Conor Michael Sheary ( , born June 8, 1992) is an
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...
winger who is currently playing for the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, a ...
in the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL). He has previously played for the
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
with whom he won two
Stanley Cups.
Playing career
Amateur
As a senior at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Sheary played in all 34 games leading the team in points with 28 on nine goals and a squad-best 19 assists.
Sheary's collegiate career highs include: 2 Goals – vs. Cornell (12/29/11); 3 Assists – 2x Last at Northeastern (1/4/14); 3 Points – 4x – Last at Northeastern (1/4/14).
Professional
Undrafted, Sheary played collegiate hockey with the
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst, UMass) is a public research university in Amherst, Massachusetts and the sole public land-grant university in Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Founded in 1863 as an agricultural college, ...
of the
Hockey East
The Hockey East Association, also known as Hockey East, is a college ice hockey conference which operates entirely in New England. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference.
Hockey East came into existence in 1984 for ...
. At the conclusion of his senior season with the Minutemen, Sheary made his professional debut with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL at the tail end of the
2013–14 season, and remained with the club into the post-season to produce 11 points in 15 games.
![Conor Sheary 2017-06-11 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Conor_Sheary_2017-06-11_1.jpg)
On July 1, 2015, Sheary was signed to a two-year entry-level contract with the NHL affiliate of Wilkes-Barre, the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Pittsburgh Penguins
In the following
2015–16 season, Sheary was recalled from the AHL to the
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
on December 15, 2015, and made his
NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
debut on December 16, 2015, in a 3–0 loss against the
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
. On December 18, 2015, he scored his first NHL goal on goaltender
Tuukka Rask
Tuukka Mikael Rask (born 10 March 1987) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey goaltender. Rask was drafted 21st overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs before being traded to the Boston Bruins in 2006, where he played ...
of the
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
and registered his first NHL assist in the same game.
On March 13, 2016, Sheary recorded his first multi-goal game, scoring 2 goals against the
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
at
Madison Square Garden against goaltender
Henrik Lundqvist
Henrik Lundqvist (; born 2 March 1982) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played his entire 15-season career with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Before winning the Vezina Trophy in 2012, he ...
. He would then record his first career playoff goal vs Lundqvist on April 21, 2016. On June 1, 2016, Sheary scored the game-winner, in overtime, to win against the San Jose Sharks 2–1 in the Stanley Cup Finals. On June 12, 2016, Sheary won the
Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in a 3–1 victory against the
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...
.
In the
2016–17 NHL season
The 2016–17 NHL season was the 100th season of operation (99th season of play) of the National Hockey League. Thirty teams were competing in an 82-game regular season from October 12, 2016, to April 9, 2017. The 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs began ...
, Sheary continued to play alongside
Sidney Crosby
Sidney Patrick Crosby (born August 7, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Sid the Kid" and dubbed " The Next One", he was selected first o ...
for the entire year, getting 23 goals and 30 assists for 53 points. Sheary got his first 3-point game on January 16, 2017, against the Washington Capitals. The Penguins won the game 8–7 in overtime, with Sheary scoring the overtime winner. The
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
later went on to win the Stanley Cup, giving Sheary his second Stanley Cup ring.
On July 30, 2017, the Penguins re-signed Sheary to a three-year, $9 million contract worth $3 million annually.
Buffalo Sabres
On June 27, 2018, Sheary, along with teammate
Matt Hunwick
Matthew John Hunwick (born May 21, 1985) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins ...
, were traded to the
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...
for a conditional fourth-round pick in the
2019 NHL Entry Draft
The 2019 NHL Entry Draft was the 57th NHL Entry Draft. The draft was held on June 21–22, 2019 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The first three selections were Jack Hughes going to the New Jersey Devils, Kaapo Kakko being sel ...
. In doing so, the Penguins cleared over $5 million in
salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap (or wage cap) is an agreement or rule that places a limit on the amount of money that a team can spend on players' salaries. It exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both. Sever ...
space. In the
2018–19 season, Sheary played in a top-nine forward role, contributing with 14 goals and 34 points through 78 games as the Sabres missed the post-season.
In the following
2019–20 season, his final season before approaching free agency, Sheary continued to play on the third-line, adding 9 goals and 19 points in 55 games.
Return to Pittsburgh
At the NHL trade deadline, Sheary was re-acquired by the Pittsburgh Penguins along with
Evan Rodrigues in exchange for
Dominik Kahun on February 24, 2020. Sheary recorded 23 points in 63 games with the Buffalo Sabres and the Penguins during the season but remained unsigned into the offseason.
Washington Capitals
On December 22, 2020, Sheary signed a one-year, $735,000 contract as a free agent with the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, a ...
.
On April 14, 2021, Sheary agreed to a two-year, $3 million extension with the Capitals.
Personal life
Conor Michael Sheary was born June 8, 1992, in Winchester, Massachusetts to Kevin and Robin Sheary.
He grew up in
Melrose, Massachusetts with his two sisters, Caitlin and Courtney.
Sheary dated Jordan Sullivan since their years at
Cushing Academy
Cushing Academy is a private, coeducational college-preparatory school for boarding and day students in Ashburnham, Massachusetts, United States. It serves approximately 400 students in grades 9–12 and a postgraduate year.
History
Cushing ...
in 2008. They became engaged in March 2016 and were married in August 2018. They welcomed their first child, a daughter, in February 2021.
In an interview in November 2017, Sheary admitted that commentators, fans, and players have been mispronouncing his name. His name is pronounced SHARE-ee not SHEER-ee.
Career statistics
Awards and honors
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheary, Conor
1992 births
American men's ice hockey left wingers
Buffalo Sabres players
Ice hockey players from Massachusetts
Living people
People from Winchester, Massachusetts
Pittsburgh Penguins players
Sportspeople from Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Stanley Cup champions
UMass Minutemen ice hockey players
Undrafted National Hockey League players
Washington Capitals players
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins players