It's also impacted by potential bias.
Players generally lose speed and skill once they are into their mid-late thirties.
For a smaller player...NHL GMs are not going to overlook that and their careers will be over sooner.
For a bigger player...NHL GMs will justify continuing to give him a job due to his size, physicality, leadership, and "intangibles".
Doesn't mean they age any better, just means NHL GMs are more likely to continue to justify keeping them around. It's why Milan Lucic still had a job last year before his personal issues hit, but Phil Kessel was left looking for a contract even though Kessel still likely had more "Skill" at this stage than Lucic.
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