The lines around his eyes are more pronounced and his blonde hair is cropped a little closer than years past, but at 34-years-old, Markus Naslund comes into this years training camp as the go-to-guy for point production with the offensively challenged Vancouver Canucks.
Depending on how you look at it, an athlete's ideal age for peak performance has both gone down and gone up. Last year, Sidney Crosby turned the hockey world on its collective ear with a dominating performance at only 19-years-old, while older players like Martin St. Louis, Joe Sakic and Jaromir Jagr continued to put up impressive point totals well into their thirties.
For Naslund, 34 isn't washed-up is it?
"I think it’s great motivation for me," said Naslund after a training session at 8-Rinks last week. "I’m getting older no doubt about it, but I said I’m gonna play as long as I feel that I can play on the level I want to be at. I’d like to show I can still play this year."
It's unfair to compare Naslund or anyone to Crosby, and it might even be a little unfair to compare him to St. Louis, Sakic or Jagr, too. The latter three point-getters weren't adjusting to a new defensive system and they didn't have to deal with a shuffle of new linemates that sometimes looked like a thoroughbred running with colts.
But in typical Naslund fashion, he placed the blame for his lackluster performance last year squarely on his wide shoulders. It's what a Captain does.
"I think it was a little bit of everything," said Naslund. "First of all I wanted to play a little more of a defensive style of game. I think as an offensive player you have to be ready when the chances are there. The other thing too, I stopped shooting as much as I used to and passed the puck more, which is not my game. I think those are two easily adjustable things."
In 82 games last season, Naslund fired only 222 pucks on net, compared to 264 the previous year and 296 in the campaign prior to the lockout. His shooting percentage last year was a dismal 10.8, his third lowest total since joining the NHL back in 1993-94 when he was only scoring on 5% of his chances with the Penguins and 10% during the 1999-2000 season with the Canucks.
Naslund won't address the issue of becoming an unrestricted free agent at seasons end, and so far, it appears the Canucks brass won't speak about re-signing him before he hits the free agent next summer, either. At 34, it looks like Nazzy will have to play out his $6 million per year contract and then decide if he has enough left in the tank to play another year or two.
It should make for a very interesting season for the Swedish superstar because it could go either way: He could light it up with the hopes of signing for another year at a reduced rate, or he could shut it down with retirement in Ornskoldskvik in the foreseeable future.
Naslund has too much pride to coast through this season without an attempt at regaining his scoring touch. The fans of Canuck Nation and every Canuck player to a man know Vancouver is a tweak here and a tinker there away from being a legitimate contender in the race for the Stanley Cup - thanks to Roberto Luongo.
"It’s definitely more of a confident feeling," said Naslund. "We know what we have as far as player personnel and the coaching staff and what our system is going to look like. I’m very excited about coming back here."
This year, probably more than any other in recent memory is full of optimism and anticipation of what could be for the Canucks. Just don't ask Naslund where he'll be next summer, his steely eyes are focussed on the only thing that matters right now.
Winning.
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