To date, nothing has appeared to catch the cool-handed, level-headed Crosby the least bit off guard. Much like Lemieux two decades earlier in Pittsburgh, he blended in seamlessly with the Pens as a rookie, connecting for 39 goals and 102 points.  Confident and composed, and surrounded by the talented rookie likes of Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal, he improved his output by nearly 20 percent this season.

But the playoffs make the NHL a much different workplace.  Case in point:  Joe Thornton.

Jumbo Joe, last season's MVP and the runnerup to Crosby this season for the scoring title, has yet to show his franchise-player touch in the postseason.  In five postseasons with the Bruins, he was a bitter disappointment, in part leading to his Nov. 2005 trade to San Jose.

Last spring, he toyed with playoff greatness, but his 2 goals and 9 points weren't enough for the Sharks to avoid a second-round dismissal (in 6 games) at the hands of the underdog Oilers.

Marc Serota / Getty Images The Penguins' Sidney Crosby is the first teenager to win a major sports scoring title.

Indeed, Crosby now has entered the game's most exciting and meanest streets.  The postseason is the stage for the game's true legends to emerge, and for the pretenders to be exposed.  What the world has seen of Crosby thus far portends great things for Sid the Kid.

But remember, the NHL of April, May and June is not a kid's game, and often the game's brightest young stars grow old before first sipping from the Cup.

Hall of Fame defenseman  Ray Bourque was more than  20 years on the job before his moment finally came with the Avalanche in 2001.  He held the Cup high over his head, gave it an emotional shake and skated off to retirement.

Bill Clement on the NHL Go with Caps to win Cup Washington has all the pieces in place for a championship

Something tells me Crosby won't wait nearly as long for his moment to arrive, and he'll likely live that moment more than once in his life.  All the better, for the league's sake, that his moment comes sooner rather than later.  But this year?  Probably not.  But make sure that Barcalounger is in position just the same, becuase it's the playoffs, and you just never know.