Penguins re-sign Ryan Shea for 2025-26

Lost in the shuffle from the myriad of trades yesterday was the news that the Penguins extended the contract of Ryan Shea for 2025-26.

From the team:

The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-signed defenseman Ryan Shea to a one-year contract extension, it was announced today by President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas.

The contract runs through the 2025-26 season and carries an average annual value of $900,000.

Shea, 28, has played in 28 games with Pittsburgh this season, tallying career highs across the board with two goals, three assists and five points. The defenseman recorded his first career two-goal game on February 23 against the New York Rangers and skated in a career-high 23:48 minutes on March 2 against Toronto.

Shea has played in 59 career NHL games, all with Pittsburgh over the past two seasons, and has tallied three goals, three assists and six points.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound defenseman has appeared in 186 career American Hockey League games between the Texas Stars and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, totaling 72 points (12G-60A).

The Milton, Massachusetts native played four seasons (2016-20) with Northeastern University (NCAA). Shea was originally drafted by Chicago in the fourth round (121st overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft.

Shea has really come on as of late, he has been a healthy scratch for parts of the season playing only two games in October and February. But since returning to the lineup on February 23rd (not counting last night) he’s averaged 20:59 of ice time in six games and added two goals and one assist in the heels of an injury to P.O. Joseph that has seen Shea skate with Kris Letang. It’s been a really nice surge for Shea and enough to make the Penguins want to sign him up for next year where he should factor in as a sixth or seventh defenseman for the team.

Shea’s season sample is all over the place with his stops and starts from coming in and out of the lineup, but he’s done some nice things. WAR really likes him with a 67% this season and some great defensive metrics this season.

At a $900,000 salary, Shea wouldn’t hurt the salary cap if demoted to the minors but he’s been on the NHL roster all season and if things keep trending the way they have in the last two weeks, he likely will find himself NHL work again next year now that he’s been signed.