TORONTO _ They've come in all shapes and sizes, demeanors and styles. From the swift skating and smarts exhibited by Pascal Dupuis to the rough-and-tumble games employed by Chris Kunitz and Patric Hornqvist.
Conor Sheary and Jake Guentzel might accumulate 200 hits _ a mark Kunitz and Hornqvist both achieved this season _ oh, maybe by their early 30s.
But of all the differences among those who've shared a line with Sidney Crosby in recent years _ which includes differing levels of NHL experience _ they all share one odd trait: There's not a can't-miss prospect in the bunch. No Next Comings. Nobody with even close to a first-round pedigree.
In fact, three of those five weren't drafted, while Hornqvist was taken last overall in his draft year. That leaves Guentzel, a third-round selection in 2013, as the most high profile of the group, and he's more likely to get carded than hounded for autographs.
"It's kind of a funny fact," Hornqvist said.
There's no debating that, but why has Crosby meshed so well with these guys and not, say, James Neal or Phil Kessel?
"I think Sid has the ability to play with anybody and adapt his game and find ways to be successful," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. "He has such a versatile game. He can play the game so many different ways."
And play it really, really well, of course.
With 43 goals, Crosby is enjoying the second-best goal-scoring season of his career, his second time over the 40-goal barrier, leaving 2016-17 second to only the 51 times he scored in 2009-10.
Crosby's greatest amount of success this season has undoubtedly come once he started centering Sheary and Guentzel on the team's Western Canada trip, the Sid and The Kids line.
Thinking the game the same way is certainly an important factor. Ditto for skating, shot selection and the ability to read off of one another. But Sheary brought up another fantastic point.
"We've always had to play with a little bit more of a chip on our shoulders than some other guys," Sheary said. "Not to say someone who's drafted is given anything that they've got. But I think we've had to earn our way into the NHL and earn our way into an organization."
Crosby never had to prove his worth to the Penguins, but you'll also have a tough time finding someone who works harder day in and day out, someone more in love with honing his craft and juicing every last ounce out of his God-given talent.
Sullivan, who's been in the NHL as a player or coach since 1991, believes Crosby might be the best he's ever seen at playing down low, in the dirty areas, a blue-collar game sometimes frowned upon by those with Crosby's massive amount of talent.
"He might be the best player that I've seen in the trenches, underneath the hash marks, playing in the battle areas," Sullivan said. "He's so strong on the puck, the way he protects pucks and generates offense coming out of those battle areas. I don't know if I've been around a player or seen a player who's better. He tends to have success with guys who can help him in those areas."
Dupuis, Kunitz, Hornqvist, Sheary and Guentzel can all do that.
In various ways, too.
Dupuis was an expert at digging pucks out of corners. His blazing speed was probably equally as important. Dupuis and Kunitz were like Sheary and Guentzel in how they could react off of Crosby, taking advantage of a well-timed pass or delivering one of their own.
Hornqvist's straight-ahead style has meshed well at times with Crosby, and they both have no problem, as Sullivan said, working in the trenches.
"The speed that they bring is great," Crosby said of his current line. "They're strong on pucks. They work hard to get to those tough areas. They're not the biggest guys.
"To be honest, some of the guys I've played with in the past haven't always been the biggest guys. It's the way you play. If everyone's working to get loose pucks and create turnovers, I don't think size is an issue."
The most important thing may well be Crosby's uncanny ability to play with the puck. As a result, he commands a ton of attention from the other team, another aspect Sullivan has repeatedly praised within Crosby's game.
If those playing with Crosby can find the open areas of the rink to get those couple extra feet of available space, chances are they'll get rewarded. Like Sheary finishing Crosby's between-his-legs, no-look pass Thursday in New Jersey.
"You look at Jake and Conor right now, these guys are quick, they're elusive, they're brave, they go to those battle areas, and they can play that give-and-go game in the traffic," Sullivan said. "I think that helps Sid be at his best. I think Sid makes them better players as well with his ability to hang onto pucks and his strength on the puck.
"The attention he commands from our opponents on the ice opens up opportunities for anyone who plays with him."
The quietest among this group is certainly Guentzel; of course, he's also likely to be among the quietest in a library.
But he was able to drill into probably the most basic aspect of finding success while playing with Crosby.
"I don't think it really matters who he plays with," Guentzel said. "When you're playing with him, everyone has that extra jump. He's the best player in the world. It's pretty easy to play with him."
