PITTSBURGH — Mike Sullivan blew his whistle, and Kris Letang whirled around the ice at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex on Wednesday morning with his teammates, skating laps at the end of the first day of Penguins training camp, the defenseman's conditioning and ability to dominate in these settings still incredible.

Twenty minutes later, Evgeni Malkin was waiting with jokes — and directions — when reporters entered the Penguins dressing room. "Tomorrow," Malkin playfully barked, directing attention toward Sidney Crosby or literally anyone else.

Speaking of Sid, the perpetual $8.7 million man fresh off a two-year extension sat patiently at his locker, the same as ever, answering questions, his smile wide while discussing his summer, joking with Drew O'Connor and soaking up the start of another year.

"We've played this long together, and it's been a pretty amazing experience," Crosby said. "You look around the league, it's pretty rare to see that happen. So, I'm really grateful for that."

Along with an entire city, of course. One that will be watching Crosby for a franchise-record 20th season and the Crosby-Malkin-Letang triumvirate for a 19th, the most for any trio in major North American professional sports history.

It's been incredible, each of their three Stanley Cup celebrations taking on a decidedly different tone: the breakthrough, the long-awaited return to glory and then going back-to-back for the first time in the NHL's salary cap era. They've framed legacies. They've inspired countless kids. They've made hockey business in Pittsburgh boom.

Yet as magically of a ride as it has been, we also know that nothing lasts forever.

If the Penguins fall flat on their collective face this season, perhaps president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas tries to chart a different direction, a full-scale rebuilding project, and breaks up the band. Maybe those players would actually approve a late-career change if it meant again competing for the Cup.

But it's hardly preferable. Crosby, Malkin and Letang are eying — perhaps with more intensity than ever — a return to those glory years, in a city they've called home for basically two decades.

"We all want the same thing: We want to win," Letang said. "We know how special this city is, the commitment we have from our fans and our organization to put a good team on the ice, to try and make us successful. We want to accomplish the same thing."

Hence why Letang didn't worry for a second whether Crosby would re-sign this summer, laughing off the idea that he could wind up somewhere else.

"The fact that people entertained that," Letang said, "they clearly don't know the person."

That's fair. Crosby also has never been one to think about the big picture or his legacy ... and he sure wasn't about to start now, when speculation began to pick up after he didn't sign on his birthday, Aug. 7.

Privately, Crosby relaxed. He got away. He thought about his situation some, then went back to enjoying the summer. He didn't vacillate or think about how much longer he wanted to play. He didn't feel pressure to know the answer. The thing that consumed most of his attention: winning, and in Pittsburgh.

Those three know how it feels, too. Mario's TV on the grass or in a parking lot. The atmosphere and palpable buzz around PPG Paints Arena on a warm spring night with the stakes raised. The sacrifices required to win in the postseason. The euphoria felt in a beer-soaked dressing room after clinching that elusive fourth series.

What occurred here on Wednesday is a long way from the top of the mountain, as Bryan Rust put it to me. At the same time, it's no different for Crosby, Malkin and Letang. They've been doing this for nearly as long as some of the youngsters in camp have been alive. At a Hall of Fame-level, no less. Habits have become ingrained. And they have zero plans of slowing down.

"They're elite players," Rust said, talking about Crosby, Malkin and Letang. "You saw it out there. It's the first day, and there were times where they were frickin' taking over the scrimmage. It's fun to see that.

"They obviously want to build a bigger legacy. There are guys in here who want to build something of their own, who haven't won before and want to do something special. Having [Crosby, Malkin and Letang] in the room and seeing what they've done for 19, 20 years, it's crazy."

It's hard to put into words what those three have meant to hockey in Pittsburgh — and why nobody wants it to end.

It's why the seemingly mundane at training camp — the stick-handling and small-area drills, the conditioning — are still met with care by players who've accomplished so much more. But it also ramps up the importance on all the other stuff.

Things like Tristan Jarry rediscovering his All-Star form. Players like Drew O'Connor setting down roots next to Sid. Malkin meshing on a line with Michael Bunting and Rickard Rakell the way he did last season, and the power play re-emerging as a threat.

The Penguins, always spending to the cap, have the talent to compete and return to the postseason. It's more how well everyone can execute, the consistency found and whether injuries are avoided.

A poor performance could force everyone to rethink plans and call the Big Three's ride into the sunset off. But playing a more responsible style and ironing out wrinkles will give everyone what they want — ensuring this isn't the last time Crosby, Malkin and Letang prepare for a season together.

"It's not something we question or think about," Letang said. "The three of us come to the rink every single day with one goal in mind. It's to win and try to find a way to get another Cup."

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