NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Penguins are generally synonymous with youth.
They showcase one of hockey's youngest fan bases. They've got a wonderful group of young players who figure to produce for many years, guys like Jake Guentzel, Matt Murray, Bryan Rust, Olli Maatta and Conor Sheary. Their best player is still referred to as "Sid the Kid," even though he's about to turn 30.
Funny thing is, the Penguins' were the NHL's fourth-oldest team this past season. And they won the Stanley Cup, anyway, which is a rarity for their relative age.
Where would the Penguins have been this spring without the likes of Matt Cullen, Chris Kunitz, Trevor Daley or Ron Hainsey?
"Those guys meant so much to us," Sheary said. "Far, far more than people maybe realize."
All four players could be gone now. They're all unrestricted free agents. Cullen is leaning toward retirement, though this isn't yet official. Kunitz would dearly love to return, but when assessing the direction of the Penguins -- fast, faster and fastest -- a 37-year-old grinder might not be in their future plans. Hainsey never felt like a perfect fit with the Penguins, yet, he was the right fit. He gave them what they needed, but it's not expected that he'll return this summer. Daley still has his wheels but the Penguins aren't in the habit of giving 33-year-old defensemen long-term contracts.
And so, perhaps all four finished their Pittsburgh careers in style:
• In the moment of his career, Hainsey was the man selected by Sidney Crosby to receive the Stanley Cup second. Once upon a time, Hainsey snapped at Crosby during a union meeting as the NHL lockout crippled the sport. That's bound to be buried forever.
• Daley, who was unable to play in last season's Stanley Cup Final because of an ankle injury, knows what it's like to receive the Cup from the captain. He fell to the ice in joy when Carl Hagelin's empty-netter finished the Predators.
• Kunitz now has his name on the Cup four times, more than any active player. Not bad for a guy who was never drafted.
• And then there is Cullen, who cut off an interview when he saw his children following Game 6 in Nashville, simply explaining that he needed an embrace from his three boys. The smile said it all.
"They're all incredible guys," Rust said. "You talk about great leaders. Man. It doesn't get better than those guys."
Whether any of these players returns or not, they went out champions.
It was Cullen's third ring.
"I'm just so happy I decided to sign with the Penguins when I did two years ago," Cullen said. "I knew it was a great organization. I knew they had superstars and good management. I knew it was a good sports town. But I never imagined anything like this happening. This is all incredible."
All four had their moments this postseason.
The Penguins never really looked like the Penguins until Daley found his legs in the Ottawa series. He's been banged up consistently during his two years with the Penguins, but when he is right, the Penguins are a better team.
"Finally started to feel good out there," he said with a shrug.
Hainsey is known for his defensive work more than anything else, and he was at his best in the final two games of the season. The defenseman was a rock against the Predators in Games 5 and 6, as the Penguins pitched a couple of shutouts.
He even gave the Penguins his Bobby Orr moment in Game 5:
The man himself had a hard time explaining that one:
Matt Cullen, Chris Kunitz, Ron Hainsey, Trevor Daley, Stanley Cup playoffs. – MATT SUNDAY / DKPS