The New York Rangers have signed forward Conor Sheary of Winchester, Massachusetts to a professional tryout according to Michael DeRosa of The Hockey News on Friday. This means that Sheary has been invited to take part at the Rangers training camp and play in exhibition games. There is no guarantee that Sheary will be on the Rangers opening day roster and a contract is far from guaranteed.
Who did Sheary play for last year?
Sheary played for the Syracuse Crunch in the American Hockey League (the top minor league affiliate with the Tampa Bay Lightning). He had 20 goals and 41 assists for 61 points in 59 games. Sheary had 23 penalty minutes and was a +15.
In five games with the Lightning, Sheary was a -2 with four penalty minutes, three shots on goal, one blocked shot and two hits. The blocked shot came in a Lightning victory–on October 15, 2024 in a 4-1 Lightning win over the Canucks. In the same game, Sheary took a minor penalty for hooking in the first period and a minor penalty for roughing in the third period.
What other NHL teams has Sheary played for?
Sheary played his first three NHL seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2015 to 2018, and then played eight games for the Penguins in the 2019-20 season. He then played two seasons with the Buffalo Sabres from 2018 to 2020, and then three seasons with the Washington Capitals from 2020 to 2023. This was Sheary’s second season with the Lightning, even though it was very abbreviated.
Two-time Stanley Cup champion
Sheary had the fortune of winning the Stanley Cup in his first two National Hockey League seasons with the Penguins. In 2016, the Penguins beat the San Jose Sharks four games to two in the Stanley Cup Finals, and in 2017, the Penguins beat the Nashville Predators four games to two in the Stanley Cup Finals. In an interesting tidbit, this was the only time in franchise history that the Sharks and Predators reached the Stanley Cup Final. Other players who have won a Stanley Cup in their first two seasons are Jaromir Jagr (with the Penguins in 1991 and 1992), and Henri Richard (with the Montreal Canadiens in 1956 and 1957).
What can Sheary bring to the Rangers?
Sheary has the potential to be a checking line left winger. In his prime with the Penguins in 2016-17, he was a +24, and was a +15 in the AHL last season. Sheary does have experience playing for winning franchises, and has a very impressive +74 takeaway to giveaway ratio in his career. If Sheary continues to bring strong two-way play for the Rangers, he could be an asset for a couple of more seasons.
