Well where are Christopher and Silvio gonna be? Not good for Paulie! The whole Valery thing has to be let go, it was six years ago! Apparently that situation was going to resurface in season four but Tony Sirico had back problems was absent for the first few episodes, so Chase scrapped it.

"When my time comes, tell me, will I stand up?"
Paulie "Walnuts" Gaultiere - The Sopranos