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Rejean " Ray" Shero (July 28, 1962 β April 9, 2025) was an American ice hockey executive in the National Hockey League (NHL) who served as the general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils franchises from 2006 to 2020.
Shero played ice hockey at the collegiate level for the St. Lawrence Saints. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in 1982, but never played in the NHL. Shero was an assistant general manager for the Ottawa Senators from 1993 to 1998 and then for the Nashville Predators from 1998 to 2006. He served as the general manager of the Penguins from 2006 to 2014. During his tenure, the Penguins advanced to consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, winning a championship in 2009. He was fired after the Penguins' second round exit from the 2014 playoffs. Shero joined the Devils as general manager in May 2015, replacing Lou Lamoriello, and he held the position until being fired in January 2020. Shero was also an executive for the U.S. men's ice hockey team at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics.
Shero was the son of former Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers coach Fred Shero.
Shero played his college ice hockey for the St. Lawrence Saints, captaining the team during the 1984β85 season. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the 11th round of the 1982 draft, but never played in the NHL.
At the trade deadline of the 2006β07 NHL season, Shero swung two major trades, sending Noah Welch to the Florida Panthers for veteran Gary Roberts, and sending Daniel Carcillo and a draft pick to the Phoenix Coyotes for enforcer Georges Laraque.
Shero made several tweaks to his club during the next off-season, signing defenseman Darryl Sydor, forwards Petr SΓ½kora and Jeff Taffe, and backup goaltender Dany Sabourin. Shero also took several steps to ensure that his nucleus of talent remained in Pittsburgh by re-signing defenseman Ryan Whitney to a six-year, $24million contract extension, and re-signing center and captain Sidney Crosby to a five-year, $43.5million extension.
On July16, 2007, Shero announced that he had re-signed head coach Michel Therrien to a one-year extension through the 2008β09 NHL season.
The trade deadline of the 2007β08 NHL season brought two other major trades for Shero and the Pittsburgh Penguins, sending Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, prospect Angelo Esposito, and a future draft pick for the Atlanta Thrashers' MariΓ‘n Hossa and Pascal Dupuis, as well as bringing the Toronto Maple Leafs' defenseman Hal Gill to his team for two future draft picks.
In 2009, the Penguins defeated the Detroit Red Wings in seven games to win the Stanley Cup on the road at the Joe Louis Arena. The Red Wings defeated the Penguins the year before in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals at Mellon Arena.
Shero won the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award following the 2012β13 season.
On May16, 2014, the Penguins fired Shero after the team fell to the Rangers in seven games during the second round of the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Penguins had held a 3β1 series lead heading into Game 5 of the series. This was also the fifth straight year the Penguins were eliminated by a lower-seeded opponent.
Shero was fired by the Devils on January12, 2020. Assistant general manager Tom Fitzgerald was named as his replacement.
Shero died following a brief illness in Arizona, on April 9, 2025, at the age of 62. According to Pittsburgh Hockey Now, he had been undergoing treatment for an aggressive type of cancer.
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