The 2025–26 season for the New York Rangers offered an interesting case study in unexpected roster evolution, as veteran forward Conor Sheary went from a low-risk professional tryout to a full-time lineup regular under new head coach Mike Sullivan.
Originally brought in on a tryout agreement due to his prior relationship with Sullivan from their time together with the Pittsburgh Penguins including back-to-back Stanley Cup runs Sheary was widely expected to serve as organizational depth or a short-term call-up option. Instead, he carved out a consistent role in the NHL lineup for the entire season once healthy, becoming a regular fixture in the Rangers’ forward group.
Coming into the year, expectations for Sheary were relatively modest. Many projected him as a depth veteran on a two-way contract, potentially splitting time between New York and the AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, while mentoring younger players and providing emergency call-up support. Instead, the Rangers opted to utilize him in a more prominent role, slotting him into the middle-six forward group with defensive responsibilities and situational usage.
Defensively, Sheary was valued for his reliability and experience. He also carried potential utility on the penalty kill, having previously logged short-handed minutes during his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning. However, offensively, expectations were limited. His production had declined in recent seasons, and he entered the 2025–26 campaign having gone over a year without an NHL goal.
Despite those concerns, Sheary remained a productive player in the AHL the previous season, recording 61 points in 59 games with the Syracuse Crunch, the Lightning’s affiliate. That performance demonstrated he could still contribute offensively at a lower level, even if his NHL scoring upside appeared diminished.
Across 62 regular-season games with the Rangers, Sheary finished with 7 goals and 11 assists for 18 points, along with 81 shots on goal and a +1 rating. While the raw totals were modest, they were in line with expectations for a depth winger operating in a defensive role. His offensive production took time to materialize, with his first goal of the season not arriving until December, highlighting a slow offensive start before improving later in the year.
A significant portion of his production came after the midseason Olympic break, when Sheary found more consistency and accounted for a notable share of his total points. He also saw occasional deployment on the second power-play unit, contributing two assists in limited special-teams usage, along with a short-handed goal late in the season against the Florida Panthers.
While he provided some secondary scoring, Sheary’s primary value remained on the defensive side of the puck. Advanced metrics indicated strong results at even strength, where he ranked among the Rangers’ better forwards in goals allowed per 60 minutes and expected goals against. His defensive positioning and experience helped stabilize shifts in a middle-six role, even if his offensive output did not fully justify the ice time he received.
On the penalty kill, results were more mixed. Sheary logged limited short-handed minutes, totaling just under 35 minutes over the season. His traditional defensive numbers were respectable relative to team context, but underlying analytics suggested less impact than the coaching staff may have hoped. He ranked near the bottom among Rangers forwards in expected goals against per 60 while short-handed, indicating that while serviceable, his penalty-killing contribution was not a standout strength.
Overall, Sheary’s season can be viewed as a mix of reliability and limitation. He exceeded some defensive expectations and provided steady depth value, but his offensive production and special-teams impact remained modest for a player used in a regular lineup role.
In terms of evaluation, his performance settled into a mid-range grade, reflecting a player who was effective in specific situations but not transformative. Looking ahead, there is a strong possibility Sheary remains in New York in a reduced capacity, potentially on a short-term deal as a depth forward. In that scenario, he would likely function as a 13th forward a veteran option capable of stepping into the lineup when injuries or matchup needs arise.
However, given coaching tendencies to favor experience, there is also a chance he begins next season in a more consistent third-line role once again. Much will depend on offseason roster changes, internal development from younger players, and how the Rangers reshape their forward depth chart.
As the organization moves through the offseason, Sheary’s future role remains one of the quieter but still notable roster decisions balancing veteran reliability against the push for younger, more dynamic contributors in the lineup.
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