People, I get it if many of you are upset because you view the Despres trade as a symptomatic problem within the organization. If you view the Pens as a team that does not develop it's own talent. If you question how they handle the injection of youth into the line-up. Those are legitimate objections. I do have two objections to all of this.......
1. Don't hold up Detriot as the standard for player development and youth injection. Babcock is worse than us in using his youth. He will play them only when forced and if he can acquire a vet to replace youth, he will do it 100% of the time. Seriously, he just traded for Eric Cole and Marek Zidlicky! Really?
Lovejoy is 31 and very capable for this teams style, just think of the outrage if Despres was moved for Marek Zidlicky!
2. Don't hold Simon Despres as the standard for player development, he is not that good. All 4 of the younger defensemen are better in their role as defenseman than he is or will be. He was never going to be more than a 5/6 here, primarily because the others fit the 1, 2, 3, & 4 roles better. Sure he threw body checks, all defensemen do. But he hits, and is physical, Ok, I get it. However, try being in position, try defending, skate and pass north and south and not east and west. Don't waste your youth arguements on Despres. Physical guys, MacNeill and Roupp are waiting in the wings. "Old Time Hockey, Wren Blair, Toe Blake!"
Wow, what would this be doing if Despres had been sent to Jersey for Jagr.......talk about Board and fan conflict!