Conor Sheary
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new
landscapes, but in having new eyes.”
-- Marcel Proust
The one hand, Conor Sheary is something of an overachiever. Undrafted, signed to a minor-league amateur tryout with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2014, signed as a free agent by the Baby Pens, signed as a free agent by the NHL parent Pittsburgh Penguins, he got a taste of the NHL with 44 games in 2015-2016 before he posted 23 goals (tied for third on the team) and 53 points (fourth) in his first full NHL season in 2016-2017 along with a plus-24 rating (third) for the Stanley Cup champion Penguins.
On the other hand, his production has been something of a slow leak since. In the subsequent three seasons, his goal scoring dropped to 18 goals, then 14 (after he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres), and finally ten last season (split between the Sabres and a second tour with the Penguins). His points did not drop as consistently, but drop they did, from 53 in that first full season to 30 the following season, 34 in his first season in Buffalo, and down to 23 last year.
It is not hard to see why Sheary’s goal scoring dropped over time. In that first full season in the NHL, he recorded 154 shots on goal in 61 games, an average of 2.52 per game. By last season, that shot total was down to 102 shots in 63 games, a 1.62 shots per game average and a 36 percent drop over a span of four seasons. Not only was the shot frequency down, so was Sheary’s efficiency. From a 14.9 shooting percentage on 154 shots in 2016-2017, he was down to 9.8 percent on 102 shots in 2019-2020. Worse, his production fell off at the end of last season. In his last 27 games (19 with Buffalo, eight with Pittsburgh), he posted only three goals on 40 shots (7.5 percent).
Odd Sheary Fact… There are players who are better with home-cooking than they are eating room service on the road, and Conor Sheary is a clear example of the species. In 163 career home games, he is 39-50-89, plus-19, with 327 shots on goal (2.01 per game). On the road, though, he is 33-28-61, minus-17, with 269 shots on goal (1.66 shots per game) in 162 games.
Odd Sheary Fact II… Of the 31 teams against which he has played in the NHL, Sheary averages more than a point per game against one opponent – the Pittsburgh Penguins (4-2-6, plus-5, in five career games).
Fearless’ Take…
Even with Sheary’s diminishing production since his first full year in Pittsburgh, he has four straight double-digit goal scoring seasons while averaging just 14 minutes a game over that span. It might be a case of finding and settling into a role compatible with managed minutes and lower expectations. It would appear he will get a look at wing on the Caps’ third line, and he might benefit from playing off Lars Eller’s versatility at center.
Cheerless’ Take…
Last year, Sheary skated more than 15 minutes 12 times and recorded one point (an assist). Then again, he was not all that hot at the other end, either – 2-1-3 in seven games in which he skated under ten minutes (both goals against the Penguins – file that one away). And yet, eight of those nine games with more than 15 minutes were with the Sabres, a struggling team, and all seven games he skated under ten minutes were with Buffalo.
Potential Milestones to Reach in 2020-2021:
- 5,000 career minutes played (he currently has 4,469)
- 100 career assists (he currently has 78)
The Big Question… Is Conor Sheary sturdy enough for the regular season grind?
Conor Sheary is something of a conundrum, illustrated by his scouting report at TSN.ca:
- Assets: Is a natural point producer at all lower levels. Shoots the puck often. Plays with an abundance of energy every shift and is tenacious on the forecheck. Can play on either side of center.
- Flaws: Can he survive the National Hockey League game at his diminutive size (5-8, 175 pounds) and with his lack of strength? He does have a tendency of getting knocked off the puck.
When the folks at TSN.ca conclude that his potential is “diminutive depth scoring winger with a little upside,” it is the printed form of scratching one’s head. He has skill, but can he be pushed around? He has had a variety of injuries (eye, concussion, lower-body, upper-body) that have chipped away at his durability. Is that the bottom line he is fighting against here?
It is hard to know just what the Caps have in Sheary. He showed early career potential as a supplemental scorer, standing out with his production in his first full season on a club loaded with skill at forward. Can the Caps take advantage of his skill set while still providing some protection, either in minutes or in system approaches, from being dominated physically?
In the end…
Conor Sheary came back to earth in three seasons since having a breakthrough season with the Penguins in 2016-2017, but he is still only 27 years old. He skated for a struggling Buffalo Sabres team last year, which makes it a bit difficult to assess his potential as he heads into his middle career years. But in Washington – a new city, a new coach, new teammates – Sheary has an opportunity to discover a fresh spark for his career.
Projection: 36 games, 7-7-14, minus-1
Photo: Harry How/Getty Images North America
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