Tim Chiasson

Halifax • Canada • 33 Years Old • Male

Peak Performance and Distribution

There are arguments to be made for what age range actually defines a players "prime years". The differing opinions on the topic leave us with no concrete definition, only speculation.

The typical range goes anywhere from 24, on the low end, and 32, on the high end, which is spread out through several websites, posts and on-air discussions. The typical labeling stretches only 4-5 years. With 24 being the low end it usually ends with 28-29. I've seen prime years being considered as late as 27-32.

There is a significant increase in the rate of production from younger players lately, but I don't necessarily think that players between 20-24 have hit their "prime". A players prime years, for me, is considered when the development and maturity, combined, have peaked and will level off generating the players best seasons over the course of his career. Of course, there are exceptions where players will maintain an extremely high level of production before and after their "prime years". Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos and Taylor Hall will be examples of that in the future.

There is a mystique about the age of 30 in pro sports that it seems to be the general consensus on where a player has "aged", I don't agree. Most players haven't lost the physical ability by age 30 that made them peak in the years before.

For prime years I look at a player like Patrick Marleau. Marleau hit his "peak" at age 26 until the age of 32, with his play trailing off last season in comparison with the six years previous. That's seven years of prime hockey, which for stars of the game shouldn't be out of line. I'd like to consider age 25 in the prime category as well.

Prime years, realistically, are only meaningful to offensive players. If you take a player like Raffi Torres, who is a third line nuisance, it's hard to make a case at all for Torres having any classification for prime years. What are the prime years for a grinder? The years they don't hit themselves into the press box?

Here's my opinion on prime years for an NHL roster.

Top Six Forwards: 25-32

This is an eight season stretch where you hope to get maximum production from your players. That number can gain more years on the front or back ends in special cases, like we've seen with Crosby, Malkin, etc.

Bottom Six Forwards: 25-35

Here's a group of players that do the dirty work for the team on a regular basis. As long as these players stay healthy they can be staples in the lineup late in their careers. For this group, the offensive production is moot. These "prime years", for me, are based on a players ability to be a consistent roster player in their roles. By age 25 they have battled through the rest of their junior careers and the ups and downs of the AHL to solidify a spot in the NHL. At age 35 these physical players typical lose the ability to keep up with the game and are less functional.

Top 4 Defence: 26-34

Defencemen take longer to develop and mature and when they lose a step they get relegated to lower roles in the back end. Defensive depth is a key component on most championship teams and these teams typically have leaders that fall within this age range. As with all of the classifications there are exceptions, with Nik Lidstrom being a prime example. Top flight defenders don't usually make a significant drop off until age 34.

Bottom Pairing Defence: 25-38

These are the relegation guys and the players that fill out the blueline. Typically this role is filled by slower players with a lower hockey IQ and offensive upside.

I'm not even going to opine on goalies for a prime category. They usually get comfortable around 25 and can last as long as 39-40 and be effective.

Shoot me your thoughts on your prime years in the comment section, I'd like to hear some opinions on the topic. Thanks for reading.

Stay icy, Sharks fans.