Latest news with #Shero
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Longtime NHL GM, Executive Ray Shero Dies At 62
Ray Shero (Kevin R. Wexler/ Longtime NHL GM and executive Ray Shero died at 62 years old. Shero was a senior advisor with the Minnesota Wild, which announced the news on Wednesday. 'The Minnesota Wild is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Ray Shero,' the team wrote. 'Our hearts go out to his family and friends and the countless people he impacted in the hockey community throughout his successful career. Ray was the best. He will be greatly missed by all of us.' Advertisement NHL commissioner Gary Bettman also offered his condolences to the Shero family and shared what he remembered about him and his presence. 'Ray Shero's smile and personality lit up every room he walked into and brightened the day of everyone he met,' Bettman said. 'Whenever we ran into each other at a rink when he was scouting, it was clear he loved what he was doing, and I always marvelled at his infectious enthusiasm. The (NHL) family mourns his passing and sends our deepest condolences to the Shero family and Ray's many friends.' Vice president and director of NHL Central Scouting, Dan Marr, also remembered Shero's love for scouting. Advertisement 'He loved being in the rinks with scouts at games and tournaments and was very forward-thinking in approaching new concepts concerning the NHL draft combine and NHL draft,' Marr said. Shero was in his fourth season as a senior advisor to GM Bill Guerin and the Wild organization. Before that, he was GM of the New Jersey Devils for five seasons and the Pittsburgh Penguins for eight seasons. Before that, he started off as an assistant GM for the Ottawa Senators from 1993 and 1998 and the Nashville Predators from 1998 to 2006. Just two seasons after Shero got his first GM gig with the Penguins in 2006-07, he won the Stanley Cup in 2008-09. Later in his Pittsburgh tenure, he was named GM of the year for the 2012-13 season. "Ray was instrumental in ushering in a new era of Penguins hockey, highlighted by the 2009 Stanley Cup championship," the Penguins said in a statement. "We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, his sons, Chris and Kyle, and all those fortunate enough to call him a friend." Advertisement After his time with the Penguins organization, he was brought on board as assistant GM for Team USA at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. He was also part of the management crew for the U.S. in the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. USA Hockey said Shero was a significant contributor to the organization and its men's national team program. "Ray, thank you for everything," USA Hockey said. In 2015-16, he began a new chapter with the Devils and would stay on board for the next five seasons. He drafted players such as Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, two centers who lead New Jersey today. 'Ray was a highly respected executive, enthusiastic mentor, and most importantly, tremendous friend to many during his time in New Jersey,' Devils GM Tim Fitzgerald said in a statement. 'Ray came from a family that dedicated themselves to the game, and he continued to pass that commitment on.'
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pens Points: One Game Remaining
Here are your Pens Points for this Monday morning... The Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston played game No. 81 on Sunday afternoon. With Boston getting out to a 3-0 lead, the Penguins attempted to claw back, but could only muster one goal in a flat 4-1 loss. [Recap] Advertisement The Penguins paid tribute to former general manager Ray Shero before their game on Sunday after Shero unexpectedly died last week at 62. [NHL] Shero's tenure as general manager was filled with euphoric ups and heartbreaking downs, but the fact remains that he turned a young Penguins squad into Stanley Cup champions in just three years. How was he able to accomplish it? [Trib Live] 'Sometimes, if you want to score, go to the net, and something good can happen.' Forward Valtteri Puustinen hopes to score more dirty goals and find success closer to the net. [Trib Live] A select few Penguins players played collegiate hockey rather than the junior leagues in Canada. They all ended up playing in the world's top hockey league, but their routes to the top varied for different reasons. [Trib Live] News and notes from around the NHL... Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog returned to professional hockey on Friday in a 2-0 win for the AHL's Colorado Eagles after not playing since Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final due to multiple knee surgeries. [NHL] Advertisement The Winnipeg Jets clinched the NHL's Presidents' Trophy for the first time in franchise history on Sunday night despite a 4-1 loss. [TSN] More from
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Penguins GM Shero Passes Away At 62
Ray Shero - Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Just days after the Pittsburgh Penguins mourned the loss of former netminder and sports reporter Greg Millen, news broke on Wednesday morning that former Stanley Cup-winning General Manager Ray Shero had passed away at 62. Advertisement Shero joined the Penguins in 2006 and helped guide them to the Stanley Cup Final in 2008 and 2009, earning his only championship in 2009. His father, Fred Shero, was a two-time winner with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1974 and 1975. Before coming to Pittsburgh, Shero worked for the Ottawa Senators (1993-1998)and Nashville Predators (1998-2006). He was relieved of his duties in the spring of 2014 after the Penguins' second-round playoff loss; however, he wasn't unemployed for long as the New Jersey Devils hired him on May 4, 2015. Shero was the Devils' general manager for five years before Lou Lamoriello replaced him on Jan. 12, 2020. Most recently, Shero was an advisor with the Minnesota Wild. Advertisement Initially drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the 11th round (216th overall), Shero played at St. Lawerence University from 1980 to 1985, serving as captain in his final season, but never played in the NHL. Pittsburgh Penguins Schedule: Remaining Games & Statistical Notes Pittsburgh Penguins Schedule: Remaining Games & Statistical Notes The Pittsburgh Penguins are winding down their 2024-25 season and will miss the Stanley Cup playoffs for the third consecutive season, a first in Sidney Crosby's 20-year career. However, there is plenty to play for in the final weeks.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup-winning GM dies
(AP)- Longtime NHL executive Ray Shero, the general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins when they won the Stanley Cup in 2009, has died. He was 62. The Minnesota Wild announced Shero's death Wednesday. A spokesperson for the New Jersey Devils confirmed the team found out in the morning. USA Hockey said Shero died Tuesday night. Further details, including the cause of death and where Shero was, were not available. 'Our hearts go out to his family and friends and the countless people he impacted in the hockey community throughout his successful career,' the Wild said in a statement. 'Ray was the best. He will be greatly missed by all of us. The Shero family asks for privacy during this difficult time.' Shero had been a senior adviser to Wild general manager Bill Guerin. The son of Hall of Fame coach Fred Shero, Ray worked in the league since the mid-90s with Ottawa, Pittsburgh, New Jersey and Minnesota. 'Ray Shero's smile and personality lit up every room he walked into and brightened the day of everyone he met,' NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. 'Widely respected throughout hockey for his team-building acumen and eye for talent, he was even more beloved for how he treated everyone fortunate enough to have known him. … It was clear he loved what he was doing, and I always marveled at his infectious enthusiasm.' Sidney Crosby, who captained the Penguins to the Cup in '09, said Shero was a big part of the early days of his career. 'He gave me a lot of opportunities as a young captain and supported me throughout his time,' Crosby said. 'He did so much for our organization, and my memories with him are special. I am grateful for our time spent here and that we were able to share a Stanley Cup championship together.' The Predators, for whom Shero worked from their inaugural season in 1998-99 through 2006 when he got the job with Pittsburgh, called him 'one of the most influential people in our sport.' Tom Fitzgerald, who was Shero's assistant with the Devils and succeeded him as GM, said the organization was stunned and saddened by his death. 'Ray was a highly-respected executive, enthusiastic mentor, and most importantly, tremendous friend to many during his time in New Jersey,' Fitzgerald said. 'Ray came from a family that dedicated themselves to the game, and he continued to pass that commitment on. The organization is extremely grateful for the impact Ray had during his tenure in New Jersey, and it is without question that his fingerprints are on the current group we see today, both on and off the ice.' Agent Allan Walsh posted on social media: 'There are no words to describe how devastated I am at the news. We had epic battles, but always respected each other. He was a great GM and an amazing person. We had so many great times together over so many years. I love you, Ray, and will miss you terribly. Rest easy, my friend.' ___ AP NHL: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Times
10-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
With heart, humor and savvy hiring, late NHL executive Ray Shero left a long hockey legacy
Ray Shero was never the star of his own story. His father, Fred, coached the Philadelphia Flyers during their 1970s Stanley Cup heyday. His mentor, David Poile, is a Hockey Hall of Fame builder. His lone championship as general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins coincided with Sidney Crosby's first. His last NHL job was advising one of his proteges, Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin. He was born into a shadow, then overshadowed by those he worked for and with along the way. Advertisement Shero, whose death at 62 was announced by the NHL on Wednesday, should not be miscast as a supporting actor or secondary figure. Instead, he should be remembered for putting in the work — a college hockey standout turned agent who, after seven years representing NHL players, spent 13 seasons as an assistant GM — before modernizing a Penguins organization that Crosby would lead to unprecedented success in the NHL's salary-cap era. Shero may have been the scion of a hockey legend, but he had nothing handed to him by the sport. 'I think that's a good angle on Ray,' said Poile, who hired Shero as assistant GM of the expansion Nashville Predators in the late 1990s and worked alongside him with Team USA for the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics. 'It's hard to grow out of your dad's shadow. But it's what you have to do if you want to establish your niche — and Ray certainly did that.' The Penguins selected Crosby first overall in 2005 after adding Evgeni Malkin and Marc-Andre Fleury in the previous two drafts. Yet the organization was flailing when Shero was hired in May 2006. Office space at the Civic Arena was so limited that Chuck Fletcher didn't get a designated spot when Shero hired him as assistant GM. Nor was there much of a budget for players' equipment and meals, let alone small gestures that Shero insisted were necessary — such as sending flowers to the wife of a player who signed as a free agent. 'He totally changed our culture,' said Tom McMillan, a former vice president of communications with the Penguins. 'You don't snap your fingers and let that happen. You have to have a program for it. He transformed the way we were run.' One of Shero's first big decisions involved a contract extension for Ryan Whitney during the 2007 offseason. Still learning his way around the relatively new salary cap, Shero solicited the counsel of Jason Botterill, a business-savvy former hockey player then working in the NHL central registry. Botterill, who had retired because of concussions but returned to college for an MBA, recommended alterations to the structure of the proposed contract for Whitney. Advertisement In addition to hiring Fletcher the previous summer, Shero had recently supplemented the hockey operations staff with Tom Fitzgerald, a former NHL player. The lower-revenue Penguins weren't known for lavish spending. The replacement for Civic Arena, the NHL's oldest building, was three years from opening. Selling ownership on another front-office hire might have scared off a GM with all of a season in the big chair. Shero, though, was so impressed by Botterill's suggestions on the deal Whitney eventually signed — the first major deal awarded to a Penguins player since Jaromir Jagr in the late 1990s — that he pushed his bosses to create a new position. Botterill was hired, becoming the Penguins' cap guru and also taking on an active role in scouting and management of their AHL affiliate. 'He was the best, an amazing mentor,' Botterill said in a text message. 'He gave my family so much.' Shero viewed the manager role as a custodian of a city's hockey franchise — a team, but also a family. As with many heads of family, Shero wanted to treat people well while also preparing for them to move on. 'Hire good people, let them do their jobs, and be ready for them to leave,' Shero once said, 'because if you bring in enough good people they're going to get other opportunities.' In the late 2000s, the Penguins were known for their 'Foundation Four' of players: Crosby, Malkin, Fleury, and Jordan Staal, who spearheaded the team's run to the 2009 Stanley Cup. There was also a formidable four atop hockey operations with Shero, Fletcher, Fitzgerald, and Botterill. Fletcher, Fitzgerald, and Botterill each went on to become GMs of other franchises — as did Guerin, who joined Pittsburgh in a developmental role in 2011, a year after retiring from playing. Shero's run with the Penguins ended in May 2014, a year after he was named the NHL's GM of the Year. He'd lost a power struggle with the CEO, but it was a testament to his eye for talent that his three top lieutenants (Fitzgerald, Botterill, and Guerin) not only interviewed to replace him but also were retained under Shero's successor, Jim Rutherford. Advertisement 'He left me a great staff and a great roster, I would tell him that when I saw him,' said Rutherford, who burnished what would become a Hockey Hall of Fame career with Cup wins in 2016 and 2017. 'I couldn't have come into a better situation than what Ray left me in Pittsburgh.' Shero was closer to players than most GMs allow themselves to become; no greater example exists than his fierce protection of Crosby during the player's concussion saga in the early 2010s. 'I'm not thinking about Sidney Crosby the hockey player,' Shero said. 'I'm doing what's best for Sidney Crosby the person.' Shero was the same way with his assistants, mentoring them as Poile had with him. Three years into Shero's second GM act with the New Jersey Devils, which started in May 2015, Fitzgerald was a finalist for the Wild's opening after Fletcher was fired, going through two rounds of interviews before ultimately not getting the job. A year later Minnesota was again searching for a new manager and asked the Devils for permission to speak with Fitzgerald. Shero refused. 'Ray didn't want me being used, he protected me by not letting me interview; he told me I could take the job if they offered it, but not for an interview,' Fitzgerald said. 'He didn't want me to be seen as that guy who interviewed twice for the same job and didn't get it. 'A couple of years later, I'm replacing that guy when he's fired. I'm getting my big chance, and it's at his expense. I felt awful. Ray called me after he found out, laughed, and said, 'I knew I shouldn't have blocked you from Minny — look what it got me.' In delivering the punchline, Shero laughed so loud that Fitzgerald took the phone off the speaker setting so nobody in the Devils' front office could hear. Shero casually told stories, enhanced by expletives, that would leave those who heard them dumbfounded. He dropped famous names, even once recounting a story to McMillan of his dad talking to Art Ross. Advertisement Yes, that Art Ross. 'Ray was intense, he was deeply competitive — but that laugh, his humor, was there every day, bad or good,' Poile said. 'It's one of the reasons you can't find anybody to say a bad word about Ray.' Longtime player agent Allan Walsh said Shero used his humor to ease tense contract negotiations. That didn't stop when Shero was working with the Wild, under Guerin, as an advisor. Walsh learned of Shero's death while boarding a flight from Los Angeles to Saint Paul, Minn., for Fleury's final home start with the Wild on Wednesday night. He, like many in the hockey community, was flattened by the news. Walsh said Shero 'brokered Fleury joining the Wild' in March 2021. 'He kept that thing on track until it happened,' said Walsh, adding that he wasn't sure why a person with Shero's resume was never hired to oversee another NHL franchise. 'After New Jersey, he should have still been in big demand. If a team was looking for an experienced hand to be a president and mentor a younger GM, he was the guy.' Shero was reportedly a candidate to join the Flyers as their president of hockey operations before that job went to Keith Jones in 2023. Had it happened, Shero's last hockey act may have provided a cinematic, full-circle moment. Hanging on a wall along the media level at Wells Fargo Center is a black-and-white picture of a faceless boy gazing upon the Stanley Cup. Everybody always assumed it was Shero, who would have been somewhere around the boy in that picture's age when the Flyers' Broad Street Bullies ruled the NHL with Fred Shero as their coach. Was it really young Ray? Shero's reply depended on who asked the question. If it was someone with the Flyers, the boy in that picture was definitely him. Colleagues with the Penguins, peers for other NHL clubs, and scouts were more likely to hear a different version. 'F— if I know,' Shero would tell them. 'I guess it could be. That's a great story if it's me, right?'
