Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is likely nearing his peak

Jun 3, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) at the face-off circle against the Boston Bruins during the third period in game two of the Eastern Conference finals of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Boston Bruins won 6-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby turned 26 last week, as you may have heard.

The new year comes with a new Pennsylvania driver’s license – along with a needless smearing from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (no, I’m not linking to it) – and what should be another season of peak production.

Regardless of what the Hart Trophy voters may have decided, Crosby was the best, most influential skater in the NHL last year, even though he missed the final quarter of the regular season with a broken jaw.

Crosby averaged a league-leading 1.56 points per game in 2013, his third-best rate in eight NHL seasons. He also paced the circuit in assists per game for the second time, the last time he did that was in 2007-08.

Stubborn nicknames aside, Crosby is no longer a kid, as his man-sized presence in the game proves. Still, he’s young enough that some might expect his level of play to keep improving for at least the next few years.

History argues to the contrary, at least when it comes to the all-time best offensive players. Former Crosby landlord Mario Lemieux posted his career high in points per contest at age 27, putting up 160 in 60 games for a 2.67 average.

March 7, 2012; Pittsburgh,PA, USA: Pittsburgh Penguins former center Mario Lemieux speaks as he stands in front of his statue during a dedication ceremony before the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the CONSOL Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USPRESSWIRE

Lemieux came close to matching his best scoring rate at 30 (2.30), but injuries, attrition and the increasing defensive-mindedness of the NHL kept him from ever approaching the heights of his mid-20s again.

Wayne Gretzky’s point-producing peak came earlier, with No. 99 netting 2.77 per game at 23. That was the highlight of a five-year span in which Gretzky averaged more than 2.40 every season.

Seeking a more contemporary peer to Crosby, one-time Penguin Jaromir Jagr had his finest season at 26 with a 1.57 average in 81 games, although ages 27 (1.52) and 28 (1.49) were kind as well.

Times have changed since Lemieux, Gretzky and Jagr were in their primes, especially in the areas of conditioning and nutrition. When Tampa Bay winger Martin St. Louis conjures his career-best PPG at 38, it’s clear that players can prolong their peaks much more than they used to.

Like most of his peers, Crosby has the benefit of the newest fitness techniques and recovery methods, making him more likely to be an elite contributor well into his 30s.

Still, barring a sudden offensive explosion in the sport – the number of goals per game have decreased in six of the past seven seasons – Crosby will be hard-pressed to set a new personal best scoring rate. Where he can improve is in aggregate categories, which he can accomplish by simply staying healthy.

Being 26 is close to ideal in high-level athletics, and it’s up to Crosby to capitalize on the crossroads of youth and experience to reach his full potential. He’s got some time to do it, but maybe not as much as the typical fan might think.