Ray Shero’s time as Pittsburgh Penguins GM spanned an eventful eight years. This article analyzes Ray Shero’s five best moves as Penguins general manager. Shero was responsible for much of the beginning of the Sidney Crosby–Evgeni Malkin–Kris Letang era. As such, his contributions to the team played a large role in paving the careers of the Penguins long-time big three. Although many of Shero’s moves near the end of his career are criticized, his impact on the team overall is important. As Penguins GM, Shero was present for the first two finals experiences of this core, as well as the first Stanley Cup. As such, this article analyzes Ray Shero’s five best moves as Pittsburgh Penguins general manager.
Shero’s Five Best Moves as Penguins General Manager
#5. Acquiring Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis from the Atlanta Thrashers for Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, Angelo Esposito, and a 2008 first-round pick. (Feb. 26, 2008)
On February 26th, 2008, Ray Shero made the first big splash of the Sidney Crosby era. During the 2008 trade deadline, Shero acquired Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis from the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, Angelo Esposito, and a 2008 first-round pick. While Hossa was the big name in this trade, Dupuis turned out to be a gem in the long term. Meanwhile, the pieces the Penguins gave up did not cost the organization much at all.
Impact
Hossa was a short-term rental for the Penguins that helped them reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2008. Although they fell short of winning the cup, Hossa scored an impressive 26 points in 20 games. Meanwhile, Pascal Dupuis stayed with the team for the long run, playing a role in the Penguins 2009 Cup win and then going on to develop fantastic chemistry with Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz. His two-way play, speed, and versatility made him an essential piece of the Penguins success for years until his forced retirement in 2015 due to blood clot-related issues. Meanwhile, none of the pieces the Penguins gave up had significant impacts in the NHL in comparison to either player the team received. This trade was the first peek at Ray Shero’s ability to acquire talent the Penguins would need to see championship success.
#4. Firing Michel Therrien Mid-Season and Replacing Him with Dan Bylsma (Feb. 15, 2009)
In February of 2009, Ray Shero made a cut-throat decision in firing head coach Michel Therrien mid-season. Shero immediately replaced the Stanley Cup finalist head coach with Dan Bylsma. At the time of this move, the current Eastern Conference champion team was underachieving despite a talented roster. With the possibility of missing the playoffs, the move was made as a last-ditch effort to try to salvage the season.
Impact
The coaching change led to unexpectedly amazing results. Dan Bylsma’s fast-paced and aggressive coaching style fit perfectly with the young Penguins roster. As such, the team caught fire, going on an incredible run culminating in winning the Stanley Cup in June of 2009. The bold move to fire Therrien and bring in Bylsma mid-season was a risky move, although it turned out to be one of the most crucial moves of Shero’s career as Penguins general manager.
#3. Acquiring James Neal and Matt Niskanen from the Dallas Stars for Alex Goligoski (Feb. 21, 2011)
One of Shero’s best trades came in February of 2011, when he dealt defenceman Alex Goligoski to the Dallas Stars for James Neal and Matt Niskanen. At the time of the trade, Goligoski was a solid offensive defenceman but with other players like Kris Letang in the line-up, his role was made redundant. Instead, Shero moved him out to bolster the team’s offensive and defensive depth.
Impact
James Neal blossomed into a prolific goal-scorer for the Penguins, scoring 40 goals in the 2011-12 season. Neal developed incredible chemistry with Evgeni Malkin, and the duo played an important part in the Penguins success at a time when captain Sidney Crosby had been dealing with a myriad of injuries. Additionally, defenceman Matt Niskanen developed into a reliable top-four defenceman capable of playing critical minutes on the Penguins blue line. His best contribution was leading the Penguins defensive group alongside rookie defenceman Olli Maatta when all four of the team’s top defencemen at the time were out with injury. Both Neal and Niskanen became integral parts of the team, making this trade a clear win for Shero. James Neal’s added value as the player moved for Patric Hornqvist adds to the importance of this trade.
#2. Acquiring Chris Kunitz and Eric Tangradi from the Anaheim Ducks for Ryan Whitney (Feb. 26, 2009)
The Michel Therrien firing is not the only move made by Ray Shero in February of 2009 to make this list. In addition to that move, Shero traded defenceman Ryan Whitney to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for forwards Chris Kunitz and Eric Tangradi. Although Kunitz wasn’t a flashy player, his style of play was exactly what the Penguins needed to complement their star talent, namely Sidney Crosby.
Impact
Kunitz’s arrival provided an immediate boost to the Penguins’ lineup. He scored 18 points in his first 20 games with the team. His chemistry on the top line with Sidney Crosby along with his relentless work ethic made him a key part of the Penguins core for more than half a decade. Kunitz was instrumental in the Penguins 2009 Stanley Cup victory later in the year. He also remained a core member of the team and won two more Cups with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017. This trade provided the Penguins a perfect winger for captain Sidney Crosby, leading to multiple Stanley Cups even after Shero was no longer general manager.
#1. Acquiring Brandon Sutter, Brian Dumoulin, and the 8th Overall Pick (Derrick Pouliot) from the Carolina Hurricanes for Jordan Staal (June 22, 2012)
Arguably Ray Shero’s best and most impactful move came in 2012 when he traded Jordan Staal to the Carolina Hurricanes. Although Staal was a valuable member of the Penguins team, he had declined a contract extension with Pittsburgh. Rather than receiving lesser value, Shero capitalized on the situation by acquiring Brandon Sutter, Brian Dumoulin, and the 8th overall pick in the 2012 draft which turned out to be defenceman Derrick Pouliot.
Impact
While Staal was a key part of the Penguins 2009 Cup win, the return on this trade was remarkable. Brandon Sutter became a stalwart third-line centre, providing crucial depth. He would later add extra value by being the centrepiece in the move that brought Nick Bonino to Pittsburgh However, the real gem of this trade was Brian Dumoulin. He would develop into a top-pair defenceman playing a vital role in the Penguins back-to-back Stanley Cup victories in 2016 and 2017. His defensive mastery was a key component of these Penguins championship teams. Although Derrick Pouliot did not quite pan out, acquiring Sutter and Dumoulin while negotiating from a place of weakness makes this Ray Shero’s best trade as Penguins general manager.
