Washington Capitals get it right with Conor Sheary

Conor Sheary has been a stud all season and on Wednesday the Washington Capitals rewarded him with a two year contract extension worth $3 million. The 28 year old has recorded 19 points with 11 goals and eight assists in 40 games, tied for fourth on the team in goals.

Over the course of an 82 game season, the five foot nine, 178 pound forward would have been on pace to score 22 goals which would mark the second time in his career when he would reach the 20 goal mark in a season. He scored a career high 23 goals with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016-17.

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The Winchester, Massachusetts native ranks eighth in the NHL among players with at least 40 games played with 1.26 goals per 60 minutes of five on five play and 10 of his 11 goals have come at five on five. Sheary has 169 points in 365 career regular season games with the Capitals, Penguins, and Buffalo Sabres with 83 goals and 86 assits.

Last season Sheary recorded 23 points in 63 games between Pittsburgh and Buffalo with 10 goals and 13 assists. Sheary was tied for sixth among Buffalo forwards with 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) before being traded to Pittsburgh on Feb. 24.

Sheary was a two time Stanley Cup champion with Pittsburgh in 2016 and 2017. He has recorded 21 points with six goals and 15 assists in 61 playoff games. His 61 games are ranked 21st among NHL forwards since making his playoff debut in 2016. Sheary scored the overtime goal in Game 2 of the 2016 Stanley Cup Final against the San Jose Sharks, becoming the first rookie to score in overtime in a Stanley Cup Final game since 1986.

Sheary was signed to a one year deal worth $735,000, a prove it type of deal and a chance to have a breakout impact on an exciting Capitals team. He was a healthy scratch early on but when Peter Laviolette gave him a chance to play, he took full advantage, especially of late.

He’s got three goals and two assists in his past two games. Laviolette talked about Sheary to the media after practice on Wednesday via Samantha Pell of The Washington Post (subscription required):

“What you really got to like about it was it wasn’t handed to him. He didn’t come into camp and get put on a line with Nick Backstrom. He came into camp and he had to fight for his opportunity and when he got his opportunity he had to continue to push, continue to fight and make a case. He’s been impressive with the way he’s gone about his business.”

Sheary has spent time on three different lines this season and can slot anywhere in the lineup. Now the Caps will look to re-sign Alex Ovechkin. When Brian MacLellan was asked about contact talks in his trade deadline presser with the media, he said they were “status quo.”