All your star players are a year older and the roster as a whole is worse than last year.

Plan the parade.
- Feds91Stammer

Not if you compare it to the start of last season. They're starting this year with Brassard, Sheahan, ZAR w/experience, Simon w/experience, Cullen (better than Rowney, or Kuhn), Oleksiak, plus Jarry and DeSmith are a year further along.

Missing is Cole, Sheary, Hunwick, Rowney, Kuhnhackle, Scott Wilson, Reeves, Niemi.

I just don't see this roster as inferior in any way.

Again: Sheary will not be missed. Sprong/Simon/ZAR will take his duties.

There is that more clear for you?
- Barnaby36

Yes, they will take his duties, but explain to me exactly why AT THIS POINT in time how any of those players are better than Sheary?

Explain to me why Cullen is better off in the line up than Sheary?

Your roster is worse now than it was at the end of last season.

There is that more clear for you?
- Feds91Stammer

Yup. The Pens basically removed a quality forward with the hopes that one of ZAR, Sprong or Simon will replace him. Maybe they will, but as of right now none of them do what Sheary does.

Yup. The Pens basically removed a quality forward with the hopes that one of ZAR, Sprong or Simon will replace him. Maybe they will, but as of right now none of them do what Sheary does.
- Rinosaur

Fall down all over the ice, flub sweet chances and disappear in the playoffs?

Hard skill set to replace.

Fall down all over the ice, flub sweet chances and disappear in the playoffs?

Hard skill set to replace.
- hardnosed

Hahah exactly. I don't know what's wrong with these people. Sheary is suddenly a Pat LaFontaine.

Fall down all over the ice, flub sweet chances and disappear in the playoffs?

Hard skill set to replace.
- hardnosed

Hahah exactly. I don't know what's wrong with these people. Sheary is suddenly a Pat LaFontaine.

Not if you compare it to the start of last season. They're starting this year with Brassard, Sheahan, ZAR w/experience, Simon w/experience, Cullen (better than Rowney, or Kuhn), Oleksiak, plus Jarry and DeSmith are a year further along.

Missing is Cole, Sheary, Hunwick, Rowney, Kuhnhackle, Scott Wilson, Reeves, Niemi.

I just don't see this roster as inferior in any way.
- cranktheradio

This guy gets it. And you didn't even mention Sprong there. He'll be good for 15 goals at least.

Yup. The Pens basically removed a quality forward with the hopes that one of ZAR, Sprong or Simon will replace him. Maybe they will, but as of right now none of them do what Sheary does.
- Rinosaur

Let's be honest here, Sheary being gone isn't going to affect this teams offence whatsoever. He's not some irreplaceable figure. I mean I get it but I feel like the reactions of him gone are a bit overboard due to who we picked up rather than Sheary actually being gone. I'm more excited of having a full season of Brass, be it on wing or at center. This is in no way the final team that hits the ice for the playoffs.

Yes, they will take his duties, but explain to me exactly why AT THIS POINT in time how any of those players are better than Sheary?

Explain to me why Cullen is better off in the line up than Sheary?
- Rinosaur

Cullen and his 11g and 11a is replacing Kuhnhackle with his 2g and 8a. Plus he's a vet center who will occasionally be used in that capacity.

I would ask you, why doesn't Sheary's last two playoff performances matter? When the physicality and obstruction pick up, Sheary gets pushed around like a child. He becomes nothing but a useless perimeter player.

Rutherford is taking an educated gamble that a combination of Simon, ZAR and Sprong can somehow match Sheary's lofty 2 goals in his last 34 playoff games while all 3 combined make less than him.

Fall down all over the ice, flub sweet chances and disappear in the playoffs?

Hard skill set to replace.
- hardnosed

I don't get it either. It's almost like nobody remembers his last two playoffs where he got dominated every time he touched the puck. A warm breeze will knock him off the puck.

Cullen and his 11g and 11a is replacing Kuhnhackle with his 2g and 8a. Plus he's a vet center who will occasionally be used in that capacity.

I would ask you, why doesn't Sheary's last two playoff performances matter? When the physicality and obstruction pick up, Sheary gets pushed around like a child. He becomes nothing but a useless perimeter player.

Rutherford is taking an educated gamble that a combination of Simon, ZAR and Sprong can somehow match Sheary's lofty 2 goals in his last 34 playoff games while all 3 combined make less than him.
- madmike71

Stop with all this non sense knowledge of the situation BS lol Give this man a trophy

I mean I get it but I feel like the reactions of him gone are a bit overboard due to who we picked up rather than Sheary actually being gone. I'm more excited of having a full season of Brass, be it on wing or at center. This is in no way the final team that hits the ice for the playoffs.
- 668710

Well yeah, of course. Who's disputing that? I'm a fan of Sheary, but it's not like I think he's some irreplaceable elite player, but if the Pens are going to move him or any player for that matter it shouldn't create a new weakness in the lineup.

Why would you be excited about Brass at wing? We go through this crap every single year. Over and over we see how the Pens model succeeds with strength down the middle. Brass moving to wing now creates two scenarios: Sheahan at 3C with either Cullen or friggin Grant at 4C.

We had this stupid argument before last season and everyone was like "give it a chance," they don't need that depth down the middle if there's strength on the wings. We are just going to through this song and dance again.

Look, I have faith that Sprong will be a good player, but I don't know that yet. I think Simon is a solid player, but he's not half as good as Sheary and ZAR is honestly still a unknown at this point.