One of the architects of the Predators’ earliest teams has passed.
Ray Shero, who served as Nashville’s first assistant general manager, died Tuesday night, according to an Associated Press report.
The NHL — and several of its teams — issued statements mourning his death Wednesday.
No cause of death has been announced for Shero, who was 62 years old. He had been working as a senior adviser for the Minnesota Wild, a position he took in 2021.
“Ray Shero’s smile and personality lit up every room he walked into and brightened the day of everyone he met,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a release.
“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.
“Whenever we ran into each other at a rink when he was scouting, it was clear he loved what he was doing and I always marveled at his infectious enthusiasm. The entire National Hockey League family mourns his passing and sends our deepest condolences to the Shero family and Ray’s many friends throughout the hockey world.”
The son of Fred Shero, a Hockey Hall of Fame coach, Ray Shero played college hockey for St. Lawrence. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the 11th round of the 1982 draft, but never played in the NHL, choosing instead to become a player agent for seven years.
Shero was hired as an assistant general manager in Ottawa in 1993, and took that same role in Nashville in 1998, hired by then-General Manager David Poile when the Predators were in their first season.
A Minnesota native, Shero served as Poile’s right-hand man for eight years, helping guide the Preds to their first two playoff berths in 2003-04 and 2005-06.
Predators General Manager Barry Trotz was the coach of those teams.
“The entire Nashville Predators organization is deeply saddened to learn of Ray Shero’s passing,” the Predators said in a release. “He treated everyone with respect, had a trademark sense of humor and was a valuable mentor to many, including several staff members still with the Predators today.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Shero family and all of the hockey communities he so positively impacted during his lifetime.”
Shero was named general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2006, and his guidance helped the Pens win the Stanley Cup in 2009. Shero served that role through May 2014.
Shero’s second stint as a general manager came with the New Jersey Devils, where he served from 2015 to 2020.
The Wild hired Shero in 2021, allowing him to return to his home state.