NEW YORK -- They stood on their blue line together as John Brancy sang the National Anthem, a vision of the Pittsburgh Penguins past, present and future on opening night.

There were the three almost graybeards, 38-year-olds Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang , and 39-year-old Evgeni Malkin . They were starting their 20th season together, becoming the first trio of teammates in the history of North American pro sports to reach 20 seasons.

With them were 18-year-old Ben Kindel , who wasn't yet born when Crosby, Letang and Malkin played their first game together on Oct. 18, 2006, and 19-year-old defenseman Harrison Brunicke , who was less than six months old when the trio's historic run started.

For a team that is trying to slowly usher in a new era while keeping the old one going fo

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