Ray Shero, a respected hockey mind and one of the league’s most influential executives over the past three decades, has passed away at the age of 62. The Minnesota Wild, where Shero most recently served as a senior advisor, confirmed the news Wednesday.
Born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota, Shero grew up immersed in hockey. He followed in the footsteps of his father, Fred Shero—the legendary Stanley Cup-winning coach—though Ray’s path took him behind the scenes rather than behind the bench.
Shero’s playing days began at St. Lawrence University in upstate New York, where he was a standout center. Over four seasons from 1980 to 1985, he tallied an impressive 135 points in 125 games and captained the team as a senior. Though he was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings during his college career, he never pursued a professional playing career.
Instead, Shero made his mark in the NHL front office. He broke into the league in 1993 as an assistant general manager with the Ottawa Senators, a franchise still finding its feet in only its second season. That role launched a long and successful executive journey.
In 1998, the Nashville Predators tapped Shero to help build their team from scratch, hiring him as an assistant GM under the legendary David Poile. Shero spent eight years in Nashville, learning the ropes of team-building in an expansion environment. But his big break came in 2006, when the Pittsburgh Penguins handed him the reins as general manager and executive VP of hockey operations.
His mission: transform a young, talented roster into a contender. With rising stars like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Marc-André Fleury on board, Shero got to work. Just two years into the job, he made a bold deadline trade for star winger Marián Hossa, helping catapult the Penguins to the 2008 Stanley Cup Final. Though they fell short that year against the Red Wings, the foundation was set.
A year later, they were back—and this time, they finished the job. In just his third season at the helm, Shero had built a Stanley Cup champion. It was a remarkable turnaround for a franchise that had gone 22-46-14 the year before he arrived.
After his time in Pittsburgh, Shero went on to serve as general manager of the New Jersey Devils, continuing to shape rosters and mentor the next generation of front-office talent. His influence on the game stretched far beyond wins and losses—he was widely respected for his integrity, vision, and steady leadership.
Ray Shero was more than just a hockey executive. He was a father, a mentor, a competitor, and a steady hand in one of the sport’s most high-pressure roles. His loss is being felt deeply across the NHL community.
He leaves behind a legacy of resilience, championship success, and decades of service to the game he loved.