Ray Shero, architect of Pittsburgh Penguins' 2009 title team, dies at 62
Longtime NHL executive Ray Shero, a former general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils, died Wednesday at 62, the league announced.
'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 in a statement. '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.'
Shero, the son of Hockey Hall of Fame coach Fred Shero, played at St. Lawrence University but never pursued professional hockey as a player. He built his career first as an agent and later in management and executive roles.
He was hired in 1993 as an assistant general manager for the Ottawa Senators, and five years later he began the same role with the then-startup Nashville Predators. In 2006, Shero was named general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins, whom he built into a championship contender.
The Penguins had not made the playoffs in five years before Shero's arrival, though their roster featured Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Marc-Andre Fleury. Shero acquired Pittsburgh's missing pieces through the draft, trades and free agency — perhaps most notably selecting Jordan Staal with the No. 2 pick in the 2006 NHL draft and trading for Marian Hossa at the 2008 trade deadline. That year, Pittsburgh lost in six games to the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup finals. The following season, it won the championship against the Red Wings in seven games.
'The Pittsburgh Penguins are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former Penguins General Manager Ray Shero,' the team said in a statement. 'Ray was instrumental in ushering in a new era of Penguins hockey, highlighted by the 2009 Stanley Cup Championship. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, his sons, Chris and Kyle, and all those fortunate enough to call him a friend. Ray was admired and loved in the hockey world, and especially here in Pittsburgh.'
Shero was hired as the general manager of the Devils in 2015. Though the team struggled during the early years of his tenure, Shero made notable acquisitions, including Taylor Hall, the 2018 Hart Trophy winner who led the team to the playoffs that year before a first-round exit. Some of Shero's acquisitions during his tenure, including former top draft pick Jack Hughes and captain Nico Hischier, remain key members of the team.
The St. Paul, Minnesota, native most recently served as a senior adviser to the Minnesota Wild. He was hired to the role in 2021 by its current general manager, Bill Guerin, whom Shero acquired in a 2009 trade to the Penguins, and later hired as a development coach with the team. Shero was also involved with USA Hockey during the 2010 and 2014 Olympics, and served as a member of its National Team Advisory Board.
'The Minnesota Wild is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Ray Shero,' the franchise said in a statement. '… 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.'
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