The New York Rangers won’t be playing any hockey after the final buzzer sounds on April 15 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. With no postseason on the horizon, the franchise is shifting into a full-scale Letter 2.0 retool as the summer heat approaches.
However, there is one fascinating scenario to watch as we head toward the NHL Draft in Buffalo, and that is the curious case of Conor Sheary. While the trade deadline passed without Sheary being used as bait, his recent play is forcing a conversation the front office might not have expected to have.
The Statistical Surge
At 33 years old, Sheary is playing some of his most inspired hockey of the season. With points in back-to-back games and a line of 4-2-6 in 15 games this month, his total has risen to 15 on the year which is a modest number that hides a much more impressive analytical profile.
While the early-season box scores were lean, the under-the-hood metrics tell a different story. In 54 games, Sheary has posted a 52.96 GF% and a 51.4 xGF% per Evolving-Hockey, suggesting that when he is on the ice, the Rangers are consistently out-chancing and out-scoring their opponents. Even his 49.33 CF% sits near the team lead for a roster that has spent much of the year pinned in its own zone.
For a contender looking for bottom-six stability next season, those are the exact numbers that jump off the page.
The Summer Argument
Sheary is only signed through the end of this campaign, making him an unrestricted free agent this July. It is hard to believe Chris Drury would let a veteran with two Stanley Cup rings walk away for nothing at the draft, but that is the reality of the situation if a sign-and-trade or an extension isn't in the cards. For those who might not think he'd have value in trade, it wasn't all that long ago that the Rangers jumped the line by trading Barclay Goodrow before signing him to a long-term deal.
If they aren't going to try and move Sheary or let him hit free agency, there is a legitimate case for keeping him. Sheary is currently eating upwards of 15 minutes of ice time per night, likely the highest usage he can expect at this stage of his career. As Father Time remains unbeaten, Sheary is maximizing what could be his last chance at quality top-nine minutes.
For Drury and the front office, Sheary's situation is complex. As the Rangers prepare to have a younger roster next year with names like Adam Sýkora and Gabe Perreault, having a process driven vet like Sheary to stabilize a line could be very useful.
That said, whether he is a trade chip on the draft floor or a veteran anchor for the 2026-27 season, Sheary's recent play has ensured that his name will be in the conversation for summer plans that Drury seeks to execute.