Ray Shero

{{Short description|American ice hockey player and executive (1962–2025)}}

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| name = Ray Shero

| image = Ray Shero 2012-06-22.jpg

| caption = Shero in 2012

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1962|07|28}}

| birth_place = Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2025|4|9|1962|07|28}}

| death_place = Arizona, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 0

| weight_lb = 190

| position = Center

| shoots =

| played_for = St. Lawrence Saints

| draft = 216th overall

| draft_year = 1982

| draft_team = Los Angeles Kings

| career_start = 1980

| career_end = 1985

}}

Rejean "Ray" Shero (July 28, 1962 – April 9, 2025) was an American ice hockey executive in the National Hockey League (NHL) who served as the general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils franchises from 2006 to 2020.

Shero played ice hockey at the collegiate level for the St. Lawrence Saints. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in 1982, but never played in the NHL. Shero was an assistant general manager for the Ottawa Senators from 1993 to 1998 and then for the Nashville Predators from 1998 to 2006. He served as the general manager of the Penguins from 2006 to 2014. During his tenure, the Penguins advanced to consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, winning a championship in 2009. He was fired after the Penguins' second round exit from the 2014 playoffs. Shero joined the Devils as general manager in May 2015, replacing Lou Lamoriello, and he held the position until being fired in January 2020. Shero was also an executive for the U.S. men's ice hockey team at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics.

Shero was the son of former Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers coach Fred Shero.

Early life

Rejean Shero was born on July 28, 1962, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, to Fred and Mariette Shero.{{Cite news |last=Johnston |first=Chris |date=April 9, 2025 |title=Ray Shero, Wild senior adviser and former GM of the Penguins and Devils, dies at 62 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6267363/2025/04/09/ray-shero-dies-nhl-wild-penguins-devils/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=April 9, 2025 |work=The Athletic |publisher=The New York Times |location=San Francisco}}{{Cite news |last=Halligan |first=John |date=December 9, 1990 |title=Views of Sport; Memories of a Man They Called 'The Fog' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/12/09/sports/views-of-sport-memories-of-a-man-they-called-the-fog.html?scp=19&sq=fred%20shero&st=cse |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160225121726/https://www.nytimes.com/1990/12/09/sports/views-of-sport-memories-of-a-man-they-called-the-fog.html?scp=19&sq=fred%20shero&st=cse |archive-date=February 25, 2016 |access-date=April 10, 2025 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331}} Both of his parents were born and raised Canadians: Fred in Winnipeg and Mariette in Shawinigan, Quebec. His father won two Stanley Cups with the Broad Street Bullies edition of the Philadelphia Flyers in the mid-1970s as their coach.{{Cite news |last=Starkey |first=Joe |date=May 28, 2006 |title=Shero has a winner's background |url=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/s_455652.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071120134439/http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/s_455652.html |archive-date=November 20, 2007 |access-date=April 10, 2025 |work=Tribune-Review |publisher=Tribune-Review Publishing Company |location=Pittsburgh}} Ray often went to Flyers practices with his dad and learned the ropes of NHL hockey management first hand at that time while also getting to know Terry Crisp, Pat Quinn and Jacques Plante — all Flyers assistant coaches — during that period.

Shero played his college ice hockey for the St. Lawrence Saints, captaining the team during the 1984–85 season.{{Cite web |title=Rejean A. Shero '84 |url=https://www.stlawu.edu/offices/alumni-council/rejean-shero-84 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250409180304/https://www.stlawu.edu/offices/alumni-council/rejean-shero-84 |archive-date=April 9, 2025 |access-date=April 9, 2025 |website=Alumni Council |publisher=St. Lawrence University |location=Canton, New York}} He was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the 11th round of the 1982 draft, but never played in the NHL.{{Cite web |last=David |first=Dan |year=2025 |title=1982 Entry Draft Pick: Ray Shero |url=http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1982/82216.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241217042438/https://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1982/82216.html |archive-date=December 17, 2024 |access-date=April 9, 2025 |website=Hockey Draft Central}}

Executive career

Shero worked as a hockey agent following graduation before becoming the assistant general manager for the Ottawa Senators from 1993 to 1998 and then for the Nashville Predators from their entrance into the league in 1998 until 2006.

=Pittsburgh Penguins (2006–2014)=

Shero became general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2006. In his first season, he made a small splash in the free agent market, signing forwards Mark Recchi and Jarkko Ruutu, along with defenseman Mark Eaton. In addition to these moves, he traded for forwards Nils Ekman and Dominic Moore, after drafting center Jordan Staal with the second overall pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. This choice paid immediate dividends, as Staal would score 29 goals and 42 points in his rookie year with fellow rookie Evgeni Malkin.{{Cite news |last=Nesbitt |first=Stephen J. |date=May 17, 2014 |title=The Ray Shero Era |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/pittsburgh-post-gazette-the-ray-shero-er/169936652/ |access-date=April 9, 2025 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |publisher=Block Communications |page=D2 |via=Newspapers.com |issn=1068-624X}}

At the trade deadline of the 2006–07 NHL season, Shero swung two major trades, sending Noah Welch to the Florida Panthers for veteran Gary Roberts, and sending Daniel Carcillo and a draft pick to the Phoenix Coyotes for enforcer Georges Laraque.

Shero made several tweaks to his club during the next off-season, signing defenseman Darryl Sydor, forwards Petr Sýkora and Jeff Taffe, and backup goaltender Dany Sabourin. Shero also took several steps to ensure that his nucleus of talent remained in Pittsburgh by re-signing defenseman Ryan Whitney to a six-year, $24{{nbsp}}million contract extension, and re-signing center and captain Sidney Crosby to a five-year, $43.5{{nbsp}}million extension.

On July{{nbsp}}16, 2007, Shero announced that he had re-signed head coach Michel Therrien to a one-year extension through the 2008–09 NHL season.{{Cite news |last=Anderson |first=Shelly |date=July 19, 2008 |title=Penguins re-sign Therrien |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/2008/07/19/Penguins-re-sign-Therrien/stories/200807190127 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150301215104/http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/2008/07/19/Penguins-re-sign-Therrien/stories/200807190127 |archive-date=March 1, 2015 |access-date=April 9, 2025 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |publisher=Block Communications |issn=1068-624X}}

The trade deadline of the 2007–08 NHL season brought two other major trades for Shero and the Pittsburgh Penguins, sending Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, prospect Angelo Esposito, and a future draft pick for the Atlanta Thrashers' Marián Hossa and Pascal Dupuis, as well as bringing the Toronto Maple Leafs' defenseman Hal Gill to his team for two future draft picks.

In 2009, the Penguins defeated the Detroit Red Wings in seven games to win the Stanley Cup on the road at the Joe Louis Arena.{{Cite news |last=Cole |first=Cam |date=June 13, 2009 |title=Penguins, to the Max |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/asbury-park-press-devils-ousted-in-3-1-d/169975001/ |access-date=April 10, 2025 |work=Edmonton Journal |publisher=Postmedia Network |location=Edmonton |page=C1 |via=Newspaper.com |issn=0839-296X}} The Red Wings defeated the Penguins the year before in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals at Mellon Arena.{{Cite news |last=CBC Staff |date=June 4, 2008 |title=Detroit Red Wings win Stanley Cup |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/detroit-red-wings-win-stanley-cup-1.700492 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703092410/https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/detroit-red-wings-win-stanley-cup-1.700492 |archive-date=July 3, 2015 |access-date=April 12, 2025 |work=CBC Sports |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |location=Toronto}}

Shero won the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award following the 2012–13 season.{{Cite web |title=Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award |url=https://records.nhl.com/awards/trophies/jim-gregory-general-manager-of-the-year-award |access-date=April 12, 2025 |website=NHL Records}}

On May{{nbsp}}16, 2014, the Penguins fired Shero after the team fell to the Rangers in seven games during the second round of the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs.{{Cite web |date=May 16, 2014 |title=Penguins fire GM Ray Shero |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/10941219/pittsburgh-penguins-fire-gm-ray-shero |access-date=April 20, 2021 |website=ESPN.com}} The Penguins had held a 3–1 series lead heading into Game 5 of the series. This was also the fifth straight year the Penguins were eliminated by a lower-seeded opponent.{{Cite news |last=Collier |first=Gene |date=May 17, 2014 |title=Penguins' decision baffling |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/pittsburgh-post-gazette-penguins-decisi/169969843/ |access-date=April 9, 2025 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |publisher=Block Communications |pages=D1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/pittsburgh-post-gazette-penguins-decisi/169969762/ D2] |via=Newspapers.com |issn=1068-624X}}

=New Jersey Devils (2015–2020)=

Shero became the general manager of the New Jersey Devils on May{{nbsp}}4, 2015.{{Cite news |last=Chere |first=Rich |date=May 5, 2015 |title=A Shift Change |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-a-shift-change/169971481/ |access-date=April 9, 2025 |work=The Star-Ledger |publisher=Advance Publications |location=Newark, New Jersey |page=29 |via=Newspapers.com |oclc=10944976}} Notable acquisitions and free agent signings during Shero's tenure as general manager include Taylor Hall, Will Butcher, Jesper Bratt, Kyle Palmieri, Sami Vatanen, P. K. Subban, Wayne Simmonds, Jack Hughes, and Nico Hischier.{{Cite news |last=Traikos |first=Michael |date=January 12, 2020 |title=Burnt in Hell |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-province-burnt-in-hell/169974218/ |access-date=April 10, 2025 |work=The Province |publisher=Postmedia Network |location=Vancouver, British Columbia |page=44 |via=Newspaper.com |issn=0839-3311}} Despite struggling for the first few years, the Devils returned to the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2018 but were eliminated in the first round 4–1 by the Tampa Bay Lightning.{{Cite news |last=Mastracco |first=Abbey |date=April 22, 2018 |title=Devils ousted in 3-1 defeat to Lightning |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/asbury-park-press-devils-ousted-in-3-1-d/169975001/ |access-date=April 10, 2025 |work=Asbury Park Press |publisher=Gannett |location=Neptune Township, New Jersey |page=C1 |via=Newspaper.com |oclc=16894042 |agency=USA Today Network}}

Shero was fired by the Devils on January{{nbsp}}12, 2020. Assistant general manager Tom Fitzgerald was named as his replacement.{{Cite news |last=Fisher |first=Mark |date=January 12, 2020 |title=Devils fire general manager Ray Shero |url=https://nypost.com/2020/01/12/devils-fire-general-manager-ray-shero/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922061709/https://nypost.com/2020/01/12/devils-fire-general-manager-ray-shero/ |archive-date=September 22, 2023 |access-date=April 10, 2025 |work=New York Post |publisher=NYP Holdings, Inc.}}

=Minnesota Wild (2021–2025)=

In June 2021, Shero became an advisor to the Minnesota Wild management,{{Cite web |date=June 9, 2021 |title=Minnesota Wild Name St. Paul Native Ray Shero Senior Advisor To GM Bill Guerin |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/minnesota-wild-name-st-paul-native-ray-shero-senior-advisor-to-gm-bill-guerin/ |access-date=April 10, 2025 |website=CBS News}} a position he held until his death.{{Cite news |date=April 9, 2025 |title=Longtime NHL general manager Ray Shero dead at 62 |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/longtime-nhl-general-manager-ray-shero-dead-at-62/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250409174505/https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/longtime-nhl-general-manager-ray-shero-dead-at-62/ |archive-date=April 9, 2025 |access-date=April 9, 2025 |work=Rogers Sportsnet |publisher=Rogers Communications}}

Personal life and death

Shero had two children with his wife Karen: Chris, a scout for the Columbus Blue Jackets; and Kyle, a scout for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Shero died following a brief illness in Arizona, on April 9, 2025, at the age of 62.{{Cite news |last=Russo |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Russo (sportswriter) |date=April 9, 2025 |title=Wild GM Bill Guerin on losing Ray Shero, adviser and mentor: 'He changed my life' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6268030/2025/04/09/ray-shero-wild-bill-guerin/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=April 11, 2025 |work=The Athletic |publisher=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331}} According to Pittsburgh Hockey Now, he had been undergoing treatment for an aggressive type of cancer.{{Cite web |last=Molinari |first=Dave |author-link=Dave Molinari |date=April 9, 2025 |title=Former Penguins GM Ray Shero Dies at 62 |url=https://pittsburghhockeynow.com/pittsburgh-penguins-ray-shero-bill-guerin-new-jersey-minnesota/ |access-date=April 11, 2025 |website=Pittsburgh Hockey Now}}