Defenseman Ryan Shea enjoying fresh start with Penguins

Saturday represented something of a milestone for Pittsburgh Penguins reserve defenseman Ryan Shea.

It was his fifth day on the NHL roster, a new career high for existing at the sport’s highest level.

During his previous stint with the Dallas Stars, he hadn’t been on that club’s NHL roster for more than four consecutive days.

And while he has yet to suit up for the Penguins three games into the 2022-23 campaign, just being in the NHL at the start of a regular season for the first time in his career is no small thing to the 26-year-old from Milton, Mass.

“That’s the ultimate goal as a hockey player,” Shea said of being in the NHL. “That’s the goal that I’ve been pushing to since I started skating when I was 5.

“Obviously, playing in a game is a different type of goal, but making an NHL roster is step one to achieving my ultimate dream of playing in the NHL. Honestly, I’m kind of lost for words.

“Obviously, a lot of things can happen. If I (stay) on this roster and get to play for this organization, that’s the ultimate goal of my whole life in hockey.”

Shea took a different route to the NHL. Drafted in the fourth round (No. 121 overall) by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015, he never signed with that organization and spent four seasons at the NCAA level with Northeastern, including as captain during his senior campaign in 2019-20.

After concluding his collegiate career, Shea was something of a hotly pursued free agent, and the Penguins, under former general manager Jim Rutherford, expressed interest.

He opted to sign with the Stars, agreeing to a two-year entry-level contract, and, ultimately, spent three seasons with that organization, almost exclusively with its AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars.

With three recalls that equated to a grand total of 10 days on the NHL roster (per transaction records from Cap Friendly), Shea never played in an NHL game of consequence for the Stars.

That led him to join one of those other suitors from 2020, the Penguins. This past summer, he signed a one-year contract with a salary cap hit of $775,000.

“I thought signing here was just a fresh start for me,” Shea said. “(With the Stars), didn’t really get the opportunity that I thought I deserved at times. That’s just the luck of the draw. Pittsburgh was actually in my top two leaving college.”

“It came full circle around. They were interested again, and I was definitely not going to make that mistake twice.”

Shea, who spent parts of two seasons at the junior level with the United States Hockey League’s Youngstown Phantoms, didn’t exactly enter the Penguins’ training camp as a favorite to earn a roster spot. Incumbent defensemen such as Mark Friedman or Ty Smith were expected — externally, at least — to be the main candidates to be the team’s seventh defenseman. Even veteran newcomers such as Will Butcher or Mark Pysyk looked to be safer bets.

Yet, Friedman and Smith each went through waivers then cleared before being assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL. Meanwhile, Butcher and Pysyk are recuperating from undisclosed injuries.

Shea admitted to some anxiousness Oct. 8, a day before NHL teams were required to submit a season-opening roster.

“I’m not in a situation that I can coast through practice, so I had to block that out and focus on practice,” said Shea (6-foot-2, 200 pounds). “After practice, the knees were shaking a little bit. Obviously I didn’t see my name (on waivers). The organization put a couple of other guys there. I was a little excited, but I know … a lot of things can happen.

“I’m just trying to take it a day at a time and appreciate the position that I’m in right now.”

Shea had a relatively quiet preseason, as he did not record a point. But he did lead the team with five games played. So management clearly thought enough of him to give him several chances to earn a spot.

Part of that audition involved Shea, a left-hander, playing on the right side.

“I felt pretty good on the off side,” he said. “Even in practice. I feel fast. Puck moving is the one thing that can slow down when you play the off side. I’ve got to try to keep that to the regular speed on my left side.

“I played college a little bit. I played it throughout my life. I played it a little bit in the Dallas organization my first and second year. I probably haven’t played it in a year. … I’m used to it a little bit. … It definitely takes probably a couple of practices to get into the swing of things. But I feel good doing it right now. That helps me in a sense that I can play both sides efficiently.”

It’s anyone’s guess if Shea will play any games for the Penguins. An injury to someone higher up the depth chart likely would need to be involved for that to happen. And with fellow left-handed defenseman John Ludvig added via waivers on Monday, Shea has some competition just to be the top reserve on the blue line.

Regardless, simply being on an NHL roster is far from routine for Shea.

“Whether I’m in the lineup or not, I still get to practice against some of the best players in the world,” Shea said. “That’s not going to do anything but get me better. I’m excited, for sure.”

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