Former Penguins GM Ray Shero Dies at 62

Former Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ray Shero has died at age 62.

His cause of death was not announced, but is it believed that he had been undergoing treatments for an aggressive form of cancer.

Shero succeeded Craig Patrick as GM of the Penguins in 2006 and held the job until 2014, when he was fired and ultimately replaced by Jim Rutherford.

The Penguins won the franchise’s third Stanley Cup, in 2009, during his tenure, which was marked by repeated, aggressive personnel moves designed to position the team to compete for a championship.

His trades included bringing in the likes of Marian Hossa in 2008 and Jarome Iginla in 2013, among others.

After being fired as GM of the Penguins, Shero moved into the same position with New Jersey.

For the past four years, he had been serving as a senior advisor to Minnesota GM Bill Guerin.

Guerin was just one of many branches on the Shero management tree. Others who were brought into the business by him include Tom Fitzgerald, who succeeded him as GM of the Devils after serving as his assistant there, and Jason Botterill, who has been GM in Buffalo and is now assistant GM to Ron Francis in Seattle.

Before moving into management as an assistant to then-GM David Poile in Nashville, Shero, who was the son of former Philadelphia and New York Rangers coach Fred Shero, worked as a player agent. He also was heavily involved with USA Hockey.

He had been residing in suburban Boston, but had been in Pittsburgh as recently as early December, when he attended the induction of Kevin Stevens and Matt Cullen into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.

Former Penguins GMs Ray Shero, Jim Rutherford and Craig Patrick.

Shero’s death sparked strong and immediate reactions around the hockey world, most of which seemed to be completely caught off-guard for the news.

The Penguins released the following statement:

“The Pittsburgh Penguins are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former Penguins general manager Ray Shero. 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.”

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman put out a statement that read, in part:

“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.”