re: Malkin, I'm struggling to think of any Russian superstars that stayed at their elite level into their 30's...Datsyuk, Larionov, Gonchar, Zubov are the only ones that come to mind. (actually looks like Fedorov was still a 30 goal scorer until the lockout - age 34).
Yashin, Bure, Bure, Mogilny, Kovalev, Kovalchuk (fair to say he isn't doing much in the NHL right now...), Semin were all shadows of their former selves (apart from a season or two) once they were in their 30's.
Of course much of this is thanks to injuries, and few players stay as strong into their 30's...but to trade away that much you are really hoping he maintains a Sakic, Yzerman, Messier, Jagr, Francis, St. Louis, Selanne, Lidstrom calibre (of course most of these guys slowed down, but their winning didn't).
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