PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – He came to an organization, that while had some great young players, was coming off a last place finish in 2006. There wasn’t a map for what the Pens needed to do. It’s what those same players, now veterans, said about Ray Shero’s impact leading them to a championship three years later.
“It was just a culture thing,” said captain Sidney Crosby. “The way he talked. The people he brought in. I think we got the message right away that we were a group that should believe in ourselves.”
Crosby said Shero would bring him into his office to not only get his thoughts, but to explain their plan. Allow him to understand what they were doing in adding different players. It was about a change in culture that he really appreciated.
Evgeni Malkin called Shero ‘an amazing guy’ and how tough of a loss it was to find out of his passing on Wednesday.
“He gave me everything,” Malkin said. “He signed Gonchar because he knew he helped me too. It was a big deal because Sergei Gonchar helped me so much.”
“He built a very good team. It was all about him.”
“It’s devastating,” said Kris Letang. “He was such a big figure in the hockey world and a well-respected one. Ray gave me all the opportunity to be the player I am today.”
Letang called Shero a gentleman who put his trust and confidence in him.
“You need a guy to believe in you,” said Pens Stanley Cup champion Tyler Kennedy on the Pomp and Joe Show on 93.7 The Fan. “You need that guy to get in your corner and give you that push. He always liked me because of the way I played. Ray always gave me an opportunity.”
Kennedy said Shero was there for him at the end of his career. He gave Kennedy a tryout in New Jerseyand then after Kennedy left the team to be with his wife as she was dealing with a difficult pregnancy, and Tyler wanted to come back, he gave him another shot to play.
When Kennedy decided to retire after that season, Shero called the Penguins organization to set Kennedy up with a job after his playing career. He told Kennedy he’d seen too many players not handle the situation well and wanted to make sure he was set for his second career.
“It was Ray almost being like a father figure, more than a GM,” Kennedy told Joe Starkey and Bob Pompeani on 93.7 The Fan
“Forever grateful to everything he did and the impact he had,” Crosby said.