As the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers prepare to play in the Stanley Cup final beginning Wednesday, one thing that stands out for both teams is the presence of a greybeard player who already has Cup-winning experience under their belts. The Oilers have 40-year-old right winger Corey Perry, while the Panthers have 37-year-old left winger Brad Marchand. And the success of both veterans in this post-season may change the market for UFA players of their ilk this summer.

As the NHL has developed in the salary cap era, many teams have been loathe to commit a good amount of cap space and opportunity to players at or near the end of their career. And it’s understandable why – the impact of Father Time can limit the impact of older players, and when every cap dollar counts, teams prefer to err on the side of caution and devote much of their money to up-and-coming players or players in their prime.

However, let’s examine what Marchand and Perry have done this spring: the former has posted 10 assists and 14 points in 17 playoff games for the Panthers, while the latter has seven goals and 10 points in 16 games for the Oilers. Those are excellent numbers, especially when you consider how relatively limited their ice time is. Perry is averaging 13:54 per game for Edmonton, and Marchand is averaging 16:22 for Florida.

But the main reason why these old timers are so effective has to do with the fact that, for decades now, players have treated their bodies like temples, and that has not only extended their longevity, but it has also led to a better quality of play from them. The sports science department for teams is better than ever, and the load management that goes on through the regular season allows veterans to maintain a standard that wasn’t achievable in the time when NHLers coasted their way toward retirement.

The impact of veterans like Perry and Marchand will also have an impact on the free-agent market, as teams will be champing at the bit to get their hands on veterans who can deliver in high-stakes situations. Now, we’re not here to tell you Marchand and Perry will be getting gigantic raises this summer – Marchand will likely make close to the $6.125-million he earned this year, while Perry may get a raise on the $1.15-million he’s made this season. But to be sure, there will be great interest in their services, so they may not come in as cheaply as some people may project.

All things being equal, Marchand has more time left on the clock than Perry. But both players will likely have their pick of a few teams with their sights set on a long Cup run. And that means teams won’t be signing them to league-minimum deals in the off-season. They may not be the final piece of a championship puzzle for a Cup front-runner, but their pedigree and the urgency to their game does set them apart from the rest of the field of less-accomplished vets. And that will be reflected in the amount they sign for.

So don’t be surprised to see some degree of a bidding war for Perry and Marchand. They’ll likely choose a team with the best shot at a Cup next year, but the NHL is still a business, and business for these experienced warriors is looking quite good right now.

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