Ryan Wilson: Why did Conor Sheary stuggle at the end of last year? Why did Conor Sheary stuggle at the end of last year?

From last blog: Are we sure Sheary is Sid's RW? Hornqvist played a lot on Sid's RW. Rust played with Sid, and Sprong (who might get a full time chance this year) has played with Sid. We do already have options that can work with Sid. I understand Horny is older and Sprong is young, but Rust has shown some ability to close with Sid in big games!

Bottom line is, the Pens need a 3C. You have to trade away someone to get and fit a decent 3C into this team.
- so_buzz11

We will see what Sheary gets once he's signed, but I think he could be a trading piece if the Pens go for a valuable 3C in a trade.

He's a good player, and obviously had great chemistry with Crosby last year, but being undersized like he is can definitely be a disadvantage during the stretch run and especially in the playoffs. Things tighten up a lot and the refs call less.

If he was playing hurt, add that, and the dip in production seems somewhat normal. Very rare for an undrafted player to keep up 5v5 production at that rate the whole season, even playing with Sid, he was probably always going to drop off to a degree.

1. Sheary left the Flyers game on March 26. But was right back in the lineup on March 29, playing 16 minutes in a 5-1 blowout loss to Chicago. If the injury was so severe that it impacted him for the next 2 1/2 months, it's hard to believe that he would have been skating in the 3rd period of the game after this supposed season-altering injury.

2. When the playoffs ended and players disclosed their injuries, there was not a peep about Sheary. It would seem like if there was something nagging him that negatively impacted his performance that much, his agent would have advised him to disclose it heading into RFA negotiations.

3. It was pretty easy to see (for the second year in a row) that the increased physicality, tighter checking, and lack of whistles in the playoffs hurts Sheary significantly.

I agree with everything you mentioned Hardnosed. It is very clear even to a blind person that the rules change come the playoffs.

Sheary is a great regular season player when the ice opens up, but when the rules change come playoffs, his game suffers. Nothing Sheary can do because the NHL decides to change rules come playoff time.

I love Sheary, but what a risky contract.

Sullivan loves demoting him to the 4th line as soon as he has a bad game. If he plays with Sid for 82 games he will have 60 points, but if he gets demoted to the 4th line every time he has a bad look, it won't be worth it.

4M 1 year.

I agree with everything you mentioned Hardnosed. It is very clear even to a blind person that the rules change come the playoffs.

Sheary is a great regular season player when the ice opens up, but when the rules change come playoffs, his game suffers. Nothing Sheary can do because the NHL decides to change rules come playoff time.
- Darklight11

... But... He was fn stellar in the 2016 run... And was great after being scratched in the latest run.

1. Sheary left the Flyers game on March 26. But was right back in the lineup on March 29, playing 16 minutes in a 5-1 blowout loss to Chicago. If the injury was so severe that it impacted him for the next 2 1/2 months, it's hard to believe that he would have been skating in the 3rd period of the game after this supposed season-altering injury.

2. When the playoffs ended and players disclosed their injuries, there was not a peep about Sheary. It would seem like if there was something nagging him that negatively impacted his performance that much, his agent would have advised him to disclose it heading into RFA negotiations.

3. It was pretty easy to see (for the second year in a row) that the increased physicality, tighter checking, and lack of whistles in the playoffs hurts Sheary significantly.
- hardnosed

Yep nothing wrong with sheary. But playoff hockey is a different game. The NHL should call the rule book but they do not. Its costing sheary serious money. If they called the rule book he's worth 6 million per year; if they don't I"m not sure he's worth 2 million since he won't perform in the playoffs at his size.

... But... He was fn stellar in the 2016 run... And was great after being scratched in the latest run.
- MattStrat

2016 he played three series against teams that tried to skate with the Pens. And was worthless in the Washington series against a bigger team.

And I wouldn't say he was "great" after being scratched. Just happened to score a couple of goals.

... But... He was fn stellar in the 2016 run... And was great after being scratched in the latest run.
- MattStrat

Sheary was fine in both playoffs. Not everyone can be a PPG guy like Sid, Geno, and Phil. Sure he wasn't producing like he did in the regular season, but neither was Horny, Daley, Hagelin, Bonino, etc. But they chipped in when they could. And 2 of those guys are "made for playoff hockey."

- j.boyd919

My primary takeaway from this is that a whole bunch of dudes from Philly suck balls

Yep nothing wrong with sheary. But playoff hockey is a different game. The NHL should call the rule book but they do not. Its costing sheary serious money. If they called the rule book he's worth 6 million per year; if they don't I"m not sure he's worth 2 million since he won't perform in the playoffs at his size.
- sditulli

I dunno Marty St. Louis was like 4'6" and he was pretty good in the playoffs. Theo Fleury.. Arvidsson.. Tyler Johnson.. Zuccarello.. Marchand..

You know.. just a few guys that are "undersized hockey players" that perform in the playoffs. It's still (frank)in hockey, the game doesn't change that much.

My primary takeaway from this is that a whole bunch of dudes from Philly suck balls
- DeflatedPucks

Philly was a dumpster fire last year

He's a good player, and obviously had great chemistry with Crosby last year, but being undersized like he is can definitely be a disadvantage during the stretch run and especially in the playoffs. Things tighten up a lot and the refs call less.

If he was playing hurt, add that, and the dip in production seems somewhat normal. Very rare for an undrafted player to keep up 5v5 production at that rate the whole season, even playing with Sid, he was probably always going to drop off to a degree.
- W_1

Small players are undrafted because of hockey cliches. Plenty of small hockey players contribute in the NHL. Size doesn't (frank)ing matter. Skill is what makes a hockey player.

2016 he played three series against teams that tried to skate with the Pens. And was worthless in the Washington series against a bigger team.

And I wouldn't say he was "great" after being scratched. Just happened to score a couple of goals.
- hardnosed

That's a good point about the type of team faced. it seems like teams are going towards speed and skating now anyways.

I think with Sheary he scored some very clutch goals in the 2016 run. Playoffs are all about the clutch.

That's a good point about the type of team faced. it seems like teams are going towards speed and skating now anyways.

I think with Sheary he scored some very clutch goals in the 2016 run. Playoffs are all about the clutch.
- MattStrat

As long as he puts up SOME offense, while Sid/Geno/Phil/Letang (or Schultz) are on... he's fine. Not every player is going to be, or even has to be a PPG player.

Small players are undrafted because of hockey cliches. Plenty of small hockey players contribute in the NHL. Size doesn't (frank)ing matter. Skill is what makes a hockey player.
- j.boyd919

An irrelevant response.

I said his size contributed to his lack of production during the more physical time of the year, which other Pens fans have noted as well. I didn't say anything about his size affecting his draft...got no clue why he wasn't drafted...but if 7 rounds of hockey experts didn't pick him it was about more than just his size.

He's still a good player, but his 5v5 scoring rate was bound to decline as the year went on and into the playoffs is all.

That's a good point about the type of team faced. it seems like teams are going towards speed and skating now anyways.

I think with Sheary he scored some very clutch goals in the 2016 run. Playoffs are all about the clutch.
- MattStrat

Thats why I wanted Bonino back, he is clutch. He scores some really big goals the last two years in the playoffs.

Sheary struggled with the obstruction and physicality in the playoffs this year. Unfortunately I don't see the NHL changing their philosophy about "letting them play" in the playoffs. If a guy is easily knocked of the puck (which he is), I worry about giving him a long term high dollar contract.

An irrelevant response.

I said his size contributed to his lack of production during the more physical time of the year, which other Pens fans have noted as well. I didn't say anything about his size affecting his draft...got no clue why he wasn't drafted...but if 7 rounds of hockey experts didn't pick him it was about more than just his size.

He's still a good player, but his 5v5 scoring rate was bound to decline as the year went on and into the playoffs is all.
- W_1

Actually it's a very relevant response, because you said it is unlikely an undrafted player keeps his 5v5 production rate up. I said that he was likely undrafted because of his size (as a lot of small players are. Rafalski, St. Louis, Tyler Johnson, Joe Mullen, I'm sure there are more). There are plenty of undrafted players in the NHL that have made a name for themselves, and he's produced at every level, college, AHL, and NHL. And there have been plenty of undersized players in recent years who produce in the playoffs. Arviddson, Johnson, Marty, etc. Like I said, size doesn't matter. If you're a good hockey player, you'll find a way to produce. He's proven to be a good hockey player. Could have been a nagging injury, who knows.

The problem is, Pens fans are expecting this elite, top notch scorer during the playoffs. There's only one puck on the ice. Pens had 4 players top 20 points this playoffs. Not everyone is going to score. He put up 7 points in 22 games with no time on the no. 1PP, on a team with a defense deferred to the glass or lobs up the neutral zone instead of clean breakouts. Hell, Horny who is SO important to the Pens put up 9 points, and had 30 more minutes of PP time (probably on PP1) but yet he gets no flack and is totally worth his cap hit. Riiiiight. Sheary was fine. Sure his production may have gone down, but he contributed just as much as Bonino, Hornqvist, Rust, etc.

I kept saying this was injury related. It wasn't Sheary's production that stuck out to me as much as how "off" he looked. His timing was off, he was sloppy and just not playing a tight game.

Sheary will be fine. People will freak out at his contract, because of course they will, but it should be fine as well.

Sheary struggled with the obstruction and physicality in the playoffs this year. Unfortunately I don't see the NHL changing their philosophy about "letting them play" in the playoffs. If a guy is easily knocked of the puck (which he is), I worry about giving him a long term high dollar contract.
- madmike71

4m per year isn't really high dollar. (If that's what he's asking.) If he wants more than that.. then there is a problem.

I kept saying this was injury related. It wasn't Sheary's production that stuck out to me as much as how "off" he looked. His timing was off, he was sloppy and just not playing a tight game.

Sheary will be fine. People will freak out at his contract, because of course they will, but it should be fine as well.
- Rinosaur

It'll be the opposite of the Dumo crowd. Everyone who didn't mind Dumo's contract will hate Sheary's and everyone who hated Dumo's contract won't mind Sheary's.