CANTON— Ray Shero, a hockey executive who got his start as Captain of St. Lawrence University’s Skating Saints men’s hockey team, has been honored for his contributions to hockey and the NHL.
Rejean “Ray” Shero has been honored posthumously with the Lester Patrick Trophy, which is awarded by the National Hockey League and USA Hockey to honor a person’s contributions to the sport. He was also recently inducted to the USA Hockey Hall of Fame.
Shero played four years of college hockey at St. Lawrence University before becoming a hockey executive with the Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils, and Nashville Predators. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings after college, but never played in the NHL.
Shero was the General Manager of the Penguins and later the Devils, serving in those roles for 13 seasons.
Shero’s Penguins clinched the playoffs during all eight years of his tenure, which included two trips to the Stanley Cup Final and one title in 2009.
Shero also oversaw the rebuilding era of the New Jersey Devils, which saw players like Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier added to the lineup.
Past recipients of the Lester Patrick award include Gordie Howe, Stan Mikita, Bobby Orr, and Wayne Gretzky, and current NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.
Shero died in April at the age of 62.
According to the NHL, the Lester Patrick Trophy was first awarded in 1966, and is now presented annually “for outstanding service to hockey in the United States.”
St. Lawrence University’s men’s hockey program has also established a new endowment fund in Shero’s memory.
A statement from St. Lawrence University reports that more than $500,000 has already been committed toward a $1 million goal, which “will strengthen the competitiveness of the men’s program by providing vital additional resources to help propel the Saints toward national prominence.”
The endowment was announced during a celebration at Appleton Arena, where more than 300 hockey alumni, family, and friends gathered for the inaugural Ray Shero ’84 Memorial Alumni Game.
“Ray’s career was defined by building championship programs, developing people, and leaving a lasting imprint on the game he loved. His legacy lives on in the lives he touched, the students and alumni he mentored, and the values of leadership, integrity, and dedication he embodied every day,” his friend and co-chair of the Hockey Alumni Association Men’s Executive Board Randy Sexton said. “His influence will echo across generations—an enduring inspiration, a benchmark of excellence, and a true champion of the St. Lawrence community.”
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