistic, but it accurately reflects just how well Minnesota has fared when he has been on the ice: They are almost twice as likely to score as their opponents at even strength.
It's not just about taking the tough minutes, it's how well they're played. And the Wild are Stanley Cup contenders because they have placed considerable trust in the right player.
Honorable mentions: Jeff Carter, Joe Pavelski, Ryan Kesler, Corey Crawford
Age 33
Duncan Keith, D, Chicago Blackhawks
There are only about 20 regulars left at this age, but even when there were more, this group usually boiled down to a race between Keith and Calgary's Mark Giordano.
At first, it seems odd that the competition between these two players would be so tight. After all, Keith has won the Stanley Cup three times, the Conn Smythe once, the Norris Trophy twice and was a first team All-Star twice. Giordano has played four career playoff games and has never finished higher than sixth in either Norris Trophy voting or All-Star voting. How is this a close competition?
Diving deeper into the numbers, it's startling how similar both players are and how comparable their career arcs have been. Keith might still wind up on top, but the comparison between them is instructive.
For example, Keith has scored 129 points in 206 games during the past three seasons, which is tied for 11th among defensemen, and Giordano has scored 128 points in 202 games, which is tied for 13th. On special teams, Keith has averaged 3:10 per game on the power play, and 2:30 killing penalties, while Giordano has averaged 3:05 and 2:37, respectively. In terms of deployment, they both take on top opponents in both zones, and they both boost their team's share of shot attempts, from 51.0 to 53.3 percent in Keith's case, and 46.3 to 50.6 in Giordano's.
Who's ahead at the moment? Since Keith is outscoring Giordano 41 to 24 while the Blackhawks are fighting for the division crown and the Flames struggle for the last wild-card position, he'll get the nod one more time. But it might have been a different story if the two players had swapped teams early in their careers.
Honorable mention: Mark Giordano
Age 34
Henrik Lundqvist, G, New York Rangers
King Henrik might not be having his best season, and the lucrative contract the Rangers were forced to sign in 2013 to keep him in town is starting to sting. But, is he really that far removed from the league's elite?
In the three seasons before this one, Lundqvist still ranked well. Based on the table at right, which uses a variety of statistics to compare him to the 70 goalies to face at least 1,000 shots or the 53 to start at least 50 games, Lundqvist was only one step back from the very top.
Depending on the metric of choice, Lundqvist ranked somewhere between 8th and 12th among goalies going into this season. Even in the shootout, his .745 career save percentage is ninth among the 78 goalies to face at least 50 shots.
This season, his stats have all dropped down to league average in most respects. However, his recent play suggests that he can regain full form in time for the playoffs. Since Jan. 19, he is back among the league's best netminders, with a 9-2-1 record, a 2.00 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage. Reports of his decline were clearly premature.
Age 35 and up
Henrik Zetterberg, LW, Detroit Red Wings
Detroit's playoff streak might be coming to an end, but it won't be their captain's fault. Zetterberg has 46 points in 60 games, which leads the Red Wings by eight points and all players aged 35 and over by five.
Zetterberg is relied upon for more than his scoring. His average of 19:26 minutes per game at even strength leads his team's forwards by more than two minutes per game -- Frans Nielsen is next, with 17:11.
His importance might be best demonstrated in the following player usage chart of the 10 highest-scoring forwards in this age group. Like few select players in their closing seasons, Zetterberg is still deployed against top opponents (vertical axis) and in both zones (horizontal axis), and still gives his team a boost in shot-based metrics (the shaded circle):
If there's an argument to be made against Zetterberg, then it for San Jose's Joe Thornton. Jumbo is deployed similarly, and his scoring and shot-based metrics during the past three seasons combined are superior to Zetterberg's.
However, Thornton is a year older, appears to be slowing down a year sooner and shoulders far less of the team's burden with Brent Burns and linemate Joe Pavelski in town.
Life in Detroit has gotten progressively more difficult as the Wings have lost one aging superstar after another. Without Zetterberg, it would be even worse.
Honorable mention: Joe Thornton