Stanley Cup Champion and Former General Manager of the Year Tragically Passes Away
Photo credit: © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Some very sad news is coming out of the NHL, as former general manager of the year and Stanley Cup champion Ray Shero has tragically passed away.
Minnesota Wild senior advisor and longtime Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils general manager Ray Shero has sadly passed away, which was announced by Minnesota's public relations department on Wednesday. He was 62 years old.
Shero, a St. Paul native, got his start as a player at St. Lawrence University, which is located in upstate New York, after attending the New Hampton School in New Hampshire.
He played four seasons for the Saints as a centerman from 1980 to 1985, scoring 58 goals and adding 77 assists, for a total of 135 points in 125 games. He also served as captain in his senior season.
While drafted by the Los Angeles Kings midway through his collegiate tenure, he never turned pro, instead turning to office roles in the NHL, where he found tremendous success, winning a Stanley Cup as well as receiving general manager of the year honors.
Gary Bettman issued a heartwarming statement on Shero's passing
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman also issued a heartfelt statement on Shero's passing, which can be seen below.
"Ray Shero's smile and personality lit up every room he walked into and brightened the day of everyone he met. 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.
"The son of legendary NHL coach Fred Shero, Ray forged his own path in the NHL following his successful playing career at St. Lawrence University. After stints as an assistant general manager in Ottawa and Nashville, he became general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2006, and assembled the missing pieces of a team that became Stanley Cup finalists in 2008 and Stanley Cup champions in 2009. From 2015-2020, he was GM of the New Jersey Devils, drafting current stars Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, and had spent the past four seasons as a senior advisor to Minnesota GM Bill Guerin. He also served on the United States' management teams for the 2010 and 2014 Olympics.
"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 marveled at his infectious enthusiasm. The entire National Hockey League family mourns his passing and sends our deepest condolences to the Shero family and Ray's many friends throughout the hockey world."
- Gary Bettman
"The son of legendary NHL coach Fred Shero, Ray forged his own path in the NHL following his successful playing career at St. Lawrence University. After stints as an assistant general manager in Ottawa and Nashville, he became general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2006, and assembled the missing pieces of a team that became Stanley Cup finalists in 2008 and Stanley Cup champions in 2009. From 2015-2020, he was GM of the New Jersey Devils, drafting current stars Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, and had spent the past four seasons as a senior advisor to Minnesota GM Bill Guerin. He also served on the United States' management teams for the 2010 and 2014 Olympics.
"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 marveled at his infectious enthusiasm. The entire National Hockey League family mourns his passing and sends our deepest condolences to the Shero family and Ray's many friends throughout the hockey world."
- Gary Bettman
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 9 | 81 ANSWERS Stanley Cup Champion and Former General Manager of the Year Tragically Passes Away Rest in peace Ray | ||
| R.I.P | 81 | 100 % |
| List of polls | ||
TRENDING NOW
