3 reasons why NY Rangers should ditch PTO idea and sign Conor Sheary to a full-time contract

The New York Rangers have signed forward Conor Sheary to a professional tryout contract, according to a report by the New York Post on Friday.

Sheary, who appeared in just five games last season, spent the bulk of his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning’s AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch.

Despite Sheary’s seeming inability to hold down a full-time NHL role, there’s reason to believe that the New York Rangers should ditch the idea of signing Sheary to a PTO and give him an NHL contract instead.

3 reasons why New York Rangers should sign Conor Sheary to NHL contract

#3 He’s an experienced NHLer

Conor Sheary was an undrafted player who made his way into the NHL due to his skill. Despite his lack of size, he joined the Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring a career-high 23 goals and 53 points in 61 games during the 2016-17 season.

It’s worth noting that Sheary earned playing time alongside Penguins star Sidney Crosby at one point during his tenure in Pittsburgh.

In total, Sheary has played 593 NHL games, scoring 124 goals and 143 assists for 267 points. He’s a solid bottom-six forward and isn’t afraid of playing tough minutes. He could move up and down the lineup if needed.

Adding Sheary on a two-way NHL contract could be a fantastic way for the Rangers to boost the team’s lineup depth.

#2 He’s a two-time Stanley Cup champion

Sheary was a key cog in the Pittsburgh Penguins‘ back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017. During those two runs, Sheary played 45 postseason games, scoring six goals and adding 11 assists for 17 points in a depth role.

Most importantly, he earned then-Penguins coach Mike Sullivan’s trust in the team’s bottom six. Sheary averaged roughly 14 minutes a night in the postseason under Sullivan.

#1 The familiarity between Sheary and Sullivan

It should be no surprise that the New York Rangers would sign Conor Sheary now that Mike Sullivan is the coach there. Sullivan took over the bench boss role in New York, likely influencing the team’s decision to bring in Sheary.

The familiarity between Sheary and Sullivan is one the team should not take lightly. As a result, the Rangers should dump the idea of signing Sheary to a PTO and give him a two-way NHL contract.

A two-way contract would give the Rangers the flexibility to send Sheary down to the AHL if needed, without having to clear waivers. That situation could allow both the Rangers and Conor Sheary to move back and forth as the lineup dictates.