Capitals Sign Conor Sheary

The Caps have made another move to bolster their forward depth, signing forward Conor Sheary - formerly of the Penguins and Sabres - to a one-year deal.

While it’s likely that Sheary’s addition at $735,000 tightens up the competition for the team’s third and fourth lines, he has also shown an ability to play with more skilled players, and was part of the Penguins’ effective top trio alongside Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel when they captured the Cup in 2017.

While his 2019-20 campaign was a slight disappointment, Sheary was somewhat effective at even strength last season, picking up 20 of his 23 points at evens. During the Penguins’ brief foray into the 2019 playoffs, Sheary was held without a goal but did lead the team in points/60 at even strength with 2.12.

Read more on Sheary from those who have watched him over the past few seasons:

Sheary’s career stats by season, via NHL.com:

Per the team:

The Washington Capitals have signed forward Conor Sheary to a one-year, $735,000 contract, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.

Sheary, 28, recorded 23 points (10g, 13a) in 63 games with the Buffalo Sabres and the Pittsburgh Penguins last season. The 5’8”, 179-pound forward was tied for sixth among Buffalo forwards with 19 points (9g, 10a) before being traded to Pittsburgh on Feb. 24. In 325 career regular season games with the Penguins and Sabres, Sheary has 150 points (72g, 78a).

A two-time Stanley Cup champion with Pittsburgh (2016 and 2017), Sheary has recorded 21 points (6g, 15a) in 61 playoff games. Since making his playoff debut in 2016, Sheary’s 61 playoff games are tied for 21st in the NHL among forwards. During Pittsburgh’s 2016 Stanley Cup Final against the San Jose Sharks, Sheary scored the overtime goal in Game 2, becoming the first rookie to score an overtime goal in a Stanley Cup Final since Montreal Canadien Brian Skrudland in the 1986 Stanley Cup Final.

Sheary played four seasons at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst from 2010-14, recording 104 points (38g, 66a) in 138 games, finishing his collegiate career seventh in school history in assists and points.

An undrafted free agent, Sheary signed as a free agent with Pittsburgh on July 1, 2015.

More to come!