I just find it hard for the longevity of current top athletes to have the desire to play long enough when they are making $10+M a year as Matthews will for a while.
Earlier generations, the money wasn't there so guys played longer.
Ovechkin always was an ultra competitor and then whispers (and an incident) with things back home where he needed to continue to make money for various reasons (add Jagr to the mix in that situation).
Then of course he wanted to play for Russia in the Olympics, so he always had some sort of goal and motivation for playing and being in shape etc even after winning the Cup. Then it became Gretzky's record these last 3-4 years.
I just don't see the same drive with Matthews to carry on for another decade, and then another 3 seasons more to maybe break the scoring record in 2037-38.
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