They may be too young to legally drink, but the seven teenagers who made the cut in the National Hockey League this season are teaching their elders a thing or two.

Sidney Crosby, 19, the youngest player ever to reach the 100-point plateau, has stunned fans in his second season with the Pittsburgh Penguins by racking up 15 points in their first nine games.

Crosby's Penguin teammate, Jordan Staal, 18, is an early surprise star this season who, after less than a month in the league, became the youngest player in NHL history to score twice short-handed in a game and on a penalty shot. He also is the youngest player in nearly 63 years to score twice in a game.

Marc-Edouard Vlasic, 19, a defenseman for the San Jose Sharks, is proving to be a remarkable penalty-killer, a solid passer and a strong hitter.

Rounding out the Not-Even-20-Yet crowd are Phil Kessel, 19, a Boston Bruins top summer draft pick who was dubbed "King of Hockey Prospects" by USA Today; Gilbert Brule, 19, Columbus Blue Jackets' rookie center whose hardcore style is winning him an unusual amount of power play time; Anze Kopitar, 19, a Slovenian forward playing for the Los Angeles Kings and Guillaume Latendresse, 19, a Montreal Canadiens power forward who has been on a goal-scoring streak after coaches recently moved him up the line, including power-play goals 31 seconds apart in the third period of a recent match.

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ROOM AND BOARD:

Although these young players are more than keeping up with their older teammates on the ice, when it comes to their living situations, most of them are settling in with assigned families in their team hometowns, where they can get a room, a hot meal and a somewhat normal family life when they're not on the road.

The so-called "Billet Family" system is widely used in junior hockey, and families receive a small stipend for taking in young players away from home.

Penguins legend Mario Lemieux took Crosby in for his first year, and Vlasic — much to the satisfaction of his Mom in Canada — is living with the same family that took in San Jose's Milan Michalek last year.

"Maybe next year I'll be ready to live on my own, but at this point I want to be with a family," said Vlasic. "It helps make things easier for me during this challenging time."

There have always been teens in the NHL — usually around a dozen — but they're typically the weaker players, fighting for ice time, brought on when their teams are ahead, going through what could be considered an apprenticeship as they develop into serious players.

What's notable this year is that the teenagers have been extraordinary in terms of upper-echelon talent.

"It's a very, very exciting time," said NHL spokesman Frank Brown. "Many of these young men are playing incredibly significant roles with their teams, and their youthful enthusiasm keeps everyone else young and energized."

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FISCAL SENSE:

In addition to their zest for hockey, young players help teams comply with their salary caps — almost always, these young players willingly sign contracts at or below $850,000 per year, the NHL rookie maximum.

For many of them, the money is secondary to the thrill of playing at this level. Their on-ice delight is often obvious. They smile often during games, grinning as they chase down opponents, hitting and slamming older and larger players.

"This is a dream come true for me," said Vlasic, grinning after practice in the locker room. "It's very exciting to be on the ice with these guys, the same players I idolized when I was young."

Vlasic said he tries not to get star struck.

"Sometimes I just don't think about it too much, because if I stopped and thought about who some of these players are I would probably get distracted," he said.

Coaches and managers say they're pleased with the current batch of teens as well.

Though he plays in Crosby's shadow, Staal has proven he deserves his spot on the roster, said Penguins general manager Ray Shero.

"We all knew about his skill level when we drafted him, but his work ethic, maturity and consistent effort have enabled him to make what normally is a difficult transition for a teenager," he said.

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asap contributor Martha Mendoza is an AP national writer.

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