Riley Sheahan doesn’t consider himself high-maintenance.
Penguins assistant equipment manager Jon Taglianetti might have a different opinion.
“I’m picky?” Sheahan wondered aloud recently during a conversation about his equipment preferences, reacting to a look that Taglianetti shot him. “No way.”
Sheahan is picky when it comes to equipment, but among NHL players, that hardly makes him unique. These guys crave routine. They can notice the slightest imperfection in a new batch of sticks or something as subtle as a new sharpening technique on their skates.
The funny part comes when you ask guys what specifically drives them nuts when it’s not exactly perfect.